Cleaning vs. Sanitizing vs. Disinfecting
The main difference between cleaning and sanitizing is that cleaning involves clearing deposits and debris on a surface while sanitizing is the act of killing bacteria after cleaning or wiping off a surface. On the other hand, disinfecting differs from sanitizing by killing the majority of germs by being more potent and targeting specific microorganisms.
Regardless of the surface that you are working on, you will want to make sure that cleaning happens first before sanitizing. This is particularly important for surfaces that come into contact with food, or which are often sanitized. However, surfaces in locations like windows and hallways do not necessarily have to be sanitized or disinfected every other time. The three processes, cleaning vs. sanitizing vs. disinfecting can be summarized as follows:
- Cleaning: Focuses on surface-level cleansing, removing dust, dirt, and debris. However, it does not necessarily kill germs.
- Sanitizing: Aims to remove most of the germs by either disinfecting or cleaning the surfaces.
- Disinfecting: Specific use of chemicals to kill germs to lower the risk of spreading infections.
What is Cleaning?
Cleaning something means that you are removing all the visible stains and contamination on the surface. This includes removing all the dirt, dust, food particles, spills, and other kinds of dirt. You can clean the surface by dusting it, brushing, or wiping the area. Since the process is surface level, it does not eliminate the germs although it can help in reducing their numbers. Some of the cleaning products that you may use include:
- Detergents
- Soaps
- Glass cleaners
- Dusters
- Vacuums
- Degreases
What is Sanitizing?
When it comes to sanitizing, you go a step further to reduce the number of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses on a surface after cleaning it. In other words, sanitization is the process of reducing the number of bacterial contaminants on a surface to safe levels according to public health requirements.
For this step, you must use a sanitizer that is deemed safe for public health standards. Most industry-standard and safe sanitizers will kill or remove 99.999% of bacteria in under 30 seconds. This makes sanitization a good preventative measure, especially in schools, restaurants, hospitals, and corporate offices. However, sanitizing does not kill all the viruses on the surface, and this takes us to the next step.
Since sanitization is less thorough in killing germs, it is often associated with the food industry. It allows most facilities and businesses to get rid of most of the bacteria on contact surfaces using products like chlorine or solutions based on quaternary ammonia.
What is Disinfecting?
To eliminate even more germs and bacteria from the surface, you can disinfect the area. Ideally, sanitizing kills the majority of germs, but not all. To kill nearly 100% of the bacteria, fungi, and viruses, you need to disinfect the surface. Disinfecting is more effective and potent at targeting specific disease-carrying microorganisms such as flu virus, coronavirus, and norovirus. Some of the most common disinfectants include:
- Alcohol
- Bleach
- Chlorine
Since disinfecting is more intense than sanitizing, it is often carried out in areas with a vulnerable population, such as daycare centers and healthcare facilities. The cleaners will usually use disinfectant foggers to dispense disinfecting chemicals over large surface areas. While some surfaces like cutting boards and tabletops only need to be sanitized, places like fitness centers and bathrooms often need to be disinfected.
Hire Expert Cleaners for Your Space
When comparing different types of cleansing practices, the choice of the method used needs to be determined by the number of bacteria you need to decrease. The choice between cleaning vs. sanitizing vs. disinfecting becomes easier, allowing you to have a reliable cleansing program for your space or facilities. However, hiring the services of a commercial cleaning company like DMS Janitorial ensures your space is well-cleaned and healthy for both your employees and customers. We offer comprehensive cleaning and disinfection services for commercial spaces with high-grade disinfection experts. Get in touch with us for any inquiries or guidance on how to book our services.