Cleaning vs disinfecting vs sanitising: When to use each

Food & Home | 20.03.2026 18:00
While it’s true that microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and viruses) surround us and populate our homes every second of the day, simple cleaning and handwashing remain the best way to keep yourself and your home healthy. However, when overthinking gets the best of you, and you scour the internet (specifically cleantok) for the best routines, only to get more confused about when to clean and sanitise, versus when to clean and disinfect. Don’t even get us started on sterilising.