What method is used to kill all organisms?

The method used to kill all organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores, is sterilization. This process involves using techniques such as autoclaving, dry heat, or chemical sterilants to eliminate all forms of microbial life.

Sterilization is critical in environments where maintaining aseptic conditions is necessary, such as in medical settings or in the preparation of instruments used in manicuring to prevent cross-contamination and infection. In contrast, sanitization reduces the number of microorganisms to a safe level but does not completely eliminate them, while disinfection destroys many pathogenic organisms but may not eliminate all spores. Cleaning simply removes dirt and debris but does not necessarily kill microorganisms.

Thus, the distinctive characteristic of sterilization is its ability to completely eradicate all types of organisms, which is essential for ensuring total safety in practices that require high levels of hygiene and sanitation.