Extension News

The other day I had a question: “What is the difference between cleaning sanitizing and disinfecting?” So after answering the question, I decided what a good article to write about this week. So here goes.

What Is Cleaning? Cleaning is the process of removing visible dirt, debris, and dust from a surface, and may or may not include tidying up or organizing the space. Cleaning agents usually contain some sort of soap or detergent that lifts dirt from the surface so it can be removed manually. While it isn’t the primary goal, cleaning can manually reduce the number of germs on a surface.

What Is Sanitizing? The goal of sanitization is to eliminate pathogens, or microorganisms that can cause disease. Sanitizing a surface reduces some, but not all, of the total number of germs present. Using a bleach solution of regular unscented 5%–6% household bleach at the ratio of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water. Sanitizing is particularly

Sanitizing is particularly important when it comes to food preparation in order to avoid making people sick. Sanitize the most frequently touched surfaces in your home daily, like your countertops, doorknobs, light switches, and common area furniture. To sanitize clothing and linens, simply wash them in hot water.

What Is Disinfecting? Unlike sanitizing, disinfecting isn’t just about eliminating pathogens, the goal is to kill all microorganisms that are present on a surface. Disinfecting is particularly important in places like hospitals, where the spread of infection can have deadly results. A disinfecting solution using regular household bleach is: 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water. Alcohol solutions can be used with at least 70% alcohol content.

Cleaning should be done most frequently, as often as every day, according to your needs and the amount of activity in your house. Basic housekeeping helps slow the growth of harmful pathogens and keeps your home more orderly and hygienic.

Cleaning should always come first, even if you ultimately want to sanitize or disinfect something. Sanitizers and disinfectants can’t do their jobs as effectively when they’re applied to dirty surfaces, so it’s important to wipe away grime before using those products.

Important Tips for Cleaning & Disinfecting

Nearly all sanitizing and disinfecting products need to remain on a surface for 4-10 minutes to effectively kill germs and bacteria. That means you must apply a sufficient amount of the solution to keep the surface wet the entire time, and then allow it to air dry. (Afterwards, surfaces used for food preparation or eating should be rinsed with fresh water and dried with a clean towel.)

Never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner, when mixed together can cause chemical reactions that produce toxic gases that can result in lung damage or even death!

“Knowledge for Life” provided by Phillips-Rooks Extension District #5 and K-State Research and Extension.