This is a great question to ask and knowing the difference is very important, especially with the climate of our lives today.
- Cleaning is the physical removal of unwanted dirt, dust, soil, etc. from a surface by washing or rinsing it
- Sanitizing is the reducing or killing of bacteria, and is most often applicable in food service
- Disinfecting destroys or inactivates both the bacteria and viruses (such as COVID-19) on hard, nonporous surfaces. It is important to read your product labels to ensure what they says they will eliminate
Disinfecting is the key to combating and eliminating viruses on hard surfaces, so much so that they are the only products approved by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to get the job done. The EPA-approved sanitizers only have claims for bacteria, while disinfectants have claims against both bacteria and viruses.
The EPA defines sanitizers as chemical products that can kill at least 99.9% of bacteria on hard surfaces. Disinfectants are stronger, they kill 99.999% of bacteria and viruses on hard, non-porous surfaces or objects. It really boils down to the fact that disinfectants are stronger than sanitizers, and for that reason disinfectants are needed for high-touch surfaces to help prevent the spreading germs.
If a product is claiming on their label that it has a disinfecting ability, it must be registered with the EPA. You can look at the EPA’s website to ensure that the claim is accurate and the product is actually able to combat viruses. There are even products that qualify as both sanitizers and disinfectants, so keep your eye our for those. You can check here to see if your product will kill viruses.
Something to remember is that there are “good” bacteria that live on your skin, so when you apply something that kills basically all the bacteria on your hands, you’re killing off some that are actually helpful and natural. There are reasons we don’t apply something that kills every organism to our skin, keep in mind that hand sanitizers contain 60% alcohol for this reason. Hand sanitizers are good if you’re out in public, but it’s always better to wash hands with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds!) as often as you can.
