In a lot of our articles in this blog, we repeatedly mentioned about cleanliness and hygiene. And we are really genuinely concerned about cleanliness and hygiene because we are all about hygiene and all about safety. And it’s all connected. However, even though cleanliness and hygiene are closely linked, they are not the same thing. They have some differences. And here is the breakdown:
– Cleanliness refers to the state of something or someone being free from visible dirt, visible mess, or any unwanted materials. Cleanliness focuses about having pleasant appearance removing anything that is not pleasing to our eyes. For example, when we try to wipe down a counter or when we scrub the floor, that is cleanliness.
– Hygiene is broader than cleanliness. And the focus is not on the aesthetic side of someone or something. Rather, it focuses on the health side, like preventing the spreading of diseases. Yes, it includes the cleaning or cleanliness, but not only that. It goes beyond cleanliness only. The practice of hygiene may include washing our hands, disinfecting the surfaces that we use, and also properly storing food.
So, in summary, we can say that hygiene is broader than cleanliness. Cleanliness is one part, or a tool to achieve the hygiene. Cleaning is aesthetic for the eyes, but hygiene is the one that prevent the spread of diseases. Or we can also say hygiene is one level more detailed compared to cleanliness.
Summary in Table Format
Prefer to be summarized in an easy-to-understand table? Check this out
| Cleanliness | Hygiene |
| Focuses on the appearance | Focuses on the health aspect |
| A part of hygiene | More than just cleanliness |
| Aim to be aesthetically pleasing | Aim to be healthy |
| Clean surface may not be hygienic | Hygienic surfaces usually are clean |
| Makes hygiene practice easier | The next level of cleanliness. |
And please check our other blogs on hygiene, safety and cleanliness if you’d like more info around this matter! 🙂
