Crime Scene Cleanup
After police release the property, crime scene cleaning addresses blood and odor.
See crime scene cleanupGet blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials and odor removed after investigators release a home, rental, business or vehicle in DeKalb County. The cleanup scope is based on where contamination traveled.
Homicide cleanup means removing blood, other bodily fluids and contaminated material from a released property after investigative work is complete. It is a specialized type of crime scene cleanup.
Cleaning the property is not part of the work performed by law enforcement or the medical examiner or coroner, whose attention is on the investigation. After scene release, the homicide cleaning service may be arranged by relatives, a property owner, a landlord or another authorized person.
This work involves more than an ordinary cleaning service. Technicians identify contamination both in and around the affected space, isolate rooms that were not affected and take out anything that cannot be disinfected. Surfaces that can remain are treated. When requested, the scope also covers insurance company records, hazardous waste packaging and disposal, and odor removal.

During a painful event, privacy can be supported when you limit entry to approved people and ask that crews arrive in unmarked vehicles.
Personal property that can be saved is separated and discussed with you before removal decisions are made.
Ask which materials can be cleaned, which need removal, how waste exits the site and what the restoration stage will include.
Your discussions with insurance companies and property owners may be supported by photographs, item inventories, work notes and waste documentation.
When blood or other biological material remains after a violent death, a home, vehicle, rental or business may require homicide cleanup services. Common examples are:
Seats, carpet, trim and insulation are checked to decide what can be cleaned and what must be removed.
The affected area can stay separate during contamination assessments of offices, warehouses, stores and common spaces.
Visible blood may continue beneath flooring or behind trim, which makes surface wiping incomplete.
After the family retrieves essential belongings and police release the unit, the landlord or authorized property manager may organize scene cleanup.
Respect for the investigation comes first. You should also avoid exposure and retain details that may be useful for a claim. Before cleanup technicians enter, take these steps:
Call (888) 440-9227According to available homicide cleanup cost guides, planning for a violent crime scene uses a published range from $2,500 to $9,000 as guidance. For smaller scenes, they list $2,000 to $6,000 as a planning range, while larger scenes use $3,000 to $10,000 in the same guides. This is not a quote. The assessment sets the final scope.
These ranges come from published national cost guides, not from a site visit. An on-site assessment determines your property's price, which is explained to you before the cleanup starts.
Ask about cost: (888) 440-9227A renters, commercial or homeowners policy may cover homicide cleanup costs. The particular policy, nature of the loss and applicable deductible determine coverage.
Check with your insurance company about its requirements for photos, inventories, work notes, bills and waste documentation. Save a copy of every submitted document.
The lease, local law, property ownership and policy terms can affect who arranges work and who pays. Landlords and tenants should contact their insurers.
Report what occurred to the insurance company after police clear the scene. Ask whether biohazard cleanup, damaged building materials and restoration are included.
Victims of violent crime can ask the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program, run by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, about crime scene cleanup. The program lists crime scene sanitization among eligible expenses. Insurance is usually checked first.
After scene release, a controlled order guides the remediation work. Each step reflects how far contamination went, which items can remain and the waste rules that govern the material.
After the authorized person points out known affected areas, technicians examine floor edges, belongings, adjacent surfaces and potential travel routes.
A barrier separates clean spaces from the work zone. Cleanup technicians use suitable personal protective equipment and controls that reduce tracking beyond the scene.
Visible blood and bodily fluids are collected with methods suited to each surface before detailed cleaning and disinfection begin.
If carpet, drywall, pad, subfloor or upholstery cannot be thoroughly disinfected, removal is limited to the minimum workable area.
After thorough scene cleaning, an EPA-registered disinfectant remains wet on each cleanable surface for the contact time stated on its label.
With the source removed, remaining materials, adjoining areas and the room air may receive air filtration and targeted odor treatment.
After contaminated waste is sealed and labeled, it is moved in accordance with applicable requirements and available disposal records are retained.
A final check covers finished work, the agreed return of saved personal property and a list of removed finishes for restoration services.
Call any hour. A specialist in homicide cleanup takes your call, explains each step and agrees on a start time with you.
Serious health risks may remain in bodily fluids, blood and contaminated material out of sight. Those risks can still be present if the visible spot appears dry or limited.
Seeing the affected space can cause loved ones deep distress. Professional cleanup lets family members avoid direct contact with the affected space and personal property.
Fluids can enter seams, grout, carpet pad, subfloor and wall cavities. Cleaning the visible mark does not address material below or behind the surface.
