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USDA-based guidance

USDA-based · How this page was made · Last reviewed August 31, 2026 · Sources ↓

Don't wash the chicken. It spreads the germs.

The answer

Raw chicken is ready to cook. CDC says it does not need to be washed first. Washing splashes Campylobacter and Salmonella onto the sink, the counter, and food that will not be cooked. A USDA study CDC cites found 1 in 7 people who cleaned their sink after washing chicken still had germs in the sink. Use a separate cutting board. Cook to 165°F with a food thermometer. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F).

The splash is the problem. Below is how CDC and FSIS word the no-wash rule, the separate-board rule, and what to do if someone washes it anyway.

Don’t wash it

CDC: raw chicken is ready to cook and does not need to be washed first. Washing spreads germs to other foods, the sink, and the counter. CDC’s preventing-food-poisoning page repeats the same line.

The finding CDC cites from a USDA study: 1 in 7 people who cleaned their sink after washing chicken still had germs in the sink. That is the published statistic — we do not invent a different one.

If someone washes it anyway

CDC still publishes fallback steps for people who choose to wash. Treat these as a last resort, not the main method:

Store, separate, sanitize

At the store: put chicken in a disposable bag, or keep it in the bottom of the cart, so raw juices do not drip onto other food (CDC).

In the fridge: store sealed on the bottom shelf so juice cannot leak onto ready-to-eat food.

Prep: wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw chicken. Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken. Never put cooked food or fresh produce on a plate, board, or surface that held raw chicken.

FSIS (steps to keep food safe, Jan 5 2024): after cutting raw meats, wash the board, knife, and counters with hot, soapy water. Sanitize cutting boards with 1 tablespoon unscented liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water.

Cook to 165°F

Use a food thermometer. All poultry — ground or whole — needs 165°F. Full cook table: color is not doneness — use a thermometer.

Microwaveable meals that include frozen raw chicken: CDC says handle them as you would fresh raw chicken, and follow the cooking directions carefully.

Leftovers

Refrigerate or freeze leftover chicken within 2 hours — or within 1 hour if the food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F. Miss the clock and discard it. See the picnic and buffet clock and leftovers reheat rule.

Vinegar or salt-water rinses

CDC’s chicken page and preventing-food-poisoning page do not publish a vinegar or salt-water rinse as a safe alternative to not washing. That method is UNKNOWN here — we do not invent one.

Sources

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