What is the difference between sterilising and sanitising

Stay hygienic! In Diffe Know More. Home Organisation. Livspace Editorial Team March 21, Sanitization cleaning — This is a process of washing, cleaning or removing dirt, and eliminates dust, debris, and germs on the surface. Disinfection — This is a method of destroying pathogenic microorganisms and removing most organisms present on the surface, so that they cannot pass on infections. When do you need to do these? Sterilization requires heat Sanitizing agents come in various forms—liquids, sprays, powders or granules.

How do you do these? You would need professionals for a biohazard cleaning For sanitization use enzymatic detergents, water, and soap, through hand scrubbing or by using advanced machines. How often do you need to do these? Sanitize things that attract dust as often as possible Cleaning frequency will depend on how often you use a space and the external conditions.

Write to us. Moreover, sanitisation is usually performed in places such as kitchens to prevent illnesses such as food poisoning. A common method of sanitising is cleaning a surface then applying a sanitising solution. There are various chemical solutions that can sanitise.

However, it is important to always follow the instructions to ensure safety and proper usage. Examples of sanitisation products include soap and bleaching agents, though bleach can be a disinfectant depending on its concentration.

Disinfection is capable of killing microorganisms that can be present on various inanimate surfaces. Disinfectants have a more significant effect than sanitisation products do because they are more focused to target bacteria, diseases, and viruses. In order to be effective, disinfectants require dwell time. This means that they must rest on the inanimate surface for a certain time period. However, they can also be weakened by organic matter.

This means that disinfectants require more care and attention should you use them. Disinfection processes can be carried out in areas such as hospitals. This is because they normally use disinfectants to clean surfaces that may contain fluids.

This can include blood and bodily fluids that can possibly carry microorganisms. So, finally, what is sterilisation? Sterilisation is the most superior method compared to sanitisation and disinfection. This is because not only can it kill microorganisms the same way disinfection can, but it can kill all forms of microorganisms. This includes both spores and pathogens. While the sanitisation reduces the level of bacteria and disinfection and can eliminate harmful microorganisms, the sterilisation process is capable of completely killing ALL bacteria.

This includes both vegetative and spore, while preventing bacterial growth and reproduction. Hence, this is why sterilisation is often used for instruments, especially if they are to be used for the human body. You will find that sterilisation techniques are often performed on dental and medical instruments. This may not necessarily kill the germs. But since you removed some of them, there are fewer germs that could spread infection to you. Disinfecting uses chemicals disinfectants to kill germs on surfaces and objects.

Some common disinfectants are bleach and alcohol solutions. You usually need to leave the disinfectant on the surfaces and objects for a certain period of time to kill the germs.

Disinfecting does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs. Sanitizing could be done by either cleaning, disinfecting, or both. Sanitizing means that you are lowering the number of germs to a safe level. What is considered a safe level depends on public health standards or requirements at a workplace, school, etc. For example, there are sanitizing procedures for restaurants and other facilities that prepare food.

What you do to sanitize will vary, depending on your needs. You might be mopping a floor using a mop, a chemical, and water. You might use a dishwasher to sanitize the dishes. Or you could be using an antibacterial wipe on a tv remote. Which surfaces and objects do I need to clean and disinfect? How can I safely clean and disinfect? It's important to be safe when using cleaning and disinfecting products: Store them in the containers they came in.