When you discover a crime scene on your property, the overwhelming reality sets in quickly. Between dealing with law enforcement, processing the trauma, and figuring out next steps, you might wonder if you can just handle the cleanup yourself. After all, it’s your property. How hard could it be?
The short answer is no, you shouldn’t attempt crime scene cleanup on your own. While it might be technically legal in some situations, the serious health risks and potential legal complications make DIY crime scene cleanup dangerous and inadvisable for property owners.
Understanding What Crime Scene Cleanup Actually Involves
Crime scene cleanup goes far beyond what most people imagine. This isn’t about wiping down surfaces or mopping floors. Crime scenes involve blood, bodily fluids, tissue, and other biohazardous materials that can seep into floors, walls, furniture, and carpeting. In cases where a body wasn’t discovered immediately, decomposition creates an even more complex and hazardous situation.
Blood and bodily fluids can contain dangerous bloodborne pathogens including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, and other infectious diseases. Even if you think you know the medical history of the person involved, you cannot know with certainty what pathogens might be present. A single exposure could change your life forever.
The Health Risks Are Real and Severe
Attempting to clean a crime scene without proper training puts you at serious risk for infection and illness. Bloodborne pathogens can enter your body through cuts, mucous membranes, or even tiny breaks in your skin you didn’t know existed. You would need hospital-grade personal protective equipment, including respirators, full-body suits, and specialized gloves, just to safely enter the area.
Beyond the biological hazards, the cleaning products required for proper decontamination are industrial-strength chemicals that can cause burns, respiratory problems, and other injuries if not handled correctly. Professional crime scene cleanup technicians undergo extensive training on how to safely use these products and protect themselves from exposure.
The Legal Complications You Need to Know
Here’s where many property owners get into trouble. Federal and state laws strictly regulate how biohazardous waste must be handled and disposed of. You cannot simply bag up contaminated materials and throw them in your regular trash. This is illegal and can result in significant fines.
OSHA regulations require specific training and certifications for anyone handling biohazardous materials. In California and other states, cleanup professionals must be registered with state health departments. Attempting cleanup without proper certifications could expose you to legal liability, especially if someone else becomes ill as a result of improper decontamination.
Additionally, if you don’t clean thoroughly enough and try to sell or rent the property later, you could face lawsuits from future occupants who discover the property wasn’t properly remediated.
The Emotional Toll Cannot Be Underestimated
Even if you could overcome the physical and legal obstacles, the psychological impact of cleaning up a crime scene is profound. If the victim was a friend or family member, the trauma can be overwhelming. Just seeing the scene can trigger PTSD and long-lasting emotional damage.
Many professional crime scene cleaners work with therapists regularly to help them cope with what they witness on the job, despite having no personal connection to the victims. For property owners who knew the person involved, the psychological burden becomes exponentially heavier.
What Professional Crime Scene Cleanup Provides
Professional biohazard remediation companies bring much more than cleaning supplies to the job. They arrive with specialized equipment, EPA-approved disinfectants, and protocols developed specifically for these situations. Trained technicians understand exactly how to identify contamination, even in areas that look clean to the untrained eye.
Professional teams use ATP testing to scientifically verify that all bloodborne pathogens have been eliminated. They know how to properly remove and dispose of biohazardous materials according to all local, state, and federal regulations. In some cases, complete remediation requires demolishing floors and walls where fluids have seeped deep into materials.
Companies like Sterile Pros also work directly with insurance providers throughout the cleanup process. Most homeowner’s insurance policies cover crime scene cleanup, including homicides, suicides, and unattended deaths. Professional teams handle the documentation and claims process, removing that additional burden during an already difficult time.
When Law Enforcement Releases the Scene
A common misconception is that law enforcement cleans up after they finish investigating. This is not true. Once investigators document everything and collect evidence, they release the scene back to the property owner. The responsibility for cleanup falls entirely on you.
Waiting to clean is not advisable. The longer biohazards remain, the deeper they seep into materials and the worse the situation becomes. Decomposition continues, odors intensify, and bacteria multiply. What could have been a more straightforward cleanup becomes a major demolition project.
Professional crime scene cleanup teams offer 24/7 emergency response for exactly this reason. When law enforcement clears the scene, trained technicians can begin work immediately to prevent further contamination and damage.
The Bottom Line for Property Owners
While you might not technically break the law by cleaning up certain aspects of a crime scene yourself, the risks far outweigh any perceived benefits. You would be exposing yourself to potentially deadly pathogens, dangerous chemicals, legal liability, and severe emotional trauma. You likely wouldn’t have access to the proper equipment, training, or disposal methods required to do the job correctly.
Professional crime scene cleanup exists specifically because this work requires specialized knowledge, equipment, and protocols that go far beyond standard cleaning. These trained technicians understand how to protect themselves, how to completely decontaminate a property, and how to handle biohazardous waste legally and safely.
If you find yourself facing this situation, reaching out to certified professionals is not just the smart choice. It’s the only safe choice. Companies with experience in biohazard cleanup can restore your property completely while protecting your health, your legal standing, and your emotional wellbeing during an incredibly difficult time.
The cleanup process is traumatic enough without adding the physical dangers and legal complications of attempting it yourself. Let trained professionals shoulder this burden so you can focus on healing and moving forward.