The Proper Way To Sanitize Surfaces

This is part three of an article on the difference between cleaning and disinfecting. This article continues the discussion of sanitizing.

I define the three levels of cleaning as Sanitizing, Disinfecting and Sterilization.

We touched on incorrect attempts at sanitizing in a prior article and want to continue the thought now. A key point to remember are the four parts of effective cleaning:

1. Temperature
2. Agitation
3. Concentration
4. Time

These principles apply to sanitizing, disinfecting and sterilizing as well. Remember that if you allow sufficient dwell time on a clean surface with a properly mixed disinfectant, you can kill up to 99.9999 percent of the microorganisms on the surface/area. Anything less is a level of sanitization, which can be acceptable in many common areas. The point is that you must give the disinfectant sufficient dwell time and the longer the better. If you follow up wiping the surface/area with an inappropriate cloth you have mitigated much of your effort.

We will continue with our definitions in a future article. Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.