Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Hacks & How-to's

Disinfect or sanitize: What’s the difference, and does it matter?

Kim Renta
By

There’s never been a time where having a clean home matters more. But while regular cleaning, the kind that is done with soap and water and a little bit of elbow grease, might work in some situations, for others, it’s about a much deeper kind of cleaning. 

When the goal is germ control, the terms disinfect or sanitize come to mind. Disinfecting and sanitizing are two different things—and offer two different methods for germ control—so here’s the difference:

Recommended Videos

Disinfecting vs. sanitizing, what’s the difference?

Disinfecting: Disinfecting kills, destroys or inactivates germs on hard, non-porous surfaces through the use of chemicals. Although disinfecting doesn’t actually remove germs or clean dirty surfaces, it will kill the germs on contact, lowering the risk of spreading infection.

Related

Sanitizing: Sanitizing reduces bacteria and removes and lowers germs to a level deemed safe by public health standards on hard surfaces and laundry. 

The case for disinfecting

Disinfecting hard surfaces is one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of spreading germs through touch. Disinfectants are the only products approved by the EPA to kill both viruses and bacteria on hard surfaces, including COVID-19. 

During quarantine or regular cold and flu season, it is recommended to disinfect your home two to three times per day. If someone in your household is sick, that number should increase to four times per day for high-touch surfaces, including doorknobs, TV remotes, faucets, and cell phones. 

When to sanitize

Sanitizers can reduce or kill 99.9 to 99.999 percent of listed bacterial micro-organisms on pre-cleaned surfaces—meaning you should first clean a surface with ordinary soap-like cleaners and water before using sanitizers. There are two types of sanitizers available for hard surfaces: food contact sanitizers (safe to use on food-prep areas) and non-food contact options, which can be used on most other hard surfaces.

What about green cleaning?

Green cleaning includes products and procedures that do not emit any pollutants when used and are safe for the environment. Green cleaning is important for the environment and the overall health of the general public. Although there are several effective “green certified” sanitizing products, there are no “green certified” disinfectant cleansers known to kill surface germs and viruses. There are, however, a limited number of green cleaning methods, including ozone cleaning, that can kill germs without harm to the environment.

And the winner is …

By sanitizing, you reduce and/or kill bacteria on surfaces, but that does not include fungus or viruses. While sanitizing is certainly better than merely cleaning, if your goal is to eliminate surface bacteria, germs, and viruses, your results will be dramatically better when you use a disinfectant. 

Now, more than ever, it’s vital to maintain a clean, healthy house. But knowing which type of cleanser you need for every situation will help you make the right choice for your home, yourself, and the environment. 

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kim Renta
Kim Renta
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kim has written for Bloomingdales, Movado, and various e-commerce wine sites. When she's not writing about wine and…
Are you inviting spiders into your bed? Make these decor changes to avoid unwanted pests
Here's how to get your bedroom to be free of spiders
Bed pushed up against a wall with flowers on it

Of all the spaces in your home, the very last place you want to come face to face with a spider is in your bed. Your bedroom is a sanctuary designed to make you feel comfortable and safe, so seeing a creepy crawly there can shatter this sense of comfort completely.

Unfortunately, the choices you make while designing your bedroom can make it easier for spiders to crawl into your bed. Your bedroom layout (and precisely how you situate your bed) can attract spiders into your most sacred space. Read on to discover a few common design mistakes that can attract pests and some methods to prevent spiders in bed.

Read more
Do you need to wash walls before painting? The honest truth
What you need to know before you paint your walls
Man's hand painting a wall pink with a paint roller

While there are many mistakes that can be made during a DIY painting project, one question many homeowners ask is whether they really need to wash walls before painting. It's a cumbersome task, so is it really necessary? The answer is yes. Having a clean, dry wall before slapping down that primer and paint can prevent all sorts of cosmetic and even health issues down the road. Of course, there are some rooms in your house that need more thorough cleaning than others. If you're ready to paint, here's how you should wash your walls first.
Really? Do you need to wash walls before painting?
Different paint manufacturers offer different advice on this particular topic. PPG says you should "wipe walls clean of dust and dirt," while Sherwin-Williams, for example, offers more detailed advice:

"Washing your walls and trim will remove grime, cobwebs, dust, and stains that can prevent your paint from adhering. Use a mixture of lukewarm water and mild soap, gently rubbing in a circular motion. Rinse your walls using a slightly damp cellulose sponge."

Read more
Should you be using vinegar in your washing machine?
We weigh in on if vinegar is a good fabric softener or if it's a myth
Woman putting dirty clothes in washing machine

There are so many practical uses for white vinegar that go way beyond an ingredient for salad dressing or brining. Vinegar has long been used as a natural cleaning option, beauty product, and overall household miracle worker. You may have heard your grandparents offering advice to use vinegar for nearly any household obstacle. And to this day, many people tout its numerous benefits, uses, and applications. If you want an idea of some of the incredible ways white vinegar can benefit you and your household, we'll list a few below.

Just a few of the many out-of-box uses for white vinegar:

Read more