Cleaning vs disinfecting: What’s the difference, and why does It matter?

Cleaning and disinfecting are two distinct processes that are both essential for maintaining a healthy and hygienic living or working environment. While cleaning removes visible dirt and grime from surfaces, disinfecting kills harmful bacteria and viruses that can make people sick. In this article, we’ll explore the difference between cleaning and disinfecting and why it matters.

What is Cleaning

Cleaning is the process of removing dirt, dust, and other debris from surfaces. It can be done using water, soap, and other cleaning products to physically remove dirt and germs from surfaces. Cleaning helps to reduce the number of germs on surfaces and makes the area look cleaner.

While cleaning can help to make surfaces look clean, it does not necessarily eliminate harmful germs that can cause illness. This is where disinfecting comes in.

What is Disinfecting?

disinfection of living room after move out cleaning in london

Disinfecting is the process of killing germs on surfaces using chemicals or other disinfectants. This process is particularly important in high-traffic areas, such as schools, hospitals, and public restrooms, where harmful bacteria and viruses can easily spread. Of course, it’s also important for home and office areas to be at least once a year for a full in-depth removal of germs.

Disinfecting can be done using a variety of products, such as bleach, alcohol-based disinfectants, and hydrogen peroxide. These products kill harmful germs on surfaces and reduce the risk of infection. Nowadays, there are many alternatives to these strong products, and now, cleaners use more environment healhy detergents to eliminate such germs.


Is disinfection noxious?

Cleaning with disinfection is not inherently noxious, but it can be harmful if the cleaning products and disinfectants are not used properly. Many disinfectants contain chemicals that can be harmful if ingested, inhaled, or come into contact with the skin. However, if used according to the manufacturer’s instructions and with proper safety precautions, disinfectants can effectively kill harmful germs without posing a risk to human health.

It’s important to follow the instructions on the product label when using disinfectants, including using the recommended amount and allowing the disinfectant to sit for the recommended time before wiping it off. It’s also important to wear gloves and other protective equipment when using disinfectants to avoid direct contact with the product.

In addition, it’s important to choose the right cleaning and disinfecting products for the surface being cleaned. Some surfaces may be sensitive to certain chemicals, so it’s important to choose a product that is appropriate for the specific surface being cleaned.

Overall, cleaning with disinfection can be an effective way to kill harmful germs and maintain a clean and hygienic environment, but it’s important to use these products safely and responsibly to avoid any potential risks to human health. Don’t forget that professional cleaners choose carefully the products they use, and you can be sure they will be safe for you.

Why Does The Cleaning And Disinfection Matter?

It’s important to understand the difference between cleaning and disinfecting because both are necessary for maintaining a healthy living or working environment. If surfaces are not properly cleaned, harmful germs can continue to thrive and spread, putting people at risk of infection.

On the other hand, if surfaces are not properly disinfected, harmful germs may still be present and could potentially cause illness. This is particularly important during times of high risk, such as during flu season or a pandemic.

To ensure that surfaces are both clean and disinfected, it’s important to use the right products and follow proper cleaning and disinfecting procedures. This may include wearing gloves and other protective equipment, using the right products for the specific surface being cleaned, and allowing disinfectants to sit for the recommended amount of time before wiping them off.

Which method to choose?

cleaning and polish of furniture during professional after tenancy cleaning

There is a proper time to choose each of those methods, and it depends on the circumstances. For example, if you are about to end a tenancy for your home or office space, it’s best to hire professional end of teancny cleaners that also include in their services disinfection. This type of cleaning is very important because you are leaving a space for a different person (or people) to start spending their time. Not only will it be important for the landlord of this property, but also for the next tenants. 

If you are looking for a more basic cleaning of your home, for example spring cleaning, then we recommend you choose domestic professional cleaning. It will be more basic but stil good enough for the purposes. 

And of course, if you want to deep clean your office or home, which is usually recommended at least once a year, we recommend again professional deep cleaning with included disinfection in the service. This will help you create a safe and healthy environment with no germs, dirt, or noxios odours. 

Summing up

Cleaning and disinfecting are two important processes that are necessary for maintaining a healthy and hygienic living or working environment. While cleaning removes visible dirt and debris, disinfecting kills harmful germs that can cause illness. By understanding the difference between cleaning and disinfecting and following proper procedures, we can help to reduce the spread of germs and keep ourselves and others healthy.


At Cleaningsure we feature the full suite of professional services for residential homes, office buildings, and commercial and institutional settings. We have been operating in the cleaning industry for many years, and we always try to deliver maximum performance, offering superb quality services across public and industry sectors. From industrial, manufacturing, and retail to educational and healthcare, we have built strong customer relationships solely based on hard work, excellence, and trust. We also maintain the highest safety and health standards, and our strict quality control procedures ensure complete customer satisfaction.
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