Sterilization is standard in medical facilities ... This article was originally published on mentalfloss.com as Sanitize vs. Disinfect vs. Sterilize: What‘s the Difference?.

Although physical methods are often superior to chemical disinfection / sterilization, it is not practical to autoclave or subject many items to high heat, especially if the items can be damaged ...

However, depending on the circumstances, you may need to sanitize, disinfect, or sterilize an ... whether they’re harmless or not. Sterilization is standard in medical facilities and schools ...