Cleaning vs Sanitizing vs Disinfecting: What Your Workplace Needs

Never before has it been more important to keep the workplace clean and healthy. Still, a simple question confuses a lot of business owners and managers: what is the difference between cleaning and sanitizing? And how does disinfecting fit into the picture?

Understanding these differences allows you to create an effective cleaning schedule and keep your workplace clean and safe. We’ll discuss these processes, their purposes, and when to contact professionals.

Key Takeaways

Understanding Differences: Cleaning removes visible dirt while sanitizing reduces bacteria
When to Use Each Method: Use cleaning for general dirt, sanitizing for high-touch surfaces, and disinfecting in high-risk areas or during outbreaks.
Germ Reduction Rates: Sanitizing reduces bacteria by 99.9%, whereas disinfecting eliminates up to 99.999%.
Focus on High-Touch Areas: Prioritize cleaning and sanitizing high-touch areas.
Establish a Cleaning Routine: Set up a daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedule suitable to your office.

What Is the Difference Between Cleaning and Sanitizing?

Knowing the difference between cleaning and sanitizing is important for maintaining a healthy workplace.

Cleaning removes dirt, dust, and other visible particles from surfaces. Sanitizer kills or breaks down most germs quickly. Sanitizing doesn’t eliminate all germs and microorganisms but lowers the number to a safe level.

What Does ‘Disinfect’ Mean?

Disinfect means cleaning something using chemicals or other methods to kill harmful bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms. Disinfecting is very important for keeping things clean and stopping the spread of diseases because it eliminates germs that can cause infections.

What’s The Difference Between Cleaning vs Disinfecting

Knowing the difference between cleaning vs disinfecting is straightforward. Cleaning uses soap and water to remove dirt, dust, and other impurities from surfaces while disinfecting uses chemical solutions to kill germs. ‘

While cleaning surfaces removes visual grime, disinfecting kills harmful bacteria and viruses to stop the spread of infections.

What’s The Difference Between Sanitize vs Disinfect

The argument between sanitization vs disinfection is based on how well they kill germs and where they are used. Sanitizing gets rid of bacteria on surfaces to a safe level, usually by 99.9%, but disinfecting kills bacteria and viruses at a higher rate of 99.999%.

Sanitizers are better for surfaces that contact food because they contain fewer harsh chemicals. At the same time, disinfectants are better for getting rid of germs in high-risk areas because they are stronger.

Cleaning, Sanitizing, Disinfecting: Knowing When to Use Each

When Should You Just Clean Surfaces?

In the workplace, surfaces that only need to be cleaned are rarely touched and don’t pose a high risk of bacterial spread.

In general, these places include:

– Walls and ceilings
– Window sills and blinds
– Decorative items
– Low-traffic floor areas

The number of times these surfaces need to be cleaned can change, but in general:

– Weekly cleaning for most low-touch surfaces
– Monthly for walls and ceilings
– Quarterly window treatments

However, visible dirt or spills should be cleaned immediately.

What Is the Purpose of Sanitizing?

The purpose of sanitizing is to lower the number of germs on objects to a level that meets public health standards.

Common sanitizing areas include:

– Kitchen surfaces
– Food preparation zones
– Bathroom fixtures
– Shared office equipment
– High-traffic touchpoints

Different sanitizing methods include chemical treatments or hot methods like steam cleaning. These methods kill 99.9% of bacteria, making the area safer without harsh disinfecting chemicals. The goal is to make things cleaner while keeping workers safe.

When To Disinfect?

Disinfecting is very important in high-risk areas or situations where germs are a big problem.

You should disinfect:

– When multiple employees share common spaces and equipment
– When someone has been visibly ill
– During cold and flu seasons
– After an infectious disease outbreak
– On high-touch surfaces like:
– Doorknobs
– Keyboards
– Phones
– Shared office equipment
– Conference room tables
– Break room surfaces

Best Practices for a Clean Work Environment

A plan of action that includes everyone in the company is needed to keep the workplace clean. Here are some important best practices to follow to keep your office healthy and safe:

Creating a Cleaning Schedule

Develop a cleaning schedule that:

– Establishes daily cleaning routines
– Assigns specific cleaning responsibilities
– Includes both routine and deep cleaning tasks
– Determines the frequency of cleaning for different areas

Training Staff on Proper Cleaning Procedures

Your staff should know the difference between cleaning and sanitizing and when to sanitize vs disinfect.

Staff training should cover:

– Proper use of cleaning supplies
– Identifying high-risk areas
– Personal hygiene practices
– Understanding different cleaning techniques
– Safety protocols when handling cleaning products

Focusing on High-Touch Surfaces

Prioritize when cleaning vs disinfecting should be used:

– Doorknobs and handles
– Shared equipment (printers, phones)
– Keyboards and computer mice
– Conference room tables
– Kitchen and breakroom surfaces

Additional Recommendations

– Keep enough cleaning tools on hand.
– Encourage people to take care of their workspaces.
– Set up a system of shared responsibility.
– For deep cleaning, you should hire a cleaning service.
– Review and improve cleaning procedures regularly.

By following these tips, companies can improve the quality and productivity of their workplaces, which will help prevent the spread of germs and improve the health of their workers.

Next Steps to a Cleaner Work Environment

Knowing the difference between cleaning and sanitizing is important to keep your workplace healthy. Pro-Clean Janitorial Services cleans offices in Toronto and the GTA in various ways to meet the needs of different companies. With over 30 years of knowledge, they offer many services to keep the workplace clean, healthy, and professional.

FAQs

No, cleaning products usually have soap or detergent in them to get rid of dirt, while disinfectants are made to kill germs. Always clean up before you disinfect.

Doorknobs, light switches, shared equipment, and countertops are all examples of high-touch surfaces.

Rinsing is usually not needed unless the product label states otherwise. To effectively disinfect, ensure the surface stays wet for the suggested time.

It’s important to wear throwaway gloves and sometimes masks or goggles when you clean or disinfect.