Blood may contain HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. According to the CDC, hepatitis B remains viable on surfaces for at least seven days, meaning dried blood needs careful controls.
Can you clean it yourself? Disposable gloves may be used to clean a minor amount of fresh blood from hard non-porous material, along with an EPA-registered disinfectant left for the entire label contact time. If blood reached carpet, wood, fabric, drywall or an area with unclear edges, keep away and seek professional cleanup.
Whether an item absorbed blood helps determine what remains. Porous material usually requires removal, while non-porous surfaces may stay when all exposed parts are reachable for disinfection.

The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, sets worker requirements for exposure controls, training and protective equipment.
A disinfectant should be EPA-registered for the intended use and remain on the surface for the full contact time shown on its label.
Georgia treats soaked materials from a biohazard scene as biomedical waste. Georgia Environmental Protection Division solid waste rules control how it is handled, transported and treated, so it cannot go in household trash.
Georgia uses a mixed system. Elected county coroners lead local death investigations, and the state Medical Examiner or Coroner's Office within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation performs forensic autopsies. Cleanup starts after police or the medical examiner or coroner release the scene.
Homicide cleaning has no set schedule. Scene size, access, contamination depth, room count and the volume of material requiring removal all affect timing. The initial assessment allows for a more useful timeline.
The full homicide cleanup guide covers what is cleaned or removed, odor and air quality work, and the rules that apply in Georgia and DeKalb County.
Read the full homicide cleanup guide
Local housing, population and access details can shape containment, access and cleanup planning.
A renter share of 48.5% means clear photos and item records can help different parties follow what cleanup required.
A 1986 median build year points to varied interior finishes, so each affected material needs its own cleaning or removal decision.
A 34.5% share of seniors living alone matters because longer discovery times can allow odor and contamination to spread farther.
Because 55.5% of housing is single-family, some calls involve one household while others require coordination around shared building areas.
You can ask about cleanup in nearby communities and ZIP codes during the call.
After police release the property, crime scene cleaning addresses blood and odor.
See crime scene cleanup
Blood cleanup clears blood from furniture, walls, hard floors and carpet, followed by safe disposal.
See blood cleanup
Trauma scene cleanup after accidents, injuries and violent events.
See trauma scene cleanup
Home cleaning following a death includes affected possessions as well as fluid and odor cleanup.
See death cleanup
Private, careful suicide cleanup so families do not have to face the scene.
See suicide cleanup
Decomposition cleanup and odor control are needed after a death goes unnoticed for several days.
See unattended death cleanup
Investigation residue, tissue and fingerprint powder are addressed along with forensic cleaning of blood.
See forensic cleaning
At the source, death odor removal uses air scrubbers plus hydroxyl and ozone treatment.
See death odor removalOnce property clearance comes from law enforcement as well as the medical examiner or coroner, an authorized manager, relative, owner or landlord may organize cleanup. Biohazard remediation, blood cleanup, surface disinfection, odor treatment and hazardous waste removal may be completed by homicide cleaners. Police conduct the investigation, but the cleaning service is not part of their work.
The conditions can vary between them. Trauma scene cleanup and death cleanup are categories that apply to each. Until law enforcement releases a homicide scene, it stays under official control and may contain residue from evidence processing. Because the person was not found immediately, an unattended death commonly brings decomposition and odor concerns across a larger area.
For violent crime scene work, the published homicide cleanup cost is $2,500 to $9,000. While the smaller range is $2,000 to $6,000, costs for a larger scene are listed at $3,000 to $10,000. The finished scope depends on police release, disposal needs, contamination depth, room count and scene size.
Cleanup technicians first map the affected area and set containment. Technicians use protective gear while collecting visible material and removing porous items that disinfection cannot make safe. Remaining surfaces are cleaned before an EPA-registered disinfectant is left on for its labeled contact time. Next, technicians package the hazardous waste and inspect all completed work.
Professional homicide cleaners clean a murder scene after investigators give permission to enter. Containment, detailed surface cleaning, removal of absorbed fluid, disinfection, waste disposal and odor removal may be part of the job. A family member should not enter or clean an area that still contains blood or bodily fluids.
A homeowners policy may cover death cleanup or homicide scene cleanup, but the answer depends on the event, exclusions, deductible and policy language. Contact the insurer before work begins. Before work starts, find out which documents are required and ask about biohazard cleanup, personal property, restoration and damaged materials.
Crews carry out respectful, discreet homicide cleanup, arrive in unmarked vehicles and take calls 24 hours a day.