Crime scene cleanup is brutal. It can take a real toll on survivors. This doesn’t only apply to be people who are personally connected to the site and any victims. Crimes sometimes take place on properties belonging to owners who have nothing to do with the victims or the incident that happened, but it can still be very hard for them to deal with. 

This is where we come in. When people in Pasadena are looking for help with crime scene cleanup, our teams are ready. We have the technical expertise, the extensive experience, and the compassion to deal with all types of crime scenes so that people can move forward with their lives.

What exactly is crime scene cleaning?

Technically, crime scene cleanup, also called biohazard remediation, is all about removing biohazardous waste from a scene where a traumatic or violent incident has taken place. It also refers to removing biohazardous waste from the site of an accident or from an area where there has been exposure to other types of biohazards. It doesn’t technically have to refer to only crime scenes.

What is biohazardous waste, and why is it an issue?

When you get sick from diseases like pneumonia, the flu, or HIV, you’ve been infected by organisms called pathogens. Pathogens are the airborne or bloodborne microorganisms that cause diseases. Biohazardous waste and infectious waste is filled with pathogens. 

This is why crime scene cleaning is so important. Crime scenes are loaded with biohazardous waste, and their mere presence makes it unsafe for anyone to go anywhere near the scene. Crime scene cleaners come to the space, remove the waste, and sanitize the space so that all pathogens are gone. Only once the rooms have been sanitized are they then safe for human habitation and use.

The types of waste that you’ll find at a crime scene depends on the type of crime scene that it is. If you’re at the scene of a homicide, you’re most likely going to find blood, body tissue, bodily fluids, and other types of human biological waste. If you’re at a meth lab cleanup, the biohazard you’re going to be dealing with is meth. If you’re at the site of a suicide, you’ll most likely find the same type of waste that you’ll find it a homicide. This is true whether it’s a violent suicide or a nonviolent suicide.

If crime scenes are so dangerous, how do the cleaners protect themselves?

The one thing crime scene cleaners have to keep in mind is that they need to protect themselves from the waste located at the site. In order to do this, they cloak themselves in PPE gear. They wear coveralls that cover their bodies from head to toe, preventing their clothes from getting splashed with fluids. Some crime scene cleaners wear special boots or shoes that are built to resist liquids and chemicals, while other crime scene cleaners wear shoe covers that shield their feet. Respirators, facemasks, and face shields protect the cleaners’ faces. Even getting a single drop of biohazardous waste in their eyes, their mouths, or their noses could make them infected. When the cleaners are on site, they’re going to be handling lots of dangerous items like sharp objects or contaminated substances. To protect their hands, they wear special gloves that are puncture proof so that nothing could seep inside.

Who’s in charge of paying for crime scene cleaning?

Whoever owns the site where the crime took place is the one in charge of paying for crime scene cleaning. This can be unwelcome news for many people since many of them assume that police departments clean up crime scenes after they’re done with their investigations. They don’t. 

If money is an object, you might want to check your insurance company to see if crime scene cleaning costs are partially or fully covered. Many commercial and residential insurance policies cover these costs. You also may qualify for special assistance that some cities give for people who are cleaning up crime scenes related to violent incidents like homicides. Give us a call so that we can walk you through the entire process and see what your options are.

Why should you get professional crime scene cleaning versus doing it yourself?

There are many reasons that do-it-yourself crime scene cleaning is not a great idea.

One of the biggest reasons is that the average person is not trained to clean up biohazardous waste. There is a very specific way of collecting it, bagging it, and disposing of it. This standard for biohazardous waste collection and disposal has been set by the state of California and OSHA, and it’s not something that can be disregarded.

The types of biohazardous waste found at crime scenes is extremely toxic. If you don’t have the proper gear to protect yourself, you could risk becoming infected. At violent crime sites, biohazardous waste like blood, body tissue, and brain matter can be extremely difficult to remove. It needs very specific chemicals that crime scene cleaners are very used to using. The average person will have a very difficult time trying to remove the substances.

Another huge reason that it doesn’t really pay to do crime scene cleaning yourself is because of the emotional toll it can take. Even the strongest crime scene cleaners with the toughest constitutions need to prepare themselves for specific types of crime scenes. The average person is not prepared at all. Even crime scenes that are relatively light when it comes to the amount of waste left behind can be a very dramatic experience for someone who is not used to seeing those types of substances.

We know this may be a really tough time for you. Give us a call at any time so that we can answer any questions that you have.