What is sterilization?
The process known as sterilization refers to the process in which all living cells, spores, and viruses are completely destroyed or removed from an object or environment. Once something is sterilized, it will remain sterile if properly sealed. Sterilization is performed on surgical equipment, needles, and certain lab equipment in order to prevent the spread of microorganisms. Methods used to sterilize objects involve the use of heat, radiation, filtration, and/or chemical means. Autoclaves are devices which use hot steam under high pressure to sterilze objects. Sterilization is an extreme level of cleanliness that is usually not required outside of a medical, industrial, or laboratory environment. In everyday environments, disinfection of objects is considered a more practical option.
