When it’s time to clean your home—especially kitchens and bathrooms—you want to be sure that your effects are accurate and effective. And COVID-19, along with ongoing product recalls for foods contaminated with E. coli, and other bacteria, have made many of us even more acutely aware of the importance of cleaning correctly.
But there are various levels of cleaning, including actual cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. Sometimes, these terms are used interchangeably, but there are actually distinct differences between the three. Keep reading to discover what you need to know about these three distinctions, and when to do each to keep your home clean and healthy.
- Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company
- Shari Cedar, CEO and co-founder at AK Building Services
Cleaning: The First Line of Defense
In your home, general cleaning is probably the task you’ll do most often. According to Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company, cleaning is the process of removing dirt and grime from the surface through the use of soaps, water and detergents. “Cleaning products are designed to eliminate bacteria, germs, grease, and dust,” she explains.
Shari Cedar, CEO and co-founder at AK Building Services, says to think of cleaning as tidying up the surface, including things like wiping down counters, vacuuming floors, or wiping off sticky fingerprints. She notes that cleaning won’t necessarily kill germs, but says it gets rid of the visible stuff and prepares surfaces for deeper treatments, like sanitizing or disinfecting.
Examples of "cleaning" products:
- All-purpose cleaners
- Dish soap
- Sponges or microfiber cloths
When should you clean your home?
Cedar explains that cleaning is your everyday, “let’s tidy up” action. Use cleaning products when you want to make things look good and fresh, like wiping down surfaces, vacuuming up crumbs, or getting rid of grease splatters.
And Mock adds that it’s a good idea to clean or wipe down surfaces to remove dirt and grease before using any sanitizing or disinfecting products, so that those products can better do their job.
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Sanitizing: The Germ-Reducing Superhero
Sanitizing takes your cleaning efforts to the next level. Cedar says this step won’t get rid of all of your germs (that’s what disinfecting is for); however, she says it will lower the number of germs on a surface to what’s considered a safe level. “Sanitizing is the go-to when you want to reduce germs in high-touch areas but don’t need to go full-out with heavy-duty disinfection,” Cedar explains.
Examples of sanitizing products:
- Lysol disinfecting wipes (a common go-to for both sanitizing and disinfecting, depending on the brand)
- Clorox wipes (some say they sanitize, others say they disinfect—so check labels)
- Hand sanitizers
- Antibacterial dish soap
Sanitizing lowers the risk of infection, and Mock says sanitizing products usually state which type of bacteria they target.
When should you sanitize your home?
“Use sanitizers in places like kitchens or bathrooms where you might want to ensure that surfaces, like countertops or sinks, are not teeming with bacteria or viruses, but where a full disinfectant treatment might not be necessary,” Cedar recommends.
Surfaces that come in contact with food need to be both cleaned and sanitized, and Mock says this includes countertops and cutting boards. “Baby bottles and toys should also be sanitized regularly, and don’t forget high-touch areas such as light switches and doorknobs,” she adds.
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Disinfecting: The Germ Terminator
Cedar considers disinfecting to be the big leagues of germ-busting. “It’s about killing nearly all germs—bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens," she says. Disinfectants are the superheroes you call in for high-risk areas (like bathrooms, kitchens, and places where people are sick) or when you want to make sure that surfaces are absolutely germ-free.
Examples of disinfecting products:
- Clorox or Lysol disinfectant sprays
- Pine-Sol disinfecting cleaner
- Bleach (for tougher disinfection jobs)
When should you disinfect your home?
Mock says disinfecting is the process of using chemicals to destroy 100% of germs, bacteria, and viruses on surfaces. “Disinfect high-use areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms, toilets, and countertops, she advises.
According to Cedar, you would want to use disinfectants for an extra layer of protection, for example, after someone in the home has been sick. "Another scenario is when you’re cleaning up after a particularly messy or risky situation—like food prep [with raw meat] in the kitchen or after pet [accidents],” she adds.
