What should you do first if a tool or implement is visibly soiled before disinfecting it?

Before disinfecting any tool, you must first clean it — wash off visible debris, oils, and product with soap and water — because disinfectants cannot work properly on a soiled surface. Cleaning physically removes contaminants and reduces the number of organisms, allowing the disinfectant to then kill the remaining pathogens. The correct order is always clean first, then disinfect. Skipping the cleaning step is a common infection-control error and can leave tools unsafe even after they have been soaked in disinfectant.