You don’t see the difference between cleaning and disinfecting
There are many people who don’t see the difference between cleaning and sanitizing – and this is one of the most common mistakes that people make when it comes to disinfecting their houses. Cleaning means physically removing dirt from a surface and disinfecting means killing viruses and bacteria on a surface. Even if a surface looks clean, it can actually be full of germs and viruses… so, disinfection is usually done after you have cleaned a certain surface.
“When you clean a space, you physically remove dirt and germs from surfaces or objects, such as your countertops,” says Vandana A. Patel, MD, clinical advisor for the online pharmacy Cabinet. “Disinfecting a space means you actually kill the germs in your space. Just because a space appears clean doesn’t mean it’s disinfected. Cleaning a surface and physically removing germs is helpful, but disinfecting is a better option to ensure you kill germs and to prevent the spread of viruses.”
To be more specific, here is an example: after cleaning your table once you have finished eating, namely washing dishes and disposing of the waste, you can spray sanitary alcohol to kill germs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Disinfecting refers to using chemicals, for example, EPA-registered disinfectants, to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.”
