Even though sanitizing and disinfecting have been a routine part of professional business cleaning for decades, both have gotten a lot more attention since the COVID pandemic. It is understandable. It’s also understandable that clients want to know if disinfection is necessary when cleaning crews are already sanitizing.
Let’s just start by saying you can’t go wrong by disinfecting your workspace. Is it critically necessary? In some environments, absolutely. Healthcare environments are the perfect example. But there are other environments in which the risk of exposure to bacteria and other germs is relatively minimal. Disinfecting might be overkill.
The only way to know for sure is to evaluate a space thoroughly. What is the space used for? What are the risks associated with germs? Will disinfecting keep people safer? Answer these questions and you will know whether you need to disinfect on top of sanitizing.
Differences Between the Two
It has been our experience that people tend to use the terms ‘sanitizing’ and ‘disinfecting’ interchangeably. While the two terms are similar, they are also distinctly different. The differences between them can have an enormous impact depending on the cleaning environment.
Sanitizing is the process of cleaning with the goal of removing enough germs on a given surface to reduce them to a safe and acceptable level. When someone wipes down the breakroom table with a damp cloth and an all-purpose cleaner, she is both removing surface dirt and sanitizing.
Disinfecting is more thorough. It represents a deeper clean, if you will. Disinfecting is the process of actually killing germs rather than merely removing them from a surface. It requires cleaning chemicals designed to kill up to 99.99% of germs. According to EPA guidelines, a cleaning solution can’t be marketed as a disinfectant until it has been registered with the agency.
Valid Reasons to Disinfect
As previously stated, disinfection is a must for certain types of environments. But an individual or business could choose to disinfect even when risk is low. Why disinfect? There are a number of valid reasons:
- Broader Protection – Disinfection is designed to target microorganisms we already know tend to carry diseases. Disinfectants kill the flu virus, norovirus, and other potentially harmful bugs. Sanitizing does not.
- Disease Prevention – Killing germs eliminates the risk of spreading them. As a result, disinfecting actually helps to prevent disease.
- Regulatory Compliance – It goes without saying that some organizations are compelled by state and federal regulations to disinfect. If an organization is required to disinfect and doesn’t do so, severe penalties could be levied.
- Protecting Employees – Disinfecting, even in low risk spaces, still protects employees against unnecessary germ exposure. Healthy employees are happy employees.
- Sensitive Technology – Clean rooms, in which highly sensitive technical equipment is used, are often subjected to regular disinfection. Believe it or not, some of the same pathogens that bother human beings aren’t good for a clean room’s highly sensitive electronic equipment.
The key to proper disinfection is to use the right cleaning chemicals combined with the right techniques. And of course, it is imperative that property owners and cleaning crews address high risk areas without compromise. Whether it’s a healthcare environment, a daycare, or even a private school, disinfection keeps populations safer by eliminating germ exposure.
Does your cleaning crew both sanitize and disinfect? The two practices are similar but still different. If disinfecting is required, be sure your crews know how to do it right. You might also consider turning routine cleaning over to All Pro Cleaning Systems. Our teams are fully trained and knowledgeable in all things related to sanitizing and disinfecting.
