When and how to clean and disinfect your home

Clean regularly and clean first

Cleaning is an important first step to making sure you get the most germs off surfaces in your home. Using household cleaners that contain soap or detergent will remove germs and dirt from surfaces and reduce the risk of infection from surfaces in your home. Cleaning alone removes most harmful viruses or bacteria from surfaces. Surfaces should be cleaned before they are sanitized or disinfected because impurities like dirt can make it harder for chemicals to reach and kill germs.

Sanitizing reduces germs left on surfaces after cleaning.

Disinfection can kill viruses and bacteria left on surfaces after cleaning. By killing germs on a surface after cleaning it, sanitizing can further reduce the risk of spreading disease. But for daily cleaning, you probably don’t need to sanitize or disinfect unless someone in your home is sick or someone sick has recently visited.

Remember to clean first and then sanitize or disinfect if necessary.