Colorado Cosmetology Written Practice Exam

Which decontamination method involves using an autoclave?

1. Disinfecting

2. Liquid sterilization

3. Sanitizing

4. Sterilizing

The correct answer is: Disinfecting

The correct answer is that the method involving the use of an autoclave is sterilizing. An autoclave is a device that uses high-pressure steam to achieve the complete destruction of all microorganisms, including spores. This makes it a highly effective means of sterilization, ensuring that all surfaces and instruments are free from any viable pathogens. While disinfecting, liquid sterilization, and sanitizing are important processes, they do not achieve the same level of microbial kill as sterilization does with an autoclave. Disinfecting generally reduces the number of pathogens to a safe level but does not completely eliminate them, while sanitizing reduces pathogens on surfaces but is not as rigorous as sterilization. Liquid sterilization can involve the use of chemical agents to kill microbes, but it is not the same as the complete physical sterilization process that utilizes an autoclave's high temperatures and pressures.