What’s The Difference Between Cleaning, Sanitizing, And Disinfecting?

Posted by Pure Jacksonville on January 25th, 2021

With the current health pandemic, the responsibility of every individual increased when it comes to cleanliness. Organizations, Institutions, and other public gathering places are receiving recommendations from public health organizations to increase disinfection procedures to protect the health of workers, visitors, and more. 

Cleaning procedures usually include 3 steps: cleaning, sanitization, and disinfection. Whether you hire a professional for this or do it by yourself, make sure you know the difference between these three. 

Cleaning: Eliminates debris and dirt from surfaces. Think of this as cleaning the material you can see. This process still decreases the appearance of germs by 80%. It should be done in all areas of a business or home.

Sanitizing:  This process decreases the appearance of germs to a level thought acceptable by public health authorities. It is advised to sanitize in places where there is contact with food such as kitchens and dining areas.

Disinfecting: It kills and reduces viruses and bacteria at a rate of 99.999%. It is suggested that you disinfect areas that are in contact with contaminants and bodily fluids such as washrooms, and all regularly touched areas such as door and cupboard handles, switches, coffee pots, and more.

Remember, sanitizing and disinfection are useless if you haven’t cleaned first. Disinfectants can’t kill germs that are under too much dirt! If you’re looking for complete commercial or residential cleaning and disinfection services, see how our Covid-19 cleaning Jacksonville services can help.