question: Why is cleaning of surfaces important?
answer: Cleaning is an important first step for any process that involves disinfection or sterilization because the presence of organic and inorganic soils may cause disinfection or sterilization to fail.  Cleaning is the process of removing both organic and inorganic matter from surfaces with the use of detergents (e.g., anionic, cationic, non-ionic, and zwitter ionic) or enzymatic cleaners.  Cleaning may involve manual, automated, or a combination of manual and automated methods. Depending on the cleaning method and the surface being cleaned, a 102-106 log reduction of microorganisms may be possible. Proper cleaning may be enough to make an environmental surface safe to handle and to prevent transmission of pathogens. Currently, no cleaning guidelines apply to all devices or surfaces, nor is there a single accepted standard method to measure the effectiveness of cleaning (examples include adenosine triphosphate (ATP), fluorescent markers, blood, protein, carbohydrate, RODACTM plates, or touch plates). See the CDC Environmental Toolkit for additional information on developing a cleaning evaluation program.