Cleaning is the physical removal of dirt and debris from surfaces. Cleaning products contain a surfactant or detergent to break up dirt and debris, but they are not Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered and cannot make claims to kill bacteria or viruses on surfaces.
Sanitizers and disinfectants contain an antimicrobial active ingredient and are EPA registered. Sanitizers reduce the number of bacteria on surfaces, but they cannot make claims against viruses.
Disinfectants can be registered to kill bacteria in addition to other microbes like fungi and viruses on surfaces, including SARS-CoV-2. Disinfectants are registered by the EPA as pesticides, tested under more stringent conditions and must achieve a higher level of microbial reduction compared to sanitizers.
Please watch this video for more information on the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing.