Did you know there is a difference between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting?
Yup, there is! But what does each of them actually mean?
Let the experts at Red Door Cleaning explain:
Cleaning
We clean to take care of our surfaces. This is when we pay attention to dust, finger prints, dirt, spilled juices, etc. We clean to ensure our surfaces are nice and shiny and appealing to the eyes. We aren’t necessarily worried about removing germs during this phase.
Sanitation
Sanitizing our surfaces is what we do when we want to kill a certain amount of germs or disease-causing bacteria. This is used to keep us healthy when we are out in public. Often you will hear about different stores or restaurants sanitizing objects between customers.
Disinfecting
We disinfect surfaces to completely eliminate all disease-causing germs. Our goal here is to destroy Bacteria! Usually, this involves some sort of chemical, or even sometimes heat!
What are the different types of Disinfectants?
- Hospital-grade disinfectants found in hospital settings
- General disinfectants found in stores for you and me to buy
Hospital-grade disinfectants are EPA registered and are for use in hospital, dental, and any clinic setting. They must kill microorganisms usually found in healthcare settings. They will kill and help eliminate the spread of viruses and germs.
General disinfectants that anyone can buy from your local store are great for your home. They won’t be as strong as a hospital-grade solution but when in your own household it’s not needed. They will still kill germs and prevent the spread of them
So, when should you clean and when should you disinfect?
When cleaning your own home soap and water will do the trick, wiping up spills or splatter from cooking. There are some times when disinfecting will be needed and that’s after meat prep, you want to make sure you are disinfecting the cutting board, knives and even the sink. Other examples are bathrooms in your home, where there’s a higher chance of bacteria being transferred. Also if you know certain people in your home are sick or they are immune-compromised you want to pay closer attention to disinfecting points of contact like light switches, doorknobs, handles…Etc.
For most people, day to day who are healthy and don’t have any health issues regular bacteria found in your home is good for your system as it helps you build up your immunity.
So how exactly do we disinfect?
Let me explain:
Using your choice of disinfectant (wipes or spray) you want to make sure the surface stays wet! This is how we know it’s doing its job. So whether you are spraying a cutting bored or wiping a light switch you want to make sure it’s extremely wet and stays that way for 3-5 minutes before wiping it away. That’s the dwell time it takes for a surface to become completely disinfected. By following these guidelines you can ensure that any surface you are disinfecting is truly cleaned and free form germs or microorganisms!
