It’s always important to ensure that an environment such as your business is clean and safe. Industries that hold a high regard for health and hygiene know this. Yet, everything must be free of germs, pathogens, and all kinds of “microscopic bad guys” that can cause illnesses. In this guide, we will discuss the differences between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.

Once you know the differences, you’ll understand what each purpose serves. At Georgia Facility Services, we know that clean business environments are the best for employees, clients, and visitors. To further protect your space, commercial disinfecting services offer a professional and thorough solution to eliminate harmful pathogens. Here’s a look now at the key differences you need to know.

What is Cleaning?

What is cleaning exactly? It mainly entails specific tasks like removing dirt, dust, and debris that is visible and from surfaces. The process will include using soap or detergent with water to scrub and rinse surfaces. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t always kill germs or bacteria.

The primary purpose is to improve the appearance of a surface and make it more sanitary. This includes getting rid of any grime or contaminants. Surfaces like floors, countertops, and windows are often cleaned to make them cleaner to the naked eye and excellent for creating allergy-free workspaces.

What is Sanitizing?

Sanitizing is an activity that can be done after cleaning. The purpose here is to reduce levels of bacteria to the point where it’s safe—even by the standards of public health. Sanitizing won’t eliminate all microorganisms. In a sense, it will reduce the numbers, which will likely decrease infection risks. 

What is sanitizing, in particular? It’s designed to minimize bacteria but won’t be effective when it comes to getting rid of viruses or fungi. Sanitization will be common in offices, food prep areas, or spaces where reducing bacteria to safe levels is absolutely critical. This includes making sure that high-touch surfaces like desks, doorknobs, tables, and others are sanitized accordingly, reducing germs in the process.

Finding commercial cleaning services in Atlanta that handle sanitizing will be necessary, especially if your building experiences high levels of traffic regularly. While sanitizing is essential for employee health, disinfecting is also important.

What is Disinfecting?

Finally, let’s ask: What is disinfecting? Here, targeting and killing harmful germs will be possible. Not only will bacteria be killed, but so will viruses and fungi. Applying chemicals like bleach or disinfectants that are EPA-registered will be useful in this situation. The goal here is obvious: to destroy or inactivate pathogens that are known for causing diseases.

This approach will be critical in many environments. These include, but are not limited to, healthcare settings, restrooms, and other environments considered high-risk for the spread of infections. Bear in mind that sanitizing cannot be done outright. To begin, the surfaces must be cleaned or sanitized to ensure better disinfectant effectiveness.

At Georgia Facility Services, we are equipped with EPA-approved hospital-grade disinfectants that our staff applies using the best industry practices. We are confident that we will perform the disinfecting skills properly so that your environment is free of germs.

Conclusion

Georgia Facility Services can ensure that your cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting needs are met accordingly. For businesses in the Atlanta area, hiring the best cleaning service for commercial and industrial spaces will be paramount, especially when they offer cleaning services with the best equipment and highly skilled personnel. For more information on how we can help, contact Georgia Facility Services today at 770-341-5283.