If you have ever watched a crime movie or television show, you have probably seen a fictionalized depiction of a crime scene. Depending on the crime scene, there may be a lot of blood, viscera, or other bodily fluids, as well as any number of other toxic or hazardous elements at the scene. What you don’t normally see is the crime scene