During the execution of the usual medical procedures of this specialty, care should be taken of all aspects related to the cleaning and disinfection of the instruments and materials used. It is important to remember that if the cleaning of the instruments is not efficient, the remaining inorganic and organic waste, in addition to supporting and providing nutrients to the microorganisms, will prevent disinfection products from making contact with the surface of the instrument, which hinders their disinfection and sterilization.
Cleaning is nothing more than the removal of dirt from inert surfaces, through mechanical and physical actions, using special solutions. Cleaning allows removal of 80 to 99% of microbes sensitive to cleansing fluids, according to some studies. While disinfection is defined as a process that allows the elimination of all known pathogenic microorganisms, except for endospores.