Understanding the Difference between Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sanitizing

Understanding the Difference between Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sanitizing

Maintaining a clean home is important for a variety of reasons. Cleaning your home may seem like a mundane task, but it’s especially critical to your health and wellbeing. Dust, dirt, and other allergens can accumulate, causing respiratory problems, skin irritations, and other health issues. A clean home is a reflection of those who live in it. It also creates a calm and relaxing living environment. Taking the time to clean your home on a regular basis has many benefits. In this blog, we’ll share tips to effectively clean, sanitize, and disinfect your home. 

Tips on How to Keep Your House Clean:

1. Establish a cleaning schedule and stick to it. This will help you keep your house clean on a regular basis and make deep cleaning a breeze.
2. Invest in some good cleaning supplies. Having the right tools for the job will make cleaning much easier and more effective. 
3. Don’t forget to declutter. A cluttered home is much harder to keep clean than one that is well-organized. Be sure to periodically declutter your space. Surfaces naturally collect dust and particulates; therefore, the more clutter, the more dust is collected on multiple surfaces.
4. Designate specific areas for certain activities. If you designate a place for things, it’s easier to keep them tidy and organized. Have a place for your keys and wallet, so they’re not misplaced when you need them, for example. 
5. Put things away as soon as you’re done using them. This prevents clutter from building up and makes cleaning much easier in the long run. 
6. Don’t let cleaning become a chore. Find ways to make it fun, or at least tolerable. Put on some music or listen to a podcast while you clean, for example.  
7. Reward yourself for a job well done. After you’ve completed your cleaning for the day, take some time to relax and enjoy your clean home.

Do not mix cleaners, disinfectants, and other household products unless the labels say it’s safe to do so. 

Cleaning, Disinfecting, or Sanitizing?

When it comes to keeping our homes clean, there’s a difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing. Cleaning simply removes dirt and debris from surfaces, while disinfecting kills germs and bacteria. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces. The key differences between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing are:

• Cleaning removes dirt, dust, and other contaminants from surfaces. It does not necessarily kill germs or remove all bacteria. 
• Disinfecting kills bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
• Sanitizing reduces the number of bacteria on surfaces to a safe level.

What is cleaning?

Cleaning is the first step in the process. To clean effectively, you’ll need to use soap or a mild detergent and water. Scrubbing with a brush or cloth can help loosen dirt and grime before you wipe it away. Remember to rinse surfaces well after cleaning them.

Cleaning does not necessarily kill or remove all bacteria from surfaces. It can, however, reduce the number of bacteria present and prevent them from spreading. 

What is disinfecting? 

Disinfecting is an important step when it comes to cleaning your home. It eliminates any bacteria that can cause illness. This is especially critical if a member of your household is sick, as you don’t want to spread germs and other impurities around.   

Food contact surfaces should be disinfected often, such as countertops and cutting boards. You can also use disinfectant to clean up after someone has been sick. Disinfecting solutions and wipes can be used on frequently-touched surfaces, like computer keyboards and light switches. When used as directed, household disinfectants are safe and effective. You can disinfect surfaces by using cleaning products that contain bleach. Be sure to follow the instructions on the cleaning product’s label. 

Check with your supervisor for proper cleaning and disinfecting procedures at work. 

Nowhere is disinfecting more vital than in hospitals and other medical facilities, but as our Covid-19 fight continues, it’s absolutely important that your home is regularly disinfected. 

What is Sanitizing?

Sanitizing is the process of cleaning and disinfecting a house in order to remove harmful bacteria and other contaminants. This is important in order to create a safe and healthy environment for residents.

Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces to a safe level. This is crucial in areas such as kitchens, where food is prepared and served, and bathrooms. There are many different ways to sanitize a house, but some of the most common methods include cleaning with soap and water, using bleach or other disinfectants, and vacuuming. Sanitizing can be done with chemicals or by using heat.

Disinfectant Wipes Are a Valuable Tool

Non-porous surfaces are more likely to be effectively sanitized by disinfecting wipes. 

Are cleaning wipes effective at sanitizing surfaces? The answer may surprise you. Cleaning creates a healthy home environment, but merely using water and soap may not be enough to remove all the dirt, grime, and bacteria. This is where disinfectant wipes come in handy.

Disinfectant wipes are pre-moistened with a cleaning solution that can kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. They’re easy to use and can be stored conveniently for quick cleaning sessions. But are they actually effective at sanitizing surfaces?

It turns out that the answer may depend on the type of surface you’re cleaning. Non-porous, hard surfaces like countertops and doorknobs are more likely to be effectively sanitized by disinfectant wipes. Porous surfaces like carpets and upholstery, however, require cleaning agents that can better withstand the durable material.

Nevertheless, disinfectant wipes are a valuable tool to have in your cleaning arsenal and can help keep your home clean and healthy.