Cleaning vs. Sanitizing vs. Disinfecting
Whether you’re reading up on cleaning tips or reading the back of a cleaning product, people and companies alike use the words ‘clean’, ‘sanitize’, and ‘disinfect’ interchangeably - even though they mean very different things. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the differences between the three words and discuss when each process should be used around your home.
Cleaning
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, cleaning is “the activity of removing the dirt from things and places, especially in a house”. However, in the housekeeping world, the word ‘cleaning’ is a little more specific. To clean a surface is to physically remove dirt and germs from objects.
Cleaning a surface can involve using soap, detergents, or household cleaning agents and it needs to be completed before any sanitizing or disinfecting. Cleaning common surfaces like your countertops, tables, and even floors should be done regularly. Keep in mind though, that just because something looks clean, doesn’t mean it is germ-free - that’s where sanitizing and disinfecting come in.
Sanitizing
After you’re done cleaning a surface, you can move on to sanitizing it. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on an object. To sanitize a surface you can use a diluted bleach solution or sanitizing spray, but follow the directions on the bottle. Sanitizing almost always requires that the solution is left wet on the dirty surface for an extended period of time to give the solution time to kill the germs.
While you may choose to sanitize a variety of items in your home, sanitization is essential for anything that will come into contact with your mouth. Baby toys, cutting boards, and countertops are just a few examples. Keep in mind that sanitization reduces germs, not eliminates them. If you’re looking to kill germs, you need to disinfect.
Disinfecting
The third level of cleanliness is disinfection. Disinfecting objects kills any germs on them and makes the area safer for people with compromised immune systems or for households overcoming illness. Before disinfecting anything, you still need to start by cleaning - remove any visible dirt or grime. Then, use a strong bleach solution or disinfecting product to coat the dirty surface.
As with sanitizing, to disinfect you also need to give the disinfecting solution time to work. Let the cleaner sit wet on the surface (according to the specific cleaning agent’s instructions) and then rinse away. While you can disinfect as frequently as you’d like, it can be time-consuming, so as compared to cleaning and sanitizing, disinfecting tends to be done the least frequently.
Although you now have an understanding of the differences between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting, it can still be overwhelming to know how and when each should be used. That’s where a professional cleaning service can come in with their extensive knowledge and make those determinations for your specific household.
In the Houston area? Contact Cleandae today so our experts can clean, sanitize, and disinfect your home
