Most eggs already carry the best protection they’ll ever have: a fragile, invisible cuticle that seals tiny pores and keeps bacteria out. It’s nature’s own food-safety system, and it works—until we interfere. Vigorous scrubbing, hot water, or soap don’t just “clean” an egg; they can dissolve that barrier and help germs move closer to the inside, especially if the shell has hairline cracks you can’t see.

If your eggs are from a reliable source and appear clean, leaving them unwashed and well-refrigerated respects the defense they already have. Heat, not soap, is your safest weapon: thorough cooking destroys most surface bacteria long before they reach your plate. Instead of chasing a sterile shell, focus on storage, handling, and doneness. The real safety secret isn’t obsessive washing—it’s trusting the armor nature gave the egg, and knowing when to let it do its job.