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Sanitizing, disinfecting, sterilizing, decontaminating — there’s no doubt you’ve heard these terms before, but beyond a vague association with cleaning, you may not understand the differences between these four practices. In fact, many people use them interchangeably, causing confusion about their meanings and applications.
The truth is that while these four terms refer to similar cleaning processes, they each represent a distinct course of action with specific outcomes and objectives. To ensure a clean and safe environment within the walls of your business, it’s crucial to understand the difference between sanitizing, disinfecting, sterilizing, and decontaminating.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the nuances of each of these procedures, helping you make informed decisions regarding your janitorial needs.
Helpful Definitions
As you navigate the world of cleaning products and services, here are some terms you should know:
- Microorganisms/microbes: Microscopic organisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and some spores.
- Pathogen: A microorganism causing disease to its host.
- Bacteria: A single-celled microorganism.
- Virus: An infectious agent that can only multiply within the living cells of a host.
- Fungus: Spore-producing organisms such as yeast, mold, and mushrooms.
- Spore: A reproductive cell released by a fungus, capable of developing into a new organism.
Sanitizing
When you sanitize a surface, that means you’re reducing the amount of bacteria on it to a safe level as determined by public health standards. While sanitizing doesn’t necessarily eliminate all the bacteria, it kills a significant number, making the surface safe for use. Sanitizing is commonly performed on surfaces that come into contact with food — countertops, utensils, and cutting boards — to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses.
As a professional janitorial company, we use EPA-certified sanitizers that are effective against a wide range of bacteria. We typically apply sanitizing products through spraying or wiping. To ensure the sanitizer has enough contact time to work effectively, we carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Disinfecting
Disinfecting is the process of killing or inactivating a wide range of microorganisms on a surface. That may sound exactly like sanitizing, but there’s one key difference — rather than primarily targeting bacteria, disinfecting also eliminates viruses and fungi. Disinfectant products are classified based on how effective they are against specific pathogens, with some more suitable for use against viruses like influenza.
At Aspen Maintenance, we use EPA-registered disinfectants that have been proven to be effective against a broad range of pathogens. We apply disinfectants after cleaning to ensure the surfaces remain free from harmful microbes.
Sterilizing
Sterilizing is the highest level of cleaning, often involving steam, heat, chemicals, or radiation. It eliminates all forms of microbial life, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and spores. Sterilization is crucial in environments that require absolute cleanliness, such as hospitals, pharmaceutical facilities, and laboratories, killing any pathogens that could cause sickness or infection.
Decontaminating
Decontamination goes beyond routine cleaning and is typically handled by highly specialized professionals. It removes or neutralizes hazardous substances like chemical spills, radioactive materials, or toxins and is critical in situations where public health and safety are at risk. The decontamination process may involve physical removal of contaminants, chemical treatments, or specialized equipment.
Key Differences and Considerations
When deciding whether your business requires sanitizing, sterilizing, disinfecting, or decontaminating, it’s essential to consider each method’s distinct objective, scope, and methods.
Objective:
- Sanitizing: Reducing bacteria population to a safe level.
- Disinfecting: Killing or inactivating many — but not all — microorganisms.
- Sterilizing: Eliminating all microbial life, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
- Decontaminating: Removing or neutralizing hazardous substances.
Scope:
- Sanitizing: Surfaces that come into contact with food
- Disinfecting: Frequently touched surfaces and objects
- Sterilizing: Medical instruments, laboratory equipment, etc.
- Decontaminating: Hazardous materials, chemical spills, biohazard incidents, etc.
Methods:
- Sanitizing: EPA-approved sanitizers with appropriate contact time.
- Disinfecting: EPA-registered disinfectants, properly diluted with appropriate contact time.
- Sterilizing: Heat, chemicals, steam, or radiation.
- Decontaminating: Physical removal, chemical treatments, or specialized equipment.
Commercial Disinfecting by Aspen Maintenance
As you seek our professional janitorial services, understanding different methods is crucial for maintaining your business’s cleanliness and safety. Whether you manage a healthcare facility, retail store, or fitness center, choosing the right services can have a significant impact on public health.
At Aspen Maintenance, we are proud to offer commercial disinfecting services, including ultra-low-volume disinfection fogging, high contact surface disinfection, and day porter services. Our expert team can eliminate 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses on various surfaces of your business, creating a safer environment for customers and employees alike.
Contact Aspen Maintenance today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your cleaning goals.
