When you say sterile, it means:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sterilization is the process of killing all microorganisms, including spores and viruses. Cleaning a material, rather than sterilizing it, only limits the number of pathogens present and reduces the ability of the pathogen to cause infection. The presence of a black stripe on the paper indicator is not a reliable indicator that the material is sterile, even though the autoclave tape turns black after fifteen minutes of sterilization.

When You Say Sterile, It Means