ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Sterilisation (microbiology)

Sterilization is when we clean things really, really well so that there are no bad germs left. Just like when we wash our hands for 20 seconds to kill all the germs, sterilization is a way to kill all the germs on things like tools, medical equipment, and even on our food.

Imagine germs as invisible bugs that we can't see. When we breathe or touch things, we can accidentally pick up these germs. Some of these germs are harmless, while others can make us very sick. So, it's really important to get rid of all the bad germs, especially if we're working in a medical lab or hospital.

There are different ways to sterilize things. One way is by using heat. We can use a very high temperature to kill all the bugs on tools and equipment. Another way is by using chemicals. We can use chemicals that are really good at killing germs like bleach.

When we sterilize things, it's like we're giving them a really good bath to wash away all the bad stuff. Once everything is clean and all the germs are gone, we can use these things again safely without getting sick.