Should You Wash Eggs Before Cooking?

 

It started as a small moment at breakfast, the kind that quietly exposes how habits are passed down without question. One person cracks eggs straight into the pan. Another pauses, confused, even unsettled, because growing up they were taught that eggs must always be rinsed first. The disagreement feels personal, not because of the eggs themselves, but because it touches family traditions, trust, and the fear of doing something “wrong.” Washing eggs has been treated for decades as a sign of cleanliness, but modern food safety science tells a very different story—one that surprises many people the first time they hear it.

Eggshells are not just fragile containers; they are part of a natural protection system. Fresh eggs are covered with an invisible coating called the cuticle, also known as the bloom. This thin layer seals the shell’s pores and helps keep bacteria from entering the egg. When eggs are rinsed under running water, especially warm water, that protective barrier can be damaged or removed entirely. Once the cuticle is gone, bacteria on the shell can be pulled inside through the pores, increasing the risk of contamination rather than reducing it.

In many countries, eggs are not washed at all before reaching stores. They are collected, inspected, and sold with the cuticle intact. In places where eggs are commercially washed, like the United States, they are cleaned under controlled conditions and immediately refrigerated to prevent bacterial growth. Washing them again at home does not add safety—it can actually undo the protection already in place. This is why food safety experts consistently advise against rinsing eggs before cooking or cracking them.

The idea that eggs must be washed usually comes from older kitchen habits, when eggs were gathered directly from backyard coops and visibly dirty. In those situations, light cleaning made sense, but even then it required careful drying and immediate use. Today’s store-bought eggs are already handled according to strict standards. What matters more than washing is proper storage. Keeping eggs refrigerated and avoiding cracks in the shell does far more to protect against illness than a quick rinse ever could.

Another overlooked issue is cross-contamination. Washing eggs in the sink can spread bacteria to countertops, sponges, and hands. Splashing water may carry microbes farther than expected, turning a simple rinse into a kitchen-wide problem. Ironically, cracking a clean-looking egg straight into the pan is often the safer choice. Heat from cooking kills harmful bacteria effectively, while water does not. Safety comes from temperature control and cleanliness after handling, not from washing the shell.

So is rinsing eggs necessary? The answer is no—and in many cases, it’s discouraged. The safest practice is to leave eggs unwashed, store them properly, crack them carefully, and wash your hands afterward. What feels “clean” isn’t always what actually is. Sometimes, letting go of an old habit is the smarter choice, even when it challenges what we learned growing up. In the end, the eggs weren’t the problem—the misunderstanding was.