Man shares clever hack to keep common grocery item fresh longer: 'It helped'

If you've ever rinsed a carton of berries under the tap only to find them mushy or moldy days later, you're not alone. Soft fruit is notoriously delicate — and notoriously expensive to waste. 

One TikToker is showing how a simple pantry staple can make berries cleaner, fresher, and longer-lasting, all while helping people cut back on harsh chemicals and unnecessary plastic waste.

The scoop

In a TikTok video, creator James Bok (@james.bok) demonstrates how baking soda can transform the way you wash fruit. 

@james.bok You have to start cleaning your fruit like this 🍓 #cleaningfruit #fruit #berries #kitchenhacks #cookingtips ♬ original sound - James Bok

"Honestly, this water is disgusting," he says while showing what comes off the berries after a soak. His method is simple: place berries in a strainer, cover them with four cups of water and two teaspoons of baking soda, and let them sit for 15 minutes before drying thoroughly.

James explains that he used to mix vinegar and baking soda together because he liked the fizzing reaction — until he learned that the reaction actually cancels out both ingredients. "So I would recommend either using baking soda or vinegar, not both," he says.

Baking soda works here because it's a mild abrasive that helps cut through grime, dissolve organic debris, and lift away residue without damaging soft fruit. It can even help neutralize odors — something many store-bought cleaners attempt with stronger, less eco-friendly chemicals.

For those who want to extend berry freshness even further, other creators have shared tips like soaking berries to prevent mold growth, washing produce naturally to remove pesticides, and storing berries in ways that help them last for weeks. These approaches align with broader efforts to use simple household ingredients for cleaning and preserving food.

How it's helping

For most people, the biggest perk is saving money. Berries are pricey — and with nearly 30–40% of food wasted in the U.S. each year, simple steps that prevent spoilage can make a real difference. Proper cleaning and drying can keep berries fresh for weeks, helping households stretch their grocery budgets and cut back on repeat purchases.

Because baking soda is inexpensive and long-lasting, replacing specialty produce washes with pantry ingredients also means fewer plastic bottles entering the waste stream. Considering that items like plastic straws can take 200 years to break down, choosing reusable or natural alternatives adds up.

And since baking soda avoids the harsh chemicals found in some cleaners, it supports healthier homes and ecosystems.

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Cleaning hacks that rely on everyday ingredients help people reduce plastic waste, avoid unnecessary toxins, and simplify their routines.

What everyone's saying

Viewers were quick to try the method themselves — and many loved the results.

"Thanks for the idea, it helped," one commenter wrote.

Others shared their own variations.

"Vinegar on soft (berries), baking soda on hard (cucumbers, peppers etc)," one user suggested. Another added, "I tend to use baking soda because I can never eyeball the vinegar."

When asked whether the method impacts flavor, James reassured viewers: "It does not especially because you rinse it off!"

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