peel top and scrape stalk - no soil and no water

Damp kitchen towel to knock off the soil and use.

If I don't get all the soil off no mind, won't harm me.

I've heard that too Renton , but I always wash them....like you I couldn't eat them if I didn't 

this was asked in the mirror on saturday and there is a special little brush for cleaning mushrooms (ott in my ho)

Machel no  Apparently the flavour is in the skins?

Just read something where it said 252g og mushrooms were soaked for 5 mins in water and they only absorbed 6g of water

I wash them 

Apparently they  are grown in straw and HORSE MANURE !!!!

You shouldn't wash them.

Wipe with some kitchen towel if they are a bit dirty. 

have always peeled so wouldn't know the difference, but taste ok (do mushrooms have that much flavour? )

Use this brush then I drop them into boiling water for no more than 10/20 seconds. Then fry them in one spray and lots of garlic.

I normally try and but the 'cleanest' ones I can find and use a knife just to 'knock' the largest bits off 

But why?

We're all still here aren't we? 

Cos as Rog says, you get rid of flavour

There is not a chance in hell I wouldn't clean mushrooms.

I usually wash them!

Well anything that's on them is hardly gonna live in the cooking process 

Maybe you should forget buying mushrooms and just add some soil and manure into your recipe then.

Nah, I don't eat that 

LOL exactly

Theyr'e lovely done in the pan with butter mmm mmm mmm 

I don't care how much flavour I wash off ....in fact I often wash , and peel them I've no desire to try manure  

Sounds like Noma [posh Copenhagen restaurant] they eat moss n'all  

Oh Bazzer  dem skins is lovely

Nor me Baz .

 with some garlic and a nice Chianti!!!!!

Saintly Renton, you could always get dried mushrooms and re-hydrate in water before cooking.

Noma menu in 265 plates.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...-menu_b_1507983.html

Now you're talking Cologne 

Or tinned ,just drain.

I will leave them on if I think they look clean Rosie ....but if I am in any doubt I peel them....I hasten to add I am very OCD about food  

Yes, that's how I do them too.  Never wash them as such, because as stated in the OP they absorb the water.

Cos all the chefs say you shouldn't.

This thread has got me starvin' hungry  ... off for a bite 

For all mushrooms (except morels), use a damp paper towel or a soft mushroom brush to wipe each mushroom, one at a time, to remove any dirt. You can lightly rinse the mushrooms with cool water and pat dry with paper towels, but do not soak the mushrooms. Because they absorb water like little sponges, mushrooms won't brown nicely when cooked if they are full of water.

I don't eat them, hope that helps 

Smart arse