system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Does rinsing fruits/vegetables with just water really clean them?

So I buy an apple, bring it home, rinse it and rub it a little with my hands, dry it off and then eat it. Does this really take everything off that should worry me? I've heard of a "vegetable wash" for this task.. Is that necessary?
gpt
Sort of. It'll get rid of any pesticide residue and dirt on the outside, but it's not the best at removing bacteria. Bacteria aren't all that water soluble in the first place - there's a reason you use soap when washing your hands, and it's not because it smells good. Worse yet, a lot of produce has nooks and crannies that you can't really clean well just by rinsing it, most notably leafy stuff like spinach. There was just a big listeria recall for bagged, prewashed spinach. So, it's better than nothing, but not exactly sterile.

The good news is that most produce is perfectly safe, and even if it isn't, it takes a huge load of bacteria to make it through your stomach to make you sick. With the Listeria above, it's unlikely to cause any problems, Listeria isn't much of a risk to anyone with a functioning immune system.