What's the difference between disinfect and sanitize?
By wigima5
@wigima5 (904)
United States
October 24, 2009 3:29pm CST
Okay well I always see on those lysol cans it says to disinfect do this. and then to sanitize do this. and I never know what's the difference? Does one only clean n the other kill bacteria? cuz i thought both meant the same thing. but i never knew what it meant.
4 responses
@max1950 (2306)
• United States
24 Oct 09
The EPA set's the rules that govern these products including their testing, claims and direction for use. A disinfectant must completely eliminate all the organisms listed on its label. These organisms are not limited to bacteria but could include viruses and fungi. Sanitizers need not eliminate one hundred percent of all organisms to be effective. Nor are fungi or viruses ever included in a sanitizing claim. For food contact surfaces, a sanitizer must reduce the bacterial count by 99.999%.
@wigima5 (904)
• United States
24 Oct 09
okay thank you SO much! That's what I was thinking was that one must not be as strong as the other. This is going to definitely help me out because now I'll know that if I'm trying to kill all viruses and bacteria, ill know which direction to use. Thanks!
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
24 Oct 09
Means just the same thing as far as I know. Sanitize looks like one of those "made up" words thats says just the same thing as a regular word.
@captainmorgan (773)
• Canada
24 Oct 09
I didnt even know there was a difference. I've always thought of them as the same thing.
