What is the difference between sanitising and sterilising?

[Admin]

Sterilising kills ALL of the bacteria/germs/bugs in or on something.

Sanitising removes most of them such that there are not enough of the nasties to wreck your beer.

Autoclaving (or pressure cooking for half an hour) will sterilise something, but what happens when you bring it out into your non-sterile brewing area. Some bugs have spores that will resist some chemical treatments and quick blasts of heat, hence 30 mins autoclaving is reckoned to be about as good as you will get. Don't forget that sterile doesn't necesssarily mean "clean" - autoclave a handful of compost and chuck it in your beer: it may be sterile/sanitised but your beer will still suffer!

Clean throughly then sterilise/sanitise.