How to Properly Disinfect a Surface

SAN JOSE — When disinfecting surfaces inside the home, many people simply spray a disinfectant product on the surfaces and wipe them with a cloth. However, this neglects an important part of the process. Before applying disinfectant to a surface, you should clean it with soap and water. If you don’t do this, the disinfectant won’t be as effective. This initial soap-and-water cleaning will get rid of most of the germs before following up with disinfectant to finish the rest of them off.

Another important part of the disinfecting process that people often neglect is giving the disinfectant time to set. Most people wipe off the surface immediately after spraying the disinfectant, but this doesn’t give the product time to fully break down and eliminate all the germs. Look at the instructions on the disinfectant bottle—they should tell you how long to let the product sit before wiping (it’s usually between five and 10 minutes). By letting the product sit for the recommended time span, you’ll have a truly clean and sterile surface.