Although these words are often used interchangeably, there are some key differences between them and it’s important to be aware of these differences.
- Cleaning: Cleaning removes soil from a surface, but does not kill disease causing organisms.
- Sanitizing: Sanitizing kills surface bacteria to lower the number of disease causing bacteria on a surface, but has no claim to kill fungi or viruses.
- Disinfecting: Proper disinfecting has the power to kill bacteria, fungi, and inactivate viruses at a much higher level than sanitizing. Sanitizing provides a 3 log reduction to bacteria, while disinfecting provides a 6 log reduction to bacteria.
At Leadens Building Maintenance we recognize how to properly clean and disinfect commonly used surfaces throughout your facility. What we are finding is that many people are unaware of these differences between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. It is crucial that your janitorial or cleaning service provider knows these differences, and how to properly execute these processes in different areas of your facility.
