After cleaning, what should be done to destroy any remaining bacteria?

• A. Use hot water at 82°C or chemical disinfectants to destroy any remaining bacteria
• B. Leave surfaces to air dry
• C. Switch off water supply
• D. Store equipment immediately

Answer: (A)

After cleaning, you must kill any microbes that survive. Disinfection is the step that does this, reducing the remaining bacteria to safe levels. Using hot water at 82°C for a sufficient period can destroy bacteria on surfaces, or applying a chemical disinfectant at the correct strength and contact time achieves the same result. This is why that option is the best choice: it directly targets and eliminates microbes rather than just removing dirt or waiting for them to disappear. Simply air-drying won’t guarantee killing bacteria, and switching off the water or storing equipment immediately doesn’t remove or kill the microbes that may still be present.