In general microorganisms are ubiquitous. They cause contamination, infection and decay. Hence it is important to remove or destroy them.
Destruction of all the pathogenic organisms is called disinfection. “Antisepsis” means prevention of infection, by inhibiting the growth of microbes. The chemical disinfectants can be safely applied over the skin in order to prevent infection is called “Antiseptics”. Agents that are capable of killing bacteria are called “Bactericidal agents”. Agents that only prevent the multiplication of bacteria are called as “Bacteriostatic Agents”. Physical agents like sunlight, drying, filtration, radiation, ultrasonic rays can also remove bacteria. Some examples of chemical agents are alcohols, aldehydes, phenols, dyes, and gases.