Mushrooms are a real delight for a lot of people as they are not only pleasant to the tongue, they also add texture and flavor to the dish where they are used. They are basically the fleshy part of the fungus growing in the soil or just above the ground.
Not only is it extensively used in the kitchen for dishes, it is also used for several other purposes such as home remedies and the kind thereof. The real challenge people must face is how to preserve, clean and store these delicacies in an effective way so as to not damage anything else.
How to Clean Mushrooms
Cleaning the mushrooms is an essential part of the process of cooking them or consuming them. Since they are mostly picked up from gardens or from the wild, they can be dangerous when left unclean.
There are several things to look out for when cleaning them which can prove to be a matter of the consumers’ health. So be sure to follow these simple steps to make your mushrooms healthy and hazard free for your consumers or guests.
Cut the mushrooms up
If you have your mushrooms lined up on your kitchen top, and you need to use them for a dish, then it’s
necessary to clean them up. The first step is to cut them up. The key to cutting them, is to cut the stem and leave the head.
If you are going to be using the stems for your cooking later, then it is advisable to keep them aside for later use. It is advisable to cut them into some smaller pieces so that it becomes easier to wash them up later.
Prepare for the rinse
After cutting up the mushrooms in the way described, take a colander or strainer and place the cut up 
mushrooms inside of it. It best to rinse them using mildly cold running water with a minimum pressure.
Make sure the colander or strainer is large enough to accommodate the number of the pieces. Also, make sure that the water doesn’t have a lot of pressure because then, they can get damaged because of it. Turn and toss them so as to make sure that every side get rinsed properly and no dust or dirt remains on them.
Further cutting up the mushrooms
Even after a good rinse, the mushrooms can still have some pesky and persistent dust or dirt on themselves. 
There also chances of molds and other microorganisms persisting on the mushrooms’ heads which can severely damage your digestive system and even cause severe food poisoning.
Because they are naturally made from a lot of water, they have some amount of mold on them, but that is considered normal for them. However, it is imperative to note that if it is too moldy or dry, then it has been damaged beyond repair, unfortunately. So either cut the extra dry and moldy part up, or throw the head altogether if it is too moldy.
As for the last part, just dry them up using paper towels or a clean cloth and get ready to use them for your dish to make it taste very fresh and delightful.
Scrubbing the mushrooms
As mentioned above, mushrooms naturally have molds growing on them which need to be cleaned or scrubbed because they might harm your health and can even prove to be fatal in some conditions. One way is to cut the molds or the dirty part away, however, a better way to ensure the least waste of good mushrooms, is to scrub the dirt and mold off them.
For this, you can take a paper towel or a small piece of clean cloth and scrub the mushrooms gently while also using your finger to itch out the moldy or protruding parts of the mushroom.
Cleaning the mushrooms while drowning them
Yes, you read that right, mushrooms can be cleaned even more efficiently while they’re drowning in water. Using lukewarm water, you can effectively soak the mushrooms in it.
When placed in lukewarm water, the molds or dirt and bacteria get soft and can easily be removed by scrubbing them. The soaked mushrooms also become softer and can be easily used immediately after scrubbing.
How to Store Mushrooms
One of the trickiest parts about them is the way one should store them. As they are basically fungi, storing them and preserving them may have a lot of complications which may result in some serious damage to either the mushrooms themselves or your own health. So, we would recommend you to read these out first and make sure that your mushrooms stay fresh and healthy.
How can I prevent the mushrooms from getting soggy?
One of the most challenging aspects of storing them is to keep them away from excess moisture and prevent them from getting moist and soggy. The best way to ensure maximum prevention, always keep them in a brown paper bag which can be sealed from the top.
Doing this will ensure that all the excess moisture from these items get soaked up by the bag and it will prevent the mushrooms from getting soggy and moist. Keeping this brown bag in the refrigerator helps prevent any further deteriorating of the mushrooms and ensures fresh produce at all times.
How can I efficiently store mushrooms in a freezer?
Generally speaking, the mushrooms are meant to freeze as they freeze well and can last longer this way, however, there are higher chances of them getting moist and soggy in the freezer, nevertheless, they will never rot nor go bad in the freezer.
It is generally a good practice to keep them in the freezer rather than the fridge because of the cooling temperatures are much higher in the freezer, therefore inhibiting the growth of organisms which cause these rare delicacies to deteriorate and lose their mineral content.
I do not have enough space in my freezer, what else can I do?
That is nothing to worry about, as there is another effective way of preserving them which can work for you if you do not have enough capacity in your freezer. One sure-fire way is to dry them up and store them.
To achieve this, you can use an oven on a low temperature and dehydrate them as much as it is required. Take note, that these dried delicacies can later be rehydrated as you desire. After drying them up, make sure to place them in a place where moisture cannot dive in, like air-tight containers.
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What about some general tips for storage?
- Be careful not to place other items on top of them as they are soft and can easily be squished rendering them tasteless and texture-less.
- Never place them in an environment which is moist and can easily get wet as it will promote the life of organisms which make them rotten.
- For a prolonged storage time, prefer to dry or freeze them up as they are the most convenient ways of storing them.
Conclusion
Mushrooms are a rare delicacy and like all foods, they must be treated with caution and must be preserved efficiently in order to be used later. We hope that with these simple tips, you too can store and clean these effectively and make use of them properly when needed. They can add a lot of to your dish if you know how to clean, store and use them properly.