When you’re cleaning your house, should you clean, disinfect, or sanitize? Contrary to popular belief, these three terms aren’t synonyms! For your best house maintenance, read on to find out the differences and when you should use each technique.
Cleaning
We use the word “cleaning” as a catch-all term: we “clean house”, tell kids to “clean your room”, and “clean the bathroom”. But what exactly is cleaning? Usually accomplished with soap and warm water, the goal of cleaning is the physical removal of dirt and grime. This usually just removes a few germs, but without proper attention can simply transfer germs from one surface to another. Cleaning is always step one so you’re ready to disinfect if you need to.
Disinfecting
After you’ve cleaned, removing the majority of dirt and grime, it’s time to disinfect when you’re in the kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere with high traffic. Disinfecting removes a very high percentage of the germs on the surface. While not all germs are bad, there’s plenty that can make you sick, like the flu virus. When you’re disinfecting, remember that it doesn’t work instantly on contact. In order to disinfect properly you need two things: the right product, and a little bit of time. Disinfectants need to sit, damp, on the surface for five to ten minutes to have full effect. Remember: cleaners don’t disinfect, and disinfectant doesn’t clean! Make sure you use the right product for each step.
Sanitizing
In your own home, you’ll probably focus on cleaning and disinfecting. Sanitizing brings the number of germs on surfaces to a level acceptable by public health and medical standards. Sterilizing is the strictest form of sanitizing, usually used only in healthcare or laboratory contexts, and removes all forms of microbial life.
Three Easy Steps to Clean
When it comes time to clean your house, start with a detergent or general household cleaner to remove dirt and grime. Next, rinse the surface, then apply disinfectant and let it sit before wiping it off. You’ll have a sparkling and germ-free surface with this simple three-step process!
At Regency Cleaning, we know that cleaning isn’t as simple as grabbing a cloth and wiping. We bring expert knowledge and the latest cleaning techniques and products to every job. Give us a call today at 403-520-7788 to bring our expertise to your workplace!
