Cleaning vs Disinfecting: What Your Workplace Actually Needs

Cleaning and disinfecting are two different steps. Cleaning uses soap and water to remove dirt, grime and many germs from a surface. Disinfecting uses a chemical to kill the germs that are left behind. Most office surfaces only need a regular clean. But the spots that lots of people touch, like door handles, light switches, taps and shared desks, should be cleaned first and then disinfected.

The order matters, because dirt and grime can stop a disinfectant from working properly. When we clean a workplace, we disinfect the shared touch points at every commercial clean, as part of our commercial cleaning.

Cleaning means wiping or scrubbing dirt, dust, grease and germs off a surface, usually with detergent, warm water and a cloth or mop. It doesn't kill every germ, but it takes a lot of them away with the dirt. It's also the step that makes a surface look and feel clean.

Safe Work Australia's guide to cleaning and disinfecting workplaces explains that cleaning with detergent and water is usually enough for routine cleaning, and that cleaning must come first, because dirt and grime can reduce how well a disinfectant kills germs. The guide was written during COVID-19, but the basic steps still apply to everyday cleaning.

Disinfecting means using a chemical to kill germs, such as bacteria and viruses, on a surface that has already been cleaned. A disinfectant only works if you use it the way the label says. That usually means leaving it on the surface for a set time, called the contact time, before you wipe it or let it dry.

Some products clean and disinfect in one step, which can save time on surfaces that are only a little dirty. Very dirty surfaces still need a proper clean first, because the disinfectant can't reach germs that are covered by dirt.

You'll often see the word sanitising as well. In general, sanitising means lowering the number of germs, while disinfecting aims to kill more of them. What each product can do depends on the product, so the best guide is the label, which tells you what it's made for and how to use it.

You don't need to disinfect every surface in the office. Focus on the ones that lots of people touch during the day, because the Australian Centre for Disease Control explains that germs can spread through shared objects and surfaces.

In Australia, disinfectants are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and its guide to the regulation of disinfectants explains that there are different categories, including hospital grade and household or commercial grade products. The TGA's guidance on listed disinfectants also says that household and commercial grade disinfectants must not be labelled hospital grade, or use words that suggest they are.

That means a product's label tells you which grade it is. An office doesn't always need a hospital grade product, and the right choice depends on your workplace. If your business has a product it prefers, for example because of your industry or your own rules, tell your cleaner. We use the disinfectant our clients prefer, so just let us know at the site visit.

Some times call for touch points to be disinfected more often. Examples include cold and flu season, when several staff are sick at once, after a gastro outbreak, or in workplaces where lots of members of the public visit each day. Busy shared areas, such as kitchens, washrooms and reception, are the most important places to focus on at these times.

Higher-risk workplaces, such as medical centres, childcare centres and food businesses, may have their own cleaning rules, so check the guidance for your industry.

Disinfectants are chemicals, so use them with care. Always follow the label, wear gloves if it says to, keep the room aired while you work, and never mix products together. Safe Work Australia explains that a safety data sheet tells you how to use, store and handle a chemical safely, so keep the sheets for any products you store at work where staff can find them.

Aussie Duo is a family-owned Canberra business that has been cleaning since 2013. We clean first and then disinfect the shared touch points at every commercial clean, using a written task list that we agree with you at a free site visit. You can see the full list of tasks in our office cleaning checklist. The minimum visit is $187 including GST ($170 + GST). To get started, book a free site visit or call 02 5501 3316, and we'll reply during business hours, Monday to Saturday, from 7am to 7pm.