What term describes the process of eliminating all forms of bacteria using heat?

The term that describes the process of eliminating all forms of bacteria using heat is sterilizing. This process involves reaching a specific temperature for a certain period to ensure that all microorganisms, including bacterial spores, are completely destroyed. It is a critical process in settings like medical facilities and esthetics practices where maintaining the highest level of hygiene and safety is essential.

While cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing are important processes in maintaining cleanliness and controlling pathogens, they do not achieve the same level of microorganism elimination as sterilizing. Cleaning generally refers to removing dirt and impurities, disinfecting involves killing a significant number of pathogens but may not eliminate all forms of bacteria (notably bacterial spores), and sanitizing aims to reduce the number of germs to safe levels but does not ensure total sterility. Therefore, sterilizing is the most comprehensive method for ensuring all bacteria are eradicated.