What We Need to Know About Sanitizers, Disinfectants, and Sterilization

We understand their concerns. But when we hear these comments, it tells us that many building managers are unclear about what a disinfectant is or does, what a sanitizer is, and what sterilization is all about.

Because information on cleaning is always so crucial— especially now, during this crisis—we at Secure Clean would like to explain these and related terms, so you know how they apply to helping to keep your building healthy.

Let’s start with some definitions:

When we sanitize a surface, we are taking steps to reduce the number of pathogens on that surface to levels that are considered safe for public health. In most types of cleaning situations, effective cleaning and the use of a sanitizer may be all that is needed. This is good to know since sanitizers may be less costly and easier to use than disinfectants, and some are certified green, meaning that when used properly, they have a reduced impact on the health of the user and the environment.

When disinfectants are used, we take hygienic cleaning to a much higher level. While sanitizers are designed to reduce the number of pathogens on a surface, EPA-registered disinfectants are designed to kill or deactivate all pathogens on a surface based on the product’s “kill claims” and whether the product is used correctly.

Disinfectants are not always needed. A recent guideline from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that effective cleaning, in most cases, will do the job and remove soils as well as pathogens from a surface. However, disinfectants are necessary for many areas of a facility to deactivate pathogens on high-touch surfaces.

Sterilization is most often used in the health care arena, usually when cleaning medical instruments and tools. Cleaning professionals are generally not involved with sterilizing surfaces. Sterilization eliminates or kills all forms of life, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and spore forms. This is typically achieved by using a combination of chemicals, high pressure, and heat.

Now that we understand some of the basics regarding sanitizers, disinfectants, and sterilization, we should know that there are different types or categories of disinfectants.

One type, which is relatively new and related to the virus, are N-List disinfectants.

These are disinfectants that have been tested by the Environmental Protection Agency and proven to be effective at deactivating the pathogens that cause COVID. Many of these disinfectants are not new. They were just tested once again to determine their effectiveness against the virus.

Along with N-List disinfectants, disinfectants may also fall into the following categories:

General disinfectant.
This type of disinfectant is effective against a wide variety of different types of bacteria, germs, and other pathogens. General disinfectants are used when we are not sure what pathogens are on a surface.

Limited disinfectant.
A limited disinfectant is effective against only a specific group of microorganisms. If, for instance, there are concerns about norovirus pathogens, administrators and cleaning professionals would select a disinfectant specifically designed to kill norovirus microorganisms.

Hospital-grade disinfectant.
These disinfectants have proven effective at eliminating many types of nosocomial (health-care-acquired) bacterial pathogens. As the name implies, they are generally used in hospitals, clinics, dental offices, or other health-care-related facilities. They are typically not used in schools or commercial facilities.

There is one thing more we must address. No matter which product is used, if it is not used correctly, it will likely prove ineffective. Disinfectants are complicated products. They can differ widely in how they are used, diluted, and applied. To ensure your facility stays healthy, make sure your cleaning professionals are not just disinfecting surfaces but also know how to use disinfectants properly.