Posted By: Truly Free Home
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Posted On: 6/20/2025
From dinner spills to after-school art projects, it seems there’s always a mess that needs cleaning. But not every household clean-up is created equal. Here’s what you need to consider before you start scrubbing.
This may seem like a trivial question, but understanding this difference can help you minimize exposure to harmful chemicals for your family and pets.
Cleaning means physically removing dirt, crumbs, food residue, sticky spots, and everyday grime from surfaces. Cleaning also removes most germs, allergens, and impurities from objects and surfaces. As a result, cleaning is usually enough to maintain a healthy, safe home.
On the other hand, disinfecting kills bacteria, viruses, and other microbes on surfaces. Generally reserved for higher-risk situations, disinfecting typically involves using stronger—and toxin-filled—chemicals. In addition, you should always clean surfaces before you disinfect them.Here’s a handy list of what to keep in mind about cleaning vs disinfecting:
Everyday messes like food spills on countertops, sticky fingerprints on appliances, and splatters on mirrors. (“Mommy, I do it myself!”)
Dust magnets like bookcases, coffee tables, and nightstands.
Hard floors made of tile, hardwood, vinyl, laminate, or linoleum.
After illness or to reduce the risk of spreading germs.
When cleaning up after raw animal products (meat, poultry, eggs, etc.).
When someone is at higher risk of getting sick due to a weakened immune system. Overusing disinfectants can disrupt your home’s healthy balance (microbiome), leaving behind harsh chemical residues that are especially concerning on surfaces where children or pets play and eat.
That’s because residual disinfectant products can sometimes cause skin or respiratory irritation, and may contribute to antimicrobial resistance when misused.
For that reason, it’s important to only disinfect surfaces when absolutely necessary. For most daily cleaning tasks like wiping down high chairs, door handles, or the kitchen counter, cleaning with a non-toxic multi-purpose cleaner is enough.
Truly Free Home’s Everyday Cleaner is tough on grime, yet gentle on your home and family. The secret to this fragrance-free, non-toxic, and multi-purpose cleaner is a plant fatty acid called Cocamine Oxide.
This natural surfactant creates a rich foaming lather to break down and lift away dirt and grime on hard surfaces, making them easier to remove. So all your household surfaces are naturally clean and seriously safe for your family.
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