Cleaning Companies often do more than clean, they sanitize!
At Clean It All Company, we clean and, where necessary, sanitize and then disinfect. There is a big difference. While cleaning refers to simply removing dirt and other impurities from a surface, sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing all go far beyond this to eliminate harmful bacteria. Knowing the difference between these deep cleaning terms helps us to safely and effectively use our cleaning products.
What are the differences between sanitize & disinfect?
- The centers for disease control states that sanitizing refers to lowering the number of germs on a surface to a safe level, “as judged by public health standards or requirements.” This process works either through cleaning (which physically removes germs from surfaces) or disinfecting (which kills germs).
2. While sanitizers and disinfectants are commonly referred to interchangeably, the two types of products are actually different, and should be used in different situations. Here’s what you need to know about sanitizers and disinfectants—including when, where, and how to use them.
3. Sanitizing is generally a little more gentle than disinfecting. Sanitizing refers to lowering the number of germs to a safe level by either cleaning or disinfecting, disinfecting itself refers to killing nearly 100 percent of germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting doesn’t necessarily clean dirty surfaces, but it does kill germs. Make sure you know what you are asking for, and what your cleaner understands they are doing!
What’s the difference between sanitizers and disinfectants?
According to the Centers for disease control and prevention, cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting all have different definitions:
- Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and other impurities from surfaces, but doesn’t necessarily kill them.
- Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects either by killing them or removing them to a safe level, according to public health standards or requirements.
- Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects.
In short it’s helpful to think of the relationship between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting as a spectrum, with cleaning at one end and disinfecting at the other. “Disinfecting kills the majority of viruses and bacteria,” Diane Calello, MD, executive and medical director of New Jersey Poison Center and an associate professor of emergency medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, tells Health. “Sanitizing doesn’t kill everything.”
If you want to get really technical, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines sanitizers as chemical products that can kill at least 99.9% of germs on hard surfaces (that percentage should go up to 99.99% of germs on surfaces used for food service). Disinfectants are, again, stronger, killing 99.999% of germs on hard, non-porous surfaces or objects.
The difference really boils down to the fact that sanitizing solutions aren’t as strong as disinfecting solutions. But some products can be both sanitizers and disinfectants. Case in point, Dr. Calello says, is concentrated bleach: It can be a disinfectant, but if it’s very diluted, it might be a sanitizer (meaning, again, that it kills less bacteria and viruses).
How to Sanitize During The Covid-19 Pandemic?
The two major ways to protect yourself during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- washing your hands regularly (or sanitizing them when you’re not near soap and water)
- and cleaning commonly-touched surfaces seem pretty self-explanatory. That is, until you’re trying to decide which types of products to use.
Give Us a Call If you need help with sanitizing or disinfecting
we proudly serve Calgary and the surrounding areas!
Clean It All team has been providing commercial cleaning and janitorial services in Calgary for many years with a loyal customer base consisting of condominiums, hotels, offices, and commercial buildings.
Our equipment, commitment, and reliable cleaning staff make us a very good cleaning option for your needs.
Leave The Professional Job To Us
We understand that through your day-to-day activities, it may be tough to keep on top of everything you’d like to form a cleaning standpoint, but that is where Clean It All comes in. Our team of professionals is trained to tackle any task, no matter how big or small. Whether you need a helping hand after closing time every day, or a team to come in once per month, We’ve got you covered!
Proudly serving Calgary & the surrounding areas.
Give us a call today for your free, no-obligation property assessment! Or you can easily use our online quote service which will provide you with sanitizing services fast and hassle-free.
Please watch our introduction videos for sanitizing services: No Contract Commercial Cleaning Company – YouTube
