What is the Difference between Cleaning and Disinfecting?

Maintaining proper hygiene practices at commercial and residential properties is more imperative NOW THAN EVER. There are a range of products and methods available to make your home, offices, hospitals, schools and other facilities germ-free. However, for effective results, understanding the various hygiene terms is very crucial.

Cleaning and disinfecting are two most uttered words. While both work towards promoting health and well-being at properties, they are different in many ways.

You will learn:

1.       What is cleaning?

2.       What is disinfecting?

3.       How cleaning and disinfecting are effective?

By the end of this post, you will have a clear understanding of cleaning and disinfecting, which will help you in maintaining a microbe’s free environment around you.

1.  What is cleaning?

Cleaning is the primary step of making an environment and space germ-free. It is the process of physically removing dirt, debris and germs from any surface. Cleaning is effective against a range of impurities, however, it is not proven to kill viruses and bacteria but kill them.

There are many ways cleaning is performed. The best sanitization cleaning services practice physical cleaning as well as mechanical cleaning depending upon the type of surface and its condition.

Note: Whether you are sanitizing a space or disinfecting it, cleaning beforehand is the only way to ensure efficacy of the process.

2.  What is disinfecting?

Disinfection is a process of killing the germs. Disinfection is always performed after cleaning a surface and it is effective against a range of microorganisms including germs, bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew and fungi.

Disinfectants have a variety of compositions and are approved by the EPA for safe usage.  Most of the disinfectants are either quaternary ammonium chloride (QUATS), peroxide (Hydrogen-Peroxide based), or hypochlorite (bleach-based). Depending upon the composition, each type of disinfectants has its own usage, advantages and disadvantages.  

3.  How cleaning and disinfecting are effective?

Cleaning is very important before you disinfect any surface, area or environment. While cleaning removes soil and dirt from the area, it does not kill the germs which means that the leftover germs will continue to propagate. This is where disinfectants come into play. A variety of disinfectants are used by professional disinfectants spray services providers to make cleaned surfaces germ-free. EPA registration of any chemical substance to be an effective disinfectant is very important. Besides, when you buy a disinfectant, noting its Dwell time is also the key to evaluate its efficacy. Dwell time is the time that a chemical disinfectant takes to kill germs by 100%.

Cleaning and disinfecting goes hand-in-hand and it is important to engage professional help to ensure the best results. You can however try to DIY a cleaning and disinfecting drive if you have the right knowledge, skills, experience and access to the best cleaning and disinfecting agents.