If you’re getting ready to deal with a crime scene in Lancaster, you’re likely dealing with a situation that you haven’t dealt with before. The average person doesn’t usually have anything to do with crime scenes, so when they’re suddenly responsible for one, they’re completely unprepared. Crime scene cleaning can seem extremely overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone.

We have years of top-notch experience handling every type of crime scene. Our cleaning specialists know the ins and outs of making sure that every scene that we leave is clean, sanitized and safe for humans to use.

What is crime scene cleaning?

Crime scene cleaning is the term used to refer to getting rid of biohazardous waste at crime scenes, accident scenes, and other types of trauma scenes. The scene in question doesn’t have to be an actual crime scene. It could be a scene like a meth lab or the scene of an accidental death that needs to be cleansed of biohazardous waste.

What is biohazardous waste and why is it so problematic?

Biohazardous waste and other types of infectious waste is waste that contains pathogens. Pathogens are those microorganisms that make us sick. You have pneumonia? You got it from a bacterial pathogen. You’re suffering from the flu, or you know someone who got coronavirus? Those are viral pathogens. Pathogens are either airborne or bloodborne, and they need to be scrubbed from a crime scene in order to keep people safe. If the crime scene isn’t cleaned with the right types of cleaners, you’ll end up with a situation where you’re dealing with a scene that looks good but is still dangerous to enter. Biohazardous waste at crime scenes includes blood, bodily fluid and body tissue.

How do crime scene cleaners get rid of pathogens?

Pathogens can only be removed with specific cleaners that have been shown to actually kill them. Crime scene cleaners use OSHA-approved and EPA-approved disinfectants, sanitizers, and cleaning solutions to get rid of pathogens. They remove the biohazardous waste from the room and store it in special biohazard bins that seal the contents in so that no surface or person will be contaminated by them. They use special tools that allow them to access spaces at the crime scene where pathogens could be hiding. This includes tools like foggers that shoot cleaning products into the air, allowing them to penetrate every crevice, nook, and cranny. They use tools like long-reach brushes to scrub spaces with high ceilings.

What types of non-crime scenes do crime scene cleaners cover?

Crime scene cleaners can clean the following types of non-crime scenes.

Meth Cleanup

You’ve seen enough crime television shows and dramas to know that meth labs are dangerous places. Even after the lab has been cleared in a raid, it’s still dangerous to enter because meth residue hangs in the air and on surfaces. It’s really difficult to get off of surfaces, and it’s extremely dangerous to breathe in. Simply breathing in a few random particles can cause serious injury, and prolonged exposure can even cause death. Crime scene cleaners know how to remove every spec of meth from the room so that anyone entering the space can breathe freely without fear.

Sick Rooms

If someone has a contagious disease, the room that they’ve been in will be filled with the pathogen that caused the disease. This is why kids pick up the flu so easily in schools. Sick children come to school and touch surfaces that aren’t washed down. The next kid or teacher touches the surface and picks up the pathogen, becoming sick. This cycle is especially dangerous when dealing with potentially lethal and easily transmissible diseases like coronavirus. Crime scene cleaning teams go into sites where contagious people have been and clean and sanitize the spaces from top to bottom. This is the only way that people can use the spaces safely again.

Unattended Death

Unattended deaths, or deaths where people die alone, are very sad. What’s even worse is that these bodies are sometimes not discovered for days, weeks, or longer. This creates a situation where the body decomposes over time, creating a severe biohazard situation. Even after the body has been removed from the site, bodily fluids and body tissue may remain due to decomp. Crime scene cleaners will restore the site, ripping out carpets and doing whatever is necessary to get every bit of biohazardous waste out of the room.

When does crime scene cleaning begin?

Crime scene cleaning begins right after the scene has been released by law enforcement or whichever agency has been handling the scene. It cannot begin until the scene has been released because key evidence could be lost.

Who is responsible for paying for crime scene cleaning?

Crime scene cleaning is the responsibility of whoever owns the site where the crime, accident, or incident took place. It is not the responsibility of law enforcement or the coroner’s office. If money is an issue, site owners should check with their insurance policies to see if some or all of the costs could be covered. Local agencies sometimes help with some of the costs associated with cleanup if a violent crime was committed. This can be a bit confusing, so give us a call so that we can help you figure out what your options are.

Crime scene cleaning is something that no one wants to deal with. It comes about suddenly, and it can be very overwhelming. We get all of that, and we know exactly what to do to help our clients focus on what they need to take care of while we take care of the part that they don’t or can’t handle. Give us a call if you’d like to chat or find out more.