Raccoons sometimes dunk food in water and roll it between their paws.
It looks exactly like washing.
The behavior probably has much more to do with touch than cleanliness.
Raccoon front paws are extremely sensitive
Raccoons use their front paws almost like hands.
They have dense networks of sensory receptors that help them identify objects by touch.
That ability is especially useful when searching in dark water or muddy areas.
Water may improve tactile information
Wet skin can make the paws more sensitive to texture and shape.
Manipulating an object in water may therefore help a raccoon gather more information about it.
The behavior is sometimes called dousing.
Are raccoons trying to remove dirt?
Not necessarily.
Captive raccoons may dunk perfectly clean food.
Wild raccoons also manipulate many nonfood objects in water.
That makes a pure hygiene explanation unlikely.
Why did the washing idea become popular?
Because the behavior looks familiar.
Humans see hands, water, and food.
Our brains supply the obvious story:
It is washing dinner.
Animal behavior does not have to follow human logic.
Do all raccoons do it?
No.
The behavior depends on the animal, environment, and access to water.
It is common enough to notice but not a required step before every raccoon meal.
Is this another sensory adaptation?
Yes.
Animals solve information problems using the senses they are especially good at.
Cats rely heavily on whiskers, which is why cats have whiskers.
Raccoons have remarkably sensitive paws.
The raccoon is probably inspecting dinner with its hands, not following a woodland hygiene policy.
And that’s the short explanation.
Related explanations: Why do cats have whiskers?, Why do dogs sniff each other’s rear ends?, and Why do animals have tails?