All salad ingredients should be fresh when used.  

All products must be thoroughly washed under cold running water prior to use.  This must happen even if the ingredients have a clean appearance.  There are additives that are sold that advertise making this practice more effective but discretion must be used to insure that additional chemicals or off flavors are not added to the products.

Fresh greens often travel long distances to market or to their final destination.  Washing under cold water acts to revive leafy vegetables brining back their crispness. 

After washing the vegetables the vegetables must be properly dried. If not properly dried, the texture will be compromised with a sogginess and the flavor will be diluted.  In green salads the dressing will fail to adhere to the leaves f the have moisture on them prior to the dressing process.