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What is the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing?

Often times when it comes to the words clean, sanitize and disinfect they are used interchangeably. However, there is a significant difference between these terms and knowing what they mean can help keep your home or workplace a clean and safe environment.

Cleaning physically removes germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces or objects. It involves using soap or detergent and water along with a mechanical action such as wiping to remove germs from surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.

Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. In order to kill germs properly, chemicals need to be applied according to the label as each product is different. Disinfecting does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. In order for a product to be considered a sanitizer, it must reduce bacteria on a surface by at least 99.9 percent. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.

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During the water damage restoration process, do my belongings need to be moved away from the premise

Depending on the scope of work, your belongings and contents of your home may remain on location. In this case, we will take appropriate measures to securely cover and protect contents. Any construction related dust or dirt that occurs as a result of the work, would be addressed in the post-construction cleaning. For large restoration jobs, it is advisable to move all affected contents to a secure, climate-controlled facility in order to protect them and make room for construction. Be assured that our technicians are fully trained and will treat your possessions with the utmost care. Our Automated Inventory Control System tracks the status of your belongings from move out to move back. We will work with you and your Insurance Claims Representative to manage this process efficiently.

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Do I need general contractors?

There are some aspects of the fire and smoke restoration process that may require the services of general contractors such as drywall/painting; electrical; plumbing; roofing; framing/finish carpentry; flooring/carpet; installation of doors, windows, cabinets, post-construction cleanup, etc. ServiceMaster Restore offers full restoration services.

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