You can mix vinegar and baking soda together to wash vegetables.
Allow the vegetables to sit in the baking soda and vinegar and water mixture for 10 to 15 minutes.
Then rinse the vegetables good under running water.
Soaking vegetables in baking soda does remove pesticides as most pesticides are not stable at an alkaline pH and soaking them breaks down the pesticides compounds and after rinsing the vegetables the pesticides can be washed away.
However the baking soda solution will remove only certain classes of pesticides, and only from the produce's surface.
The reason people wash vegetables in vinegar is to remove bacteria, germs and pesticides that can be on the vegetables.
You can add 1/2 cup of vinegar per 1 cup of water and then soak the vegetables in the water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Then rinse the vinegar off with cool running water.
After washing the vegetables in the vinegar and water solution then blot the vegetables dry with a paper towel or use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.
It is safe to soak fruits and vegetables in vinegar.
Using a solution that's three parts water and one part vinegar will be most effective at removing bacteria.
If soaking fruit in the sink, be sure to clean the sink first and make sure you're using enough vinegar to meet the three-to-one ratio.
Washing vegetables with vinegar is effective because vinegar is acidic.
The vinegar's acidity allows it to remove dirt and break down residues, making it particularly useful for cleaning off the sticky film left by stickers on produce.
It's important to wash produce regardless of whether you're going to eat the skin (such as apples) or peel it (such as bananas, carrots, oranges or avocados).
Rinse before peeling or cutting.
Using a clean brush to gently scrub firm surfaces of items like melons can also help remove any debris.