Grapes stay fresh and firm for longer if you stop doing 1 thing

There is a simple mistake that you should avoid making if you want to keep your grapes fresher for longer. Grapes are a delicious fruit that many UK households regularly buy and place in their fridge. Available in pretty much every major supermarket in the country, grapes are a real treat and are often eaten simply as a healthy snack on their own or used to make a delicious dessert. However you use your grapes, it's good to keep them fresh for as long as you can, so you don't end up throwing them out.

Fresh grapes are bright and firm to the touch. You will notice when grapes start to go bad because they will go soft, and they can be bitter to bite into. If you want to keep them fresh for as long as you can, then there is one step you need to skip when you bring them home from the supermarket. Experts have revealed what households often do with grapes that makes them go bad faster, and it is such an innocent mistake.

It is important to wash fruit when you buy it to make sure you aren't eating any bad bacteria when you bite into it. This rule applies to grapes, and you should rinse them in clean water when you are about to eat them.

However, some people wash them as soon as they get home from the supermarket. While this might seem like a good idea, it is not the best thing to do. Instead, wash them only before you eat them to help them stay fresher for longer.

Washing grapes straight away can add to the moisture, which in turn can cause mould and speed up the ripening and rotting process. But this isn't the only reason to leave them unwashed until you want to eat them.

Grapes have a natural protective layer called bloom. This is a waxy layer that naturally forms and protects the fruit from rotting. This can be washed away when you wash your grapes.

Additionally, you should not wash grapes before storing them because of the fruit's delicate skin. The thin skin layer on the grape can easily be damaged when handled and washed. This means that the grape can go bad quickly because its flesh will be exposed.

Instead, place the grapes unwashed in their original, breathable packaging in the fridge. While it might seem like a good way to save time later, do not wash your grapes until you are going to eat them to help them stay fresh and tasty.