Louisiana Cosmetology Board Practice Exam

The first step in the decontamination process is cleaning. This involves physically removing any visible dirt, debris, or contaminants from the surface or object being cleaned. Disinfecting, sterilization, and sanitizing are all important steps in the decontamination process, but they can only be effective after the surface has been cleaned. Disinfecting uses chemicals to kill or inactivate microorganisms, sterilization involves using high heat or chemicals to completely destroy all microorganisms, and sanitizing reduces the number of microorganisms to a safe level. However, if the surface is not first cleaned, these processes will not be as effective. Therefore, C is the correct answer as it is the first and crucial step in decontamination.