Did you know that 80% of illnesses can spread through our hands? This is why proper hand washing is the simplest and most effective way to prevent the spread of germs. But did you also know there is a difference between cleaning and sanitizing? The terms cleaning, sanitizing, sterilizing, and disinfecting are often used interchangeably, but each has a distinct role.
Use this guide to understand the critical differences and which method is appropriate for your home’s applications.
The Importance of Cleaning and Sanitizing
It’s important to understand microbes in our world. These tiny organisms include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. They’re everywhere: on the ground, in the air, in the water we drink and in the things we use every day.
Some are helpful by contributing to our microbiomes and boosting our immune systems, but others can cause illnesses (learn how to fight viruses with herbal remedies here). Cleaning and sanitizing are vital to protect us against harmful germs.
Yet, overdoing it with antibacterial soaps, household cleaners, and hand sanitizers can actually lead to missing out on exposure to the protective bacteria. These methods do not discriminate between good or bad microbes. (Source)
I aim to find a balance between the two by using these natural cleaning methods and reserving sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing for specific applications:
- Versatile Uses for Borax Around Your Home
- Vinegar Uses: Discover Surprising Household Hacks
- Baking Soda Uses: Cleaning Tips & Household Hacks
- Washing Soda Uses: My Top Tips for Clean Living
- Unexpected Dish Soap Uses – Tips & Tricks!
- Versatile Cream of Tartar Uses in Your Home
- Hydrogen Peroxide Uses: Clever Cleaning Tips
- Versatile Epsom Salt Uses for the Home
Differences Between Cleaning, Sanitizing, Sterilizing, and Disinfecting
While cleaning removes visible substances from a surface or an object, the terms sanitizing, sterilizing, and disinfecting refer to the reduction measured in the percentage of the microbes we cannot see.
What Is Cleaning?
Cleaning physically removes dirt, dust, and grime from surfaces using products like soaps and detergents. Not all germs are killed, but cleaning makes a place look better and is a critical step before the other methods of sanitizing, disinfecting, or sterilizing can be used.
Cleaning your home includes regular maintenance of countertops, floors, dishes, windows, laundry, and appliances.
What Is Sanitizing?
Sanitizing is about making a surface safe by reducing (but not necessarily killing) bacteria by 99.9% using methods such as heat or chemicals. This is the standard level of safety used to prevent most illnesses.
Homesteading Hack: While many products on the market are effective for sanitizing, they contain toxic chemicals that can be hazardous to your health. However, you can choose safer alternatives such as peroxide, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol to sanitize your home.
Sanitizing’s main objective is very simple: It makes surfaces and objects less likely to carry dangerous bacteria and prevents the spread of viruses and food-borne illnesses.
Appropriate applications for sanitizing your home are important in common hand contact places (door knobs, faucets, light switches, electronics, remote controls, etc.), linens and clothing during/after an illness or infection, where food is prepared, or where medical attention is provided.
What Is Disinfecting?
Disinfecting is one step further from sanitizing, using chemical methods to kill germs by 99.999%. It is key for health in places like hospitals but is not as critical for regular use in a private home.
Appropriate use for disinfecting solutions in the home might apply when a particularly dangerous illness or pathogen has been introduced, and disinfecting has been recommended by your healthcare provider.
What Is Sterilizing?
Sterilizing utilizes pressurized steam, hydrogen peroxide gas, or radiation to eliminate 100% of microbial life, including bacteria, viruses, and spores. It’s the best way to make sure something is completely germ-free.
Sterilizing is a common practice in surgery rooms and labs where cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are not enough to ensure these environments are safe.
While the term “sterilize” is used in preparing jars for canning or medical instruments for first aid, methods using boiling water or rubbing alcohol do not result in consistent and trusted sterile results provided by the professional approach mentioned above.
However, for home use, these methods are sufficient to reduce germs to an acceptable level in safely preserving food and treating minor injuries.
Choosing Natural Methods
Knowing how cleaning and sanitizing work is the first step in keeping our homes safe and healthy. The second and equally important step is considering the risks that may be associated with common household cleaners.
The following posts outline why I don’t recommend using ammonia or bleach and include effective alternatives to choose from:
- Ammonia Uses: Versatile Solutions to Protect Your Home
- Household Bleach: What You Should Know for a Safe Home
These non-toxic methods allow you to make the switch without complicated measures or breaking your pocketbook. So get started today, and enjoy a clean and healthy home!
