5 Misconceptions About Sanitizing

January 16, 2020 Leave a Comment

Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are an important part of staying away from the spread of illness, especially in public places where it's so easy to pass around the germs and bacteria that can cause diseases. It's important in the home as well and plays a crucial part in stopping outside germs from coming into the home or going out. There are different ways of cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting different environments. Commercial kitchens, hospitals, and other public facilities often have stringent guidelines put in place and enforced by state and local government agencies, including the Food and Drug administration (FDA). These guidelines help ensure consumer safety. Failing to meet these guidelines can result in fines or having your establishment shut down. Unfortunately, as much as we understand the importance of cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting, many people are clueless about how to do it correctly or even what it is.

What Does Cleaning and Sanitizing Entail?

It's important to understand the difference between cleaning and sanitizing. A lot of people use the two words together and often interchangeably, but there is nothing interchangeable about them. If you clean, you are not sanitizing. Wiping surfaces down, even with a cleaning product, dusting, running a vacuum, sweeping and mopping are ways you can clean. These are things we do to make an area look presentable. They have nothing to do with making an area sanitized or even disinfecting an area. Cleaning certainly doesn't remove germs and bacteria. Most of the cleaners people use include abrasives, detergents, acidic cleaners, and solvents. These products can make a home look and smell good, but it won't make them safe from germs and bacteria, and in fact, can harm the people and pets living in the home. The EPA has consistently released warnings about these products through the years, even pointing out that they can be especially harmful to children and pets because of their close proximity to areas where these products are used and because their smaller body organs are less likely to be able to resist the potential chemical hazards.


Sanitizing, unlike cleaning, is done to significantly reduce the growth of fungi, viruses, and other harmful bacteria. It's a little more effective than cleaning, but to complicate things further, people confuse the terms "sanitize" and "disinfect." There is a difference between sanitizing and disinfecting too. Disinfecting kills specific microscopic organisms, depending on the types of disinfecting products you choose. All disinfectants do not kill all harmful organisms. You have to read labels to determine which ones work for specific germs and bacteria. There are many types of disinfectants available. From a health standpoint, they are as dangerous as the cleaning and sanitizing products we use.

Even after cleaning, you should always sanitize. Sanitizing reduces all bacteria, not just specific types of bacteria. Sanitizing is an important part of the hygiene process in hospitals, food services, schools, and the workplace because they help reduce microbiological contamination to levels that conform with local health regulations.

5 Misconceptions About Sanitizing

There are a few myths and misconceptions about sanitizing you should be aware of.

1. Cleaning is the Same as Sanitizing We've already addressed this above, but it needs to be repeated. Many people believe cleaning is the same as sanitizing. It isn't. You can clean all day long every single day and not kill or even reduce germs and bacteria. People with the cleanest houses are still subject to getting sick.



2. Sanitizing Is Enough: This is a big misconception. Since, as we mentioned above, sanitizing reduces all bacteria, why not simply sanitize? The keyword is "reduces." Sanitizing doesn't kill germs and bacteria, it reduces the number and keeps them to a minimum. Sanitizing isn't enough. You need to disinfect if you want to fully kill the germs and bacteria that make us sick.


3. Sanitized Dishes Can Be Put Away Immediately: This is a misconception. Whenever you sanitize dishes, you should allow them to air dry before putting them away. Drying them with a cloth can introduce bacteria.


4. Bleach Is Ideal for Sanitizing: This is a misconception. Many people turn to bleach under the assumption that it's a great way to kill germs and bacteria. While it can kill germs quickly, it does little to break down the build-up on the surface. Not only is not an effective way to sanitize, it can be harmful to use and store, particularly if it comes into contact with other types of cleaning products.


5. Green Sanitizers Are All Safe: This is a misconception because while many sanitizers that are labeled as green might be safer for the environment and people, there aren't enough regulations in place to ensure all "green" products are safe. Many of these products are certainly safer, but since the definition of "green" has not been strictly defined, many companies take advantage of the term.

One thing you can be sure isn't a misconception when it comes to sanitizing is that the process can keep the spread of germs and bacteria down. Done in conjunction with regular cleaning and disinfecting can make for a healthier environment.

A Better Way to Clean, Sanitize, and Disinfect

GenEon Technologies has developed the perfect way to clean, sanitize, and disinfect with non-toxic cleaning products that are safe and sanitizers and disinfectants that are non-toxic. Our products are sustainable and safe for the environment and for people and pets, making them the right choice for schools, medical facilities, the workplace, and anywhere else where there is concern for the health of those who will come into contact with the cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products used.

GenEon's products are made using a technology called on-site generation with nothing more than water, natural minerals, and electricity. This means the cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products you need are created by you as you need them, right on-premise. This results in less waste, translating into a savings of thousands of dollars a year on your cleaning bill. It also means you eliminate the need to store harmful products on site. Best of all, our products act fast and effectively, killing up to 99.999% of harmful germs and bacteria found, including E.coli, MRSA and norovirus. Our products kill germs and bacteria in seconds, without leaving behind any chemical residue or emitting any harmful VOCs.


GenEon Technologies has made safer alternatives to harsh chemical cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products our mission. We also offer advanced on-site generation technology and delivery systems to fit all your needs. Whether you need the high volume capabilities of Instaflow for portable on-site generation or our advanced Mist delivery system, perfect for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting wide open places or hard-to-reach areas, we have what you need. To learn more about how to get our safe cleaning products and non-toxic sanitizers and disinfectants in your facility, give us a call at 866.217.0205. We look forward to helping you create a safe environment.

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