
Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are top of mind for us during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone concerned about germs and the spread of viruses today – so it’s important to ask, “What is the difference between cleaning a surface, sanitizing, and disinfecting it?” Though the words cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing are used interchangeably, they are not the same. It is essential to know the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing when you’re trying to choose a product and method to clean up to get rid of any potentially hazardous germs.
There are distinct definitions of cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing surfaces in homes, schools, and public places. These definitions are set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to specify the level of microbial contamination left on a surface after treatment.