Are Cleaning and Disinfecting the Same Thing?

Have you ever wondered if cleaning and disinfecting are the same thing? The answer is, no. People often use the terms interchangeably, but the process is not the same.Cleaning refers to the removal of germs and dirt from surfaces. We clean our hands when we wash them with soap and water. Cleaning does not kill germs, it simply removes them. Risk for infection is reduced because the germs just are not there anymore.Disinfecting is a process that uses chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. Common disinfectants are bleach and alcohol solutions, to name a couple. Disinfecting does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but reduces infection by killing the germs.Both processes have their time and place, and it can even be necessary to do both to really deal with grime and germs. Think about your daily habits. What do you clean? What do you disinfect? Where in your house do you do both?