What’s the difference between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting?

Know the Difference

· Cleaning removes dust, debris and dirt from a surface by scrubbing, washing and rinsing. 

· Sanitizing reduces the bacteria identified on the product’s label on surfaces and in laundry. 

· Disinfecting destroys or inactivates both the bacteria and viruses identified on the product’s label (like influenza and rhinovirus) on hard, nonporous surfaces. 

Disinfecting hard, nonporous surfaces is one of the most reliable ways to help lower the risk of spreading germs from surfaces by touch.

Why Disinfection Is Important

Remember that you should disinfect – not sanitize – because disinfectants are the only products approved by the EPA to kill viruses on hard surfaces. The main difference is that EPA-approved sanitizers only have claims for bacteria, while disinfectants have claims against both bacteria and viruses.

When to Disinfect

It’s important to disinfect the hard, nonporous surfaces throughout a facility with some regularity. 

Select a Disinfectant That Can Be Effectively Used Against COVID-19.

Make sure your product is an EPA-approved disinfectant, look on the label for an EPA registration number on the back panel. Click here to confirm the product can be used against COVID-19.