CLEANING Washing eggs to remove any dirt or stains. Shortly after eggs are laid in modern laying houses, they are gathered and moved to automated washing equipment. Strict federal regulations specify the procedures and cleaning compounds that may be used. Today most eggs are cleaned in mechanical egg washers employing sprayers, brushes, detergent-sanitizers, rinses and driers. Only clean eggs go to market.

In washing, the bloom is removed, so a light, tasteless, natural mineral oil may be applied to replace it. -see Bloom, Oiling, Production