Crime scene cleaning is one of those things most people give no thought to until they have to do so because it affects their property. Fortunately, most Californians will never have to think about it.
If you do find yourself faced with having to clean up a crime scene, however, there are some hard truths you will quickly discover.
- It is a myth that emergency personnel, firemen, law enforcement officers, or coroners are responsible for cleaning up a crime scene. They come in, swarm the scene, care for the victim or remove the body, collect evidence, and complete their investigation. Then they leave. Death cleanup falls on the shoulders of the property owner.
- It is a myth that the government or taxpayers foot the bill for homicide cleaning. The bill goes to the property owner.
- It is a myth that, though unpleasant, anyone is capable of effectively cleaning up after a violent crime.
Realities of Crime Scene Cleaning
A crime scene can be one of the most horrifying things you could possibly encounter. Most people are not prepared for the volume of blood, bodily fluids, and tiny bits of tissue that can be left behind after first responders and investigators turn the scene over to the property owner.
Blood and tissue can be sprayed everywhere – on walls, floors, and furniture, behind bookshelves and TVs, and inside lampshades. Blood can pool and soak into flooring and leech into drywall, making demolition a necessary part of the cleanup operation. Upholstery, bedding, and carpeting must often be discarded.
If the crime was not immediately discovered; if it sat for days or weeks, a whole other layer of horror awaits the cleanup crew. Bodies melt over time, a process sped up by heat. The sights and smells of such crime scenes are difficult to handle, even for seasoned professionals.
Biohazard Remediation in Crime Scenes
Even if an average person could stomach the horror of a crime scene, their ability to effectively clean, sanitize, and disinfect it is seriously inadequate. It takes the knowledge and experience of a professional biohazard remediation team to effectively clean up blood spills.
- Trying to save money by handling crime scene cleanup yourself is often a misguided notion because most insurance policies cover the cost of crime scene cleaning and biohazard remediation.
- Crime scene cleanup requires much stronger disinfectants and cleaners than you can find on the shelf at your local Walmart. Industrial strength, hospital grade products are necessary to adequately handle the job.
- If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s far too easy to spread contamination to other parts of the property.
- Anything touched by blood or bodily fluids must be cleaned or discarded. If blood has soaked into flooring, subflooring, or other structural elements, it cannot be cleaned.
- Without access to proper personal protective equipment, you risk exposure to harmful pathogens.
- Items contaminated with blood and bodily fluids cannot just be dragged to the curb for the garbage people to deal with. There are local, state, and federal regulations governing the disposal of biohazardous waste.
Clearly, the average person trying to deal with a crime scene cleanup can quickly get in over his or her head.
Expert Crime Scene Cleanup
For crime scene cleanup in California, the experts at Sterile Pros have the experience to do the job efficiently and discreetly. With ten years in the biohazard remediation business, they have seen it all and can handle anything that comes their way.
Never try to deal with crime scene cleaning or death cleanup on your own. Should the unthinkable happen, rely on Sterile Pros to restore your property to safe, usable condition again.