January 2, 2023

disinfect vs sanitize

Say you have a big mess on your hands. You’ve got food in your kitchen and you need to choose products and cleaning methods to remove any possible germs. Should we disinfect or sanitize? This article is about disinfect vs sanitize and is an attempt to tell you the difference

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disinfect vs sanitize ; What is the difference between the two?

You may be surprised to learn that although people often use the term interchangeably, there are legal differences. In the United States, an antibiotic is a substance that destroys 99.999% of bacteria within 30 seconds in a government cleaning test (public health test). A good way to understand the logic behind this test is to think about a cocktail glass. It will kill as many germs as possible in a short time so that you can save the glass quickly.

Antibiotics, on the other hand, are products that kill all living organisms (including infectious fungi and bacteria) within 10 minutes in the AOAC Use Dilution Test, a test administered by the EPA to determine the effectiveness of pesticides.

In a clinical setting, it is important to kill all the bacteria even if it takes longer than to kill most of them quickly.

disinfect vs sanitize

Here’s how the CDC defines the differences:

Cleaning only removes dirt and germs that are visible on the surface. You usually use soap and water to do this. You don’t necessarily kill the bacteria, but by removing them from the body, you reduce their numbers and the chance of infection.

Disinfecting uses chemicals to destroy germs that cannot be seen with the naked eye rather than killing them. This method does not mean that it will clean the dirty surface, but by destroying it, you reduce the chance of infection.

You can spread out where you change the baby’s diaper.

Hospitals disinfect areas that have come in contact with blood or other fluids.

Sanitizing reduces the number of germs to a safe level, according to public health standards. This may involve cleaning or disinfection (or both).

Most of the time, you clean the kitchen and other areas where food enters. For example, you wash dishes and utensils after use.

You can also clean toys that children put in their mouths.

If you’re trying to get rid of bacteria and viruses (like during flu season or the coronavirus), you’ll want to rinse instead of scrub.

EPA-approved cleaners only treat bacteria, while EPA-approved cleaners kill both bacteria and viruses.

Wash and rinse thoroughly

To clean or clean your home, you usually

Start with bleach and cool water in a bucket (hot water reduces effectiveness).
Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.

Make sure you use household bleach instead of industrial bleach.
A concentration of 5.25% or 6% hypochlorite is not suitable for use around the house.

If you are sanitizing,

use 1 tablespoon of bleach in 1 gallon of water (or 1 teaspoon in 1 liter).

Transfer the solution to a spray bottle and

spray the material you want to spray (or put it in a bucket and wipe the material with a cloth).

Leave the solution on the area for at least a minute before washing it off. This solution can be used on children’s toys, kitchen utensils and items that will go into the mouth.

If you are disinfecting,

mix 1/3 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water or 4 teaspoons in one liter.

Since this concentration is stronger, use it alone to clean areas that will not reach food or edges – such as changing tables, toilet seats, hospital areas and floors.

You should also expose the area to the bleach solution for a long time.

As mentioned earlier, the official eradication test requires all germs to be killed within 10 minutes, but usually a two to three minute exposure is sufficient.

Note: The whitening solution is only good for 24 hours.