Disinfection Explained: Methods, Uses, and Differences from Sterilization

Disinfection is a process of eliminating nearly all pathogenic microorganisms, except bacterial spores, on inanimate objects and surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant bacterial spores; it is less thorough than sterilization, which aims to destroy all types of life. Many disinfection methods are effective against most recognized pathogens, but fail against some microorganisms such as prions.

Examples of disinfection include boiling water, alcohol, UV lights, and chemical agents such as bleach. Unlike the complete elimination of microorganisms achieved with sterilization processes, disinfection is generally ineffective against bacterial spores.