Recipes and Cooking How to Cook Cooking Basics Storing Lettuce Washing and storing lettuce properly makes a big difference in how long it will stay at the peak of freshness. By Sheena Chihak, RD Sheena Chihak, RD Instagram Sheena Chihak is a registered dietitian, former food editor and current edit lead for BHG with over 15 years of writing and editing experience for both print and digital. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on June 9, 2015 Share Tweet Pin Email By storing lettuce correctly, you can preserve it for a week. 1. Remove any brown-edged, bruised, wilted, or old leaves. 2. Wash greens under cold running water, then separate the leaves and rinse them in a colander under cold water. If the leaves are very sandy or gritty, repeat the rinsing step. 3. Use a salad spinner to dry washed lettuce greens or shake them dry. 4. Layer the leaves between paper towels and store in a sealable container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. Cleaned lettuce will keep this way for a week. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit