Final answer:
The first step in infection control is cleaning, which is followed by sterilization, disinfection, or antisepsis depending on the item's contact with human tissues. Antiseptics are used on living tissue to prevent infection, while disinfectants are used on non-living objects. Filtration is a method that removes microbes physically without killing them.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step in infection control is generally cleaning. Cleaning helps to remove organic materials from the surface which might protect microbes during the disinfection or sterilization process. After cleaning, further steps like sterilization, disinfection, or antisepsis might be used depending on the situation.
For use on tissues to prevent infection, antiseptics are suitable as they are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection. Whereas disinfectants are applied to non-living objects to destroy microorganisms, except bacterial spores.
When we refer to methods that do not kill or inhibit microbes but remove them, we talk about methods like filtration. Filtration involves physically removing microbes from samples without necessarily killing them, which is particularly useful when the sample must not be exposed to chemicals or high temperatures that might destroy or denature it.