When a crime occurs in or around Anza, California, one of the first things that typically happens is that a biohazard remediation company is contacted. More often than not, the company is contacted by the police department investigating the crime. This is especially true if that particular company has been around long enough to develop a good reputation for itself, effectively putting it in good standing with the police department. There are a number of reasons this is important, not the least of which include the ability to effectively handle the types of things involved with cleaning up a crime scene. One thing is certain, it’s definitely not like doing your everyday cleaning. To be perfectly honest, it’s probably unlike anything you’ve ever done before. That being said, it’s also something that serves a vital role in the community.
How Long Does It Usually Take to Contact Someone for Cleanup?
Typically, it doesn’t take very long at all. Clearly, investigators with the police department have to come out and do their initial investigation. Aside from taking care of any potential victims, this is the thing that takes precedence over virtually everything else. However, the biohazard remediation company is typically called to come in and begin working almost as soon as that investigation is over. That’s precisely why detectives take such intricate photographs of the crime scene itself. Granted, those photographs can be used as evidence in a courtroom, but it also allows them to recreate any scenario they need to for investigation purposes, long after the structure where the crime occurred has been cleaned and disinfected. It simply isn’t an option to allow the cleanup to take days on end, as it becomes a public health concern very quickly. Any time there is the presence of bodily fluids or even human tissue in a location, it must be properly cleaned as quickly as possible. Otherwise, there is a chance that someone else could come into contact with it and in some cases, develop diseases because of it. Therefore, it must be cleaned very quickly in order to minimize the chances of this happening.
Special Procedures Used
If you’re spending time cleaning your own home during the day, you may very well be disinfecting it while you’re cleaning it. In fact, that is hopefully the case. However, none of that can come close to the types of procedures and products that are typically used by a professional crime scene cleanup company. You might think of the products they use as regular disinfectants on steroids. More often than not, they are the same products designed for industrial or hospital use. If they don’t carry this designation, there is very little chance that they will be used with any regularity. Furthermore, professional cleaning companies like these have exacting procedures they use to ensure that everything is properly disinfected. Those involved in the cleanup process may arrive in Tyvek suits that are designed to keep them safe from certain bloodborne diseases. In addition, they may also be using procedures that aren’t used in normal, everyday cleaning. For instance, they may steam clean certain objects. Typically, all possessions are removed from a room, using caution to ensure that each one is cleaned and disinfected before being returned. Once the room is free and clear from all related items, the true cleaning can begin.
Cleaning Room by Room
It’s important to clean the structure one room at a time. The idea is to do so in a specific manner. This prevents having personnel walk through rooms that haven’t yet been cleaned and then entering an area that’s already been disinfected. Cross-contamination is always a big concern, and one that must be taken seriously. As far as each individual room is concerned, the cleaning process usually starts at the ceiling level and then progresses systematically throughout the room, covering each wall. Finally, the floor is cleaned and sanitized. Obviously, different procedures will be used for each room, depending on the materials used in construction. For example, walls made of cedar may not be cleaned in the same manner as those with drywall. The same is true for hardwood floors versus floors that are carpeted. You may not be surprised to learn that textured ceilings also produce some special challenges when it comes to cleaning.
The Final Steps
One of the last things that typically happens when a crime scene is being cleaned and disinfected is the final walk-through. Even after everything has been thoroughly cleaned and checked, professionals tend to go through the entire structure one final time in order to make sure that absolutely nothing has been overlooked. This is not a process that is done rapidly, but one where great attention to detail is paid. It’s vitally important, as once the structure has been deemed cleaned and disinfected, it’s highly likely that normal foot traffic will resume in the area. As a result, there can be no evidence left in the building. By the same token, there must be no bodily fluid left in the structure which could potentially have an adverse impact on someone else who eventually occupies the building.
Those who specialize in crime scene cleanup have a number of roles they have to play. Granted, their first job is to clean and disinfect the area. However, they also serve as a rather informal second set of eyes, someone who can notify detectives in the event that something unusual is found during the cleaning process. There are times when finding such evidence can make all the difference in the outcome of a trial. As such, crime scene cleanup teams often serve as trusted individuals, for both the police department and the public as a whole.