The other way to think about it is the difference between 'clean' and 'sterile'; having no influential chemicals present (clean), and having no living units cap

The other way to think about it is the difference between 'clean' and 'sterile'; having no influential chemicals present (clean), and having no living units capable of replication present (sterile). They are actually different concepts that are caught up in the generic concept of 'clean'. A surface full of massacred microorganisms might be 'sterile' - nothing there can support life, even if given sugar, water, energy, etc. But it's also certainly not clean. If any of the debris from those dead microorganisms could trigger your immune system, were poisonous, or were chemically active they could alter the outcome of a chemistry experiment or trigger an immune response. Disinfectants by definition kill organisms, but don't remove the constituent components of the organisms from the area. Bleach & alcohol in high concentrations (but not pure!) will also destroy most any organisms (but will not in itself remove the debris of those dead organisms). Soaps will link chemicals and molecules to water that is flowed over them, and will remove all of those constituent components along with the water. And if the soap is strong enough, it will also dissolve and destroy smaller organisms in the process. A surface washed with soap will no longer have any debris on it.