Barber Practice State Board Practice Exam

The procedure that destroys all living organisms on a surface is known as?

1. Sanitation

2. Disinfection

3. Sterilization

4. Exfoliation

The correct answer is: Sterilization

The procedure that destroys all living organisms on a surface is known as sterilization. This process ensures that not only bacteria but also viruses, fungi, and spores are eliminated, making the surface completely free of all forms of microbial life. Sterilization is critical in environments where the highest level of cleanliness is required, such as in hospitals, surgical tools, and certain areas in barbershops. Sanitation refers to the reduction of the number of microorganisms to a safe level, but it does not eliminate all organisms. Disinfection involves killing or inactivating harmful microorganisms but does not necessarily destroy all of them, particularly resistant spores. Exfoliation is a technique unrelated to sterilization; it involves the removal of dead skin cells and is typically used in skincare rather than in the context of microbial control. Thus, sterilization is the only term that accurately describes the complete destruction of all living organisms on a surface.