Cov tshuaj tua kab mob yog kev npaj siv los tua cov kab mob pathogenic ntawm cov kab mob sib kis, ua rau lawv tsis muaj mob. Tsis zoo li cov tshuaj tua kab mob, lawv lub luag haujlwm tseem ceeb hauv kev tiv thaiv kab mob yog txhawm rau tshem tawm cov kab mob pathogenic sab nraum tib neeg lub cev, txiav tawm txoj kev sib kis ntawm cov kab mob sib kis thiab ua tiav lub hom phiaj ntawm kev tswj lawv. Cov tshuaj tua kab mob kuj feem ntau hu ua "cov tshuaj tua kab mob".
High -cov tshuaj tua kab mob muaj peev xwm tua tau tag nrho cov kab mob vegetative (xws li mycobacteria), kab mob, fungi thiab lawv cov spores, thiab tseem muaj qee qhov kev tua kab mob ntawm cov kab mob, ua tiav qib siab - cov txheej txheem tshuaj tua kab mob. Cov no suav nrog cov tshuaj chlorine-raws li tshuaj tua kab mob, ozone, methylhydantoin compounds, thiab ob -chain quaternary ammonium ntsev. Nruab nrab- cov tshuaj tua kab mob ua tau zoo tsuas yog tua tau cov kab mob mycobacteria, fungi, kab mob, thiab cov kab mob vegetative, ua tiav cov kev cai tshuaj tua kab mob. Cov no suav nrog ozone-cov tshuaj tua kab mob, iodine- tshuaj tua kab mob raws li ozone, cawv- tshuaj tua kab mob, thiab tshuaj tua kab mob phenolic. Tsawg-cov tshuaj tua kab mob ua tau zoo tsuas yog tua cov kab mob vegetative thiab lipophilic kab mob, ua tau raws li qhov yuav tsum tau muaj rau cov tshuaj tua kab mob. Cov no suav nrog quaternary ammonium ntsev tshuaj tua kab mob xws li benzalkonium bromide, tshuaj tua kab mob biguanide xws li chlorhexidine (Hibitane), cov tshuaj tua kab mob hlau ion xws li mercury, nyiaj, thiab tooj liab, thiab tshuaj tua kab mob hauv Suav teb.