AHC1501
Cleaning and
disinfecting
1
, Definitions
• Cleaning refers to the removal of dirt, debris and organic material from a surface. It is normally
done through rinsing, washing and scrubbing.
• Sanitizing kills most but not all germs on a surface, and usually requires the use of chemical
products. It is important to note that sanitizing does not clean a surface. A surface must already
be clean for sanitizing processes to effectively kill germs.
• Disinfecting is the use of chemicals to kill 99.999% of germs on a hard, non-porous surface
Disinfecting kills germs on contact, though is often most effective when applied for at least 10
minutes or sometimes longer.
Cleaning and
disinfecting
1
, Definitions
• Cleaning refers to the removal of dirt, debris and organic material from a surface. It is normally
done through rinsing, washing and scrubbing.
• Sanitizing kills most but not all germs on a surface, and usually requires the use of chemical
products. It is important to note that sanitizing does not clean a surface. A surface must already
be clean for sanitizing processes to effectively kill germs.
• Disinfecting is the use of chemicals to kill 99.999% of germs on a hard, non-porous surface
Disinfecting kills germs on contact, though is often most effective when applied for at least 10
minutes or sometimes longer.
