Why It’s Important to Clean, Disinfect and Sanitize

Regularly cleaning surfaces prevents germs and illnesses from spreading. This is true of cleaning and sanitizing at home, offices, retail spaces and healthcare facilities. From Shigella to Giardia to norovirus, cleaning can prevent the germs responsible for illness from spreading.

Cleaning is necessary for every home, and sanitizing and disinfecting is essential anytime someone in the household is sick. These steps are also crucial during times of increased risk of illness, such as a pandemic, and are necessary for any public space.

What’s the Difference Between Cleaning, Disinfecting and Sanitizing?

Before examining the importance of cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing, you should understand that these are three separate actions.

• Cleaning — Removes most dirt, germs and impurities from the surface. You clean with a scrubbing action, soap and water.
• Sanitizing — Reduces germs to meet regulations or public health codes. You sanitize after cleaning and use a sanitizing spray or a weaker bleach solution.
• Disinfecting — Kills the majority of germs. You do this after cleaning. You use stronger bleach solutions or other cleaning chemicals.

Cleaning Is Always the First Step

One of the most important takeaways is that you should always clean before you sanitize or disinfect. That is because dirt and other impurities can prevent the chemicals in your sanitizing or disinfecting solution from killing germs.

Cleaning Is Always Essential – Disinfecting and Sanitizing Is an Important Addition

Cleaning is enough to remove the majority of harmful bacteria and viruses. But disinfecting or sanitizing is an essential extra step in many situations. These steps are crucial in public areas or if anyone in your home is sick.

Why Cleaning, Disinfecting and Sanitizing Matters?

Our immune systems can protect us reasonably well from infection, bacteria and viruses. But that is only the case if we are fully healthy. Many people have weakened immune systems, especially in a healthcare setting.

For example, people with wounds and burns have a higher risk of infection. After all, germs can quickly get under the skin through injuries.

Antibiotic Resistance

Even if most people can fight off an infection, we must be aware of the potential for antibiotic resistance. Cleaning and disinfecting are crucial to preventing this type of antibiotic resistance because they prevent the bacteria from infecting people in the first place.

What to Clean, Disinfect and Sanitize?

Make it a point to clean, disinfect and sanitize any surface or object touched regularly. Examples include doorknobs, faucet handles, countertops, remotes, light switches and toys in homes.

Extra Safety While Sanitizing and Disinfecting

Some sanitizing and disinfecting solutions have strong chemicals to kill or remove germs and bacteria. This leads to a potential health risk if you mishandle them.

Read all the instructions on a cleaning or disinfecting solution and then follow the listed precautions. For example, if the container says to wear gloves or eye protection, do so.

You should also read the label to know what to do if you accidentally get the cleaning solution on your hands or inhale or swallow some. Know what you can do at home and when you need to go to an urgent care center or the ER.

If You Get Sick, Seek Proper Medical Care at Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center

Cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting aim to reduce the spread of illness, whether a virus, bacteria, or germs cause it. But there is still a risk of infection, especially if someone has a weakened immune system or you don’t sanitize properly.

At Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center, our primary goal is to provide the residents of Sussex County with exceptional service and the proper billing for the care they need. Our combined emergency room and urgent care in Milton is fully equipped to handle everything from allergies to chest pain 24/7 with on-site labs, x-ray, ultrasound and CT.

Every patient at our ER and urgent care walk-in clinic is seen by an ER-trained physician at every visit, regardless of the level of care they need. Our approach makes care more affordable by avoiding the higher cost of the emergency room if patients only require urgent care services. Our ER and urgent care clinic is open 24/7.

Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center is located at 18383 Hudson Road, Milton, DE 19968.