Sanitizing is the process of cleaning and purifying something to get rid of germs and bacteria. There are several synonyms for the word sanitizes, including sterilize, disinfect, clean, wash, cleanse, purify, decontaminate, and sanitize. Sterilize refers to completely eliminating all forms of microorganisms from a surface or object. Disinfect means to kill or remove bacteria and other pathogens. Clean simply means removing dirt and debris from a surface. Wash implies using water to clean and remove dirt. Purify refers to removing impurities and contaminants. Decontaminate is to remove harmful substances or contaminants. Sanitize means to make something free from harmful bacteria or germs.