Cleaning vs. Sanitizing: When to DIY and When to Hire a Professional

Published On: December 21, 20200 Comments on Cleaning vs. Sanitizing: When to DIY and When to Hire a ProfessionalTags: Last Updated: February 9, 20242.8 min read

The average American spends about 6 hours cleaning their house every week. That amounts to almost two full weeks a year! Think about it: You sweep. You dust. You vacuum. You scrub. You mop. But how can you tell whether this is cleaning vs sanitizing your home? And when is the right time to hire a professional?

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing When to DIY and When to Hire a Professional

During a pandemic, a clean house means more to your health than ever before. Here’s how to know when you should do it yourself or when you should hire the experts.

Cleaning vs Sanitizing vs Disinfecting

Cleaning only scratches the surface of sanitizing and disinfecting. Think of it as the first step. When you clean, you are scrubbing, washing, and rinsing dust, debris, and dirt. While this is effective in helping to prevent allergies or respiratory issues, it doesn’t exactly get to the heart of a sanitary home.

Sanitizing reduces bacteria on surfaces and laundry — but it doesn’t remove it altogether. Often, sanitizing only reduces the bacteria listed on your product’s label. Disinfecting destroys or inactivates both the bacteria and viruses identified on your product’s label. This term commonly refers to hard, nonporous surfaces. This is why disinfecting is so important when someone in your household is sick.

When to Hire a Professional Cleaning Company

As you can see, house cleaning isn’t as straightforward as you think. And there are many situations where a DIY approach might not be enough. For example, if you recently renovated or remodeled your home, you might need to hire a company like Pristine Cleaning Services Of Georgia LLC. Companies that specialize in post-construction cleanups have the knowledge and equipment to do it safely, thoroughly, and time-effectively.



Your contractors are only responsible for the construction, not the cleanup. As a result, they might leave hazardous materials out in the open — leaving you susceptible to trips and falls, or worse, chemical exposure, electrocution, and the like. Moreover, you might hire a professional cleaner when you’re trying to tackle other hazards, like a mold outbreak.

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing - sanitizing

Other signs you might need to outsource your cleaning include:

  • You are recovering from surgery, illness, or injury
  • You are experiencing a major life change, like a newborn
  • Your chores are piling up unreasonably
  • Your chores require advanced knowledge, equipment, or physical ability
  • You’re losing sleep over it
  • You just don’t have the time or the energy

Of course, it’s easy to regularly clean, sanitize, and disinfect your home on your own. But you have to consider many factors, like the size of your home, the supplies you have available, your knowledge of best practices, and the value of your time. Oftentimes, hiring professionals will save you more money and effort in the long run. Not to mention, it will lead to reliable, quality results every time — especially when you opt for routine scheduling.

Leave It to the Experts

Cleaning vs sanitizing has never been more important to the health of your household. And if you want the job done right the first time, it’s best to hire a company you trust. And with all that free time on your hands, you might be looking to get a jump on those home improvements you’ve been eyeing for months! If that’s the case, head over to our DIY projects section for more inspiration.


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