disinfectant

1. freeing from infection. 2. an agent that destroys infection-producing organisms. Heat and certain other physical agents such as live steam can be disinfectants, but in common usage the term is reserved for chemical substances such as mercury bichloride or phenol. Disinfectants are usually applied to inanimate objects since they are too strong to be used on living tissues. Chemical disinfectants are not always effective against spore-forming bacteria.
Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, 3 ed. 2007 Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved

antiseptic
An agent that kills or prevents the growth of bacteria. This term is generally restricted to agents that are sufficiently non-toxic for superficial application to living tissues. These include the preservatives for eye drops and contact lens solutions. Examples of antiseptics are alcohol, benzalkonium chloride, cetrimide, chlorbutanol, chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, thimerosal (or thiomersalate). Other agents that are too toxic to be applied to living tissues are called disinfectants and are used to sterilize instruments and apparatus. See disinfection;ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid; neutralization; sterilization.

Millodot: Dictionary of Optometry and Visual Science, 7th edition. 2009 Butterworth-Heinemann