Which of the following is NOT a level of decontamination?

• A. Handwashing
• B. Cleaning
• C. Sanitizing
• D. Disinfecting

Answer: (A)

Decontamination levels describe steps you apply to surfaces or equipment to reduce or remove contaminants: cleaning physically removes dirt and many microbes, sanitizing lowers microbial counts to safe levels, disinfecting kills most pathogens, and sterilizing eliminates all forms of microbial life. Handwashing is a hygiene practice used to remove dirt and microbes from the hands, but it isn’t categorized as one of these surface- or equipment-decontamination levels. It’s essential for reducing transfer of contamination, yet the defined levels of decontamination focus on cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing of surfaces and objects.