Cleaning
It all starts with cleaning. Cleaning removes visible dirt, grime, and impurities from surfaces. It works by using soap or detergent and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection. Soils will block the effects of disinfectant or sanitizer, therefore surfaces must be cleaned prior.
Effective forms of cleaning include the use of:

• Hotsy hot and cold water pressure washers (wash outside surfaces like mailboxes, playground equipment, benches and tables)
• Hotsy detergents such as Carbochlor

Sanitizing
Sanitizing takes cleaning a step further. According to the CDC, sanitizing refers to lowering the number of pathogens to a safe level on a cleaned surface utilizing chemicals. This process works through cleaning, which physically removes bacteria from surfaces. Sanitizing is generally a little more gentle than disinfecting.
Effective forms of sanitizing include the use of:

• Hotsy hot water pressure washers
• Vital Oxide

* According to the WHO, temperatures of 140°F to 150°F are enough to kill most viruses, and boiling water makes it safe from pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Mar 11, 2020
** Note the EPA makes no claims for disinfection with steam. Use steam to clean and lower the microbial load BEFORE disinfection.

Disinfection
The critical step of disinfection refers to killing nearly 100% of pathogenic and other microorganisms on surfaces or objects from thermal or chemical destruction. Disinfecting doesn’t necessarily clean dirty surfaces, but it destroys or irreversibly inactivates bacteria, fungi and viruses, but not necessarily bacterial spores.

What’s the difference between sanitizing and disinfecting?
Sanitize versus disinfect: for commercial products, this simply means that disinfectants provide a higher level of demonstrable microbial load reduction than sanitizers.