Crime scene clean up is a niche market within the cleaning industry. It involves cleaning up dangerous material. This could mean the biologically contaminated scene of a violent death (homicide, suicide or accidental) or the chemically contaminated scene of a meth lab. Advanced Bio Treatment’s specially trained technicians come in and restore the scene by removing any source material, and disinfecting affected areas.
You need special knowledge and the ‘know how’ to safely handle bio hazardous material and to know what to look for at the scene. For instance, if there’s a one-inch in diameter size bloodstain on the carpet, there’s a good chance that there’s a 2-foot-diameter bloodstain on the floorboards underneath it. You can’t just clean the carpet and call it a day. The thing about crime scene cleanup is that the scene has to be truly clean, not just apparently clean. In addition to the infection that can result from blood borne pathogens, any bodily fluids that remain in floors, carpets, baseboards or walls can lead to mold, bacteria and fungus, which can cause sickness months or years later. In a worst case scenario the owner of the property can be held liable.
You also need permits to transport and dispose of bio hazardous waste. A reputable, trustworthy crime scene cleanup company such as Advanced Bio Treatment, will have all of the necessary permits, certifications, training and, perhaps most important, willingness to handle material that would send most running out the door.
To truly clean and disinfect the scene of a suicide cleanup, homicide, or unattended death can take anywhere from one hour to more than a day. Every trauma scene cleanup is different; no two are ever the same. Advanced Bio Treatment uses only EPA approved hospital grade disinfectants. Our technicians use these chemicals to wipe or scrub every drop of blood off of all surfaces. This includes counters, ceilings, walls, light fixtures, knick-knacks, family pictures, artwork and appliances. They scrape brain matter off of walls and collect any bone fragments embedded in the drywall. They rip out and discard any blood-soaked carpeting and get rid of any blood-soaked upholstery, window treatments or rugs. Sometimes, they need to collect and remove small pieces of the body — the coroner takes most of it, but if it was a particularly violent death, there may parts left behind.
Unattended deaths or unattended cleanups are at times worse than a homicide or suicide cleanup. Depending on how long before the body is discovered plays a major role in how long the cleanup can take. A body that has been decomposing for days, weeks, or even months goes through some big changes. The body swells, maggots and other bugs move in, and the skin begins to liquefy. Although the coroner removes most of the body, a lot of liquefied body matter is left behind. The gases that are released from the body get into the air. Eventually these molecules will settle onto any surface leaving behind the stench of death.
Even though carpet may be ripped out and removed, the padding underneath gone, and sometimes when necessary sub flooring is removed, there is still that pungent odor. At that point Advanced Bio Treatment will begin an ‘odor remediation.’ We don’t just mask the odor; we eliminate it by using cleaners that actually affect the odor on a molecular level.
No matter what type of crime scene cleanup, the final step in any cleanup is disposing of the bio hazardous waste. This is actually a more complicated task than it may seem. You can’t put hazardous or biohazard waste in regular trash dumps. Crime scene cleaners need a special permit to transport it. To dispose of it, in the case of the blood and gore they have to pay (typically by the pound) to burn it in a medical waste incinerator. Some incinerators have minimum amounts they’ll burn, so the cleaning company might have to pay to store the refuse in a sealed, refrigerated area until they’ve collected the minimum amount. Transporting and disposing of waste can be a big percentage of a clean-up bill.
About Advanced Bio Treatment:
Advanced Bio Treatment (ABT) employs trained crime scene cleanup professionals who not only understand the federal and state regulations regarding biohazard decontamination; but also the need for compassion and discretion. Advanced Bio Treatment’s trauma scene cleaning professionals handle site remediation quickly, quietly, and thoroughly no matter a suicide, crime or unattended death cleanup. We are here to help trauma survivors to move past the incident and on to a healthy future. We can even assist you in filing your Homeowners Insurance claim. Contact Advanced Bio Treatment (ABT) for 24/7 Emergency Service: 800.295.1684 e-mail us at info@advancedbio-treatment.com.
Media Contact:
Christina Hogenson
Corporate Sales Manager
christina@advancedbio-treatment.com
advancedbio-treatment.com
1-800-295-1684
