These days, it’s really important to keep everything clean and hygienic – not just at home but also in your workplace and any public area you use. And now that we are all so worried about staying well as well as stopping germs from spreading (or ‘being transmitted’) from one person to another – it’s even more vital for us to understand the difference between cleaning, sanitising and disinfecting things. Although these words can be (and often are!) used as if they mean the same they do have different meanings. More importantly, still each activity serves its own purpose when it comes to making sure a particular place or object is safe for people to use; and that includes being free from harmful bacteria viruses.
What is the Difference Between Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting?
Understanding the distinction between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting is essential for maintaining a healthy environment.
Cleaning
When you clean something, your goal is to remove dirt, dust and grime (usually using soap and water) so it looks nice and there are fewer germs hanging around. But just because a surface has been cleaned doesn’t mean it’s free of bacteria, viruses or fungi.
Sanitizing
This is done after cleaning for an extra germ-killing punch. Chemicals or natural products can be used for this job, reducing the number of germs on a surface to levels considered safe by public health standards. Think countertops in both hospital kitchens and residential ones must undergo this process so they’re safe for meal prep.
Disinfecting
It sounds serious — and it is. When something needs to be disinfected, harmful microorganisms are living on that surface and you want to kill them all. Special cleansers designed specifically as “disinfectants” do exactly what their name suggests: These products destroy bacteria plus other bugs such as viruses and fungi. Places like doctors’ offices use disinfectants frequently during the day, not only to clean but also to ensure there are no germs from sick patients left alive on countertops, toys or other surfaces that could make healthy people ill.
When Should You Clean, Sanitize, and Disinfect?
Understanding when it is necessary to clean, sanitize, or disinfect things is very important if you want to keep a place germ-free and make sure that everybody stays as healthy as possible. Each one of these processes has its uses depending on how dirty something is and where that dirt is. For example, cleaning your hands with water alone kills some germs but not others – so if they’re covered in mud you’ll need soap to kill more of them.
Daily
- Cleaning kitchen worktops and sink every day
- If needed, use spray cleaner to clean bathroom washbasins daily
- Washing items such as clothing or bedding on a hot setting or with special laundry product to kill germs
- Using dishwasher’s hot “sanitize” setting to wash dishes
Weekly
- Follow advice from Day To Day Cleaners blog to keep germs off surfaces
- If there are lots of people in your house all the time, clean the bathroom properly every Monday
- DIY All-Purpose Disinfecting Cleaning Spray recipes will help with regular dirt as well as anything stronger; both types can be made using Natural Disinfecting Spray recipes below
- Germs live in poo so don’t spread them around kitchen either: use different cloths for washing dishes once they’ve been near floor
- Once everyone’s feeling better again throw away toothbrushes sponges too!
During Illness
If somebody becomes unwell there are even more things you should do including:
- Wiping down light switches TV controls with cloth dampened warm soapy water at least once each day (don’t forget bathroom!)
- Clean any other objects they often touch like drawer pulls mobile phones
- Making sure their clothes bedding towels don’t get mixed up yours when being washed
Not only does understanding the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting help create a healthier environment; knowing when to implement each process based on contamination levels is key.
Natural Disinfecting Spray (No Vinegar Needed)
If you like to clean your home using natural ingredients, making a disinfectant spray without vinegar could be a great option for you. It’s easy to do, works well and you may already have what you need in your cupboards.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of rubbing alcohol (70% concentration or higher)
- 20 drops of tea tree oil or lavender essential oil. Both of these have antibacterial properties.
Instructions
- Put the water and rubbing alcohol into a clean empty spray bottle.
- Add the essential oil.
- Put the top back on and shake the bottle to mix everything together.
You can use this homemade spray to clean lots of different surfaces – including kitchen worktops, bathroom tiles, metals that won’t rust, and mirrors. The rubbing alcohol kills germs and bugs; there’s some evidence to suggest that both lavender and tea tree oils do this too (but we’d need more studies to say for sure). The spray smells good: unlike some commercial cleaners, it doesn’t contain things known to harm human health or the planet. And if someone in your household has asthma that’s triggered by strong scents, this spray might help them too.
Natural Cleaning Spray with White Vinegar
Vinegar is an acidic liquid that lots of people use for cooking. It also has disinfectant properties and kills bacteria and viruses effectively. You can make a great everyday cleanser from vinegar and water plus a little essential oil if you like things to smell nice. Here’s how.
- What you’ll need:
- White vinegar
- Water
- Lemon essential oil (optional). This is sometimes sold as “lemon oil”.
Equipment:
- A clean empty spray bottle
Method:
- Fill the spray bottle halfway up with white vinegar.
- Top the bottle with water, leaving just a tiny gap at the top so you can put the sprayer mechanism back on.
- Add 15 drops of lemon essential oil.
- Put the sprayer back in, screw the top on tightly and shake well.
- Store out of direct sunlight.
To use your homemade cleanser, shake well then spray straight onto any dirty surface – it’s really good for greasy marks and fingerprints on glass – and wipe down with a cloth.
Always Prioritise Cleanliness
It is important to know the distinction between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting if you want to maintain a healthy living or working environment. Each of these has its own role to play—not instead of but as well as the others—in different situations. When you clean, you remove dirt and dust from surfaces; this can be done with water alone but is usually augmented by soap or detergent. But cleaning does not kill germs: to do that you must sanitize (or disinfect) after cleaning. Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces to a safe level; disinfecting zaps them almost entirely. By making natural sprays for all three functions part of your regular routine (say, just before dinner each night), you can have an inviting home that’s as safe as can be for family and friends. Getting professional cleaning services, like Day To Day Cleaners can be so helpful to save more time and energy. Contact them for more details.
