The Difference Between Cleaning and Disinfecting: Why Both Matter for Your Health
Introduction: Cleaning vs. Disinfecting – What’s the Difference?
While cleaning and disinfecting may seem similar, they serve different purposes when it comes to maintaining a healthy environment. Both are essential for reducing the spread of germs, but understanding their differences is crucial to effectively protect yourself, your family, or your workplace.
In this article, we’ll explain the difference between cleaning and disinfecting, offer general recommendations for routine cleaning and disinfection, and discuss the importance of both in combating germs and viruses like COVID-19.
What is Cleaning?
Cleaning is the process of removing germs, dirt, dust, and impurities from surfaces. It doesn’t kill germs but helps to lower their numbers, reducing the risk of spreading infection. Cleaning involves physical removal of dirt using soap, water, and friction, often with the use of a cloth or sponge.
Key points about cleaning:
Removes visible dirt and debris from surfaces
Lowers the number of germs and bacteria, but doesn’t kill them
Is an essential first step before disinfecting
What is Disinfecting?
Disinfecting involves using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. Unlike cleaning, disinfecting targets the microorganisms that can cause illnesses, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. However, disinfecting doesn’t necessarily clean away dirt or grime, which is why it’s important to clean first before disinfecting.
Key points about disinfecting:
Kills harmful germs and bacteria on surfaces
Often involves specialized chemicals (usually EPA-registered disinfectants)
Does not remove visible dirt, which is why cleaning should always come first
General Recommendations for Routine Cleaning and Disinfection
To reduce the spread of infections and viruses like COVID-19, routine cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces are essential. Follow these steps to keep your environment clean and safe:
What to Clean:
High-touch areas such as door handles, phones, remote controls, light switches, and bathroom fixtures
Horizontal surfaces like countertops, kitchen tables, desks, and places where respiratory droplets might land
Tables, doorknobs, handles, toilets, faucets, sinks
Using the Right Product:
Clean first: Use a household cleaner to remove dirt, grime, and debris from surfaces.
Disinfect next: Apply an appropriate disinfectant to kill the germs. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Leave the surface wet: Ensure that the disinfectant stays on the surface for the amount of time recommended on the product label. This step is often overlooked but is critical for effective germ-killing.
Disinfecting for COVID-19
The COVID-19 virus can survive on surfaces for varying lengths of time depending on the material, and it’s essential to disinfect commonly touched surfaces regularly. While cleaning reduces dirt and germs, disinfecting helps to eliminate viruses and bacteria that could cause illness.
Disinfectant Wipes:
Disinfecting wipes are a convenient option, and when used properly, they can kill up to 99.9% of germs. Be sure to clean visibly dirty surfaces first and follow the instructions on the label to ensure maximum effectiveness against COVID-19.
Electrostatic Spraying: Electrostatic spraying is an advanced technique used to apply disinfectants evenly across surfaces. By charging disinfectant particles, they are able to cling to surfaces more effectively, even in hard-to-reach areas. This method can be highly effective for comprehensive disinfection, especially in large areas or spaces with complex layouts.
Disinfecting with Foggers
Foggers are another tool used for disinfecting large spaces. They release disinfectant in the form of a fine mist or fog that covers all surfaces, making them a great option for thorough disinfection of entire rooms or areas. The disinfectant fog works to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi, mold, and mildew.
A fogger is often used as part of a broader disinfection strategy, but it should not be relied on as the sole method of cleaning. It’s most effective when used after regular cleaning, and it’s important to follow proper safety protocols when using these devices.
Why You Need Regular Disinfection
In today’s world, a one-time “deep clean” is no longer sufficient. To effectively prevent the spread of viruses like COVID-19 and the flu, regular disinfection is essential. At Mercedes Cleaning Solutions LLC, we go beyond cleaning by using effective disinfectants on every cleaning service to ensure that we’re not just removing dirt, but also killing germs and viruses. Our approach helps provide peace of mind for businesses and households alike.
Sources:
For more information on cleaning and disinfection recommendations, visit the CDC’s official guidelines on cleaning and disinfecting.
