Final answer:
Contamination is the process by which an object or area becomes unclean. Sterilization refers to the elimination of all life forms from an object or environment. Disinfection reduces microbes to a safe level but does not achieve complete sterilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process by which an object or area becomes unclean is known as contamination. This process involves the introduction of unwanted substances, microorganisms, or impurities that make the object or area unsuitable for its intended use. In contrast, other terms related to cleanliness and microbial control have different meanings. Sterilization is the complete elimination of all forms of life, including bacteria, viruses, and spores, from an object or environment.
Disinfection is the process of reducing the number of microbes on a surface to a level that is considered safe and is generally used for inanimate objects, while antiseptics are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue to reduce the chance of infection. Sanitization is a cleaning process that reduces the number of microorganisms to a safe level, which is particularly important in public health settings such as food service and hospitals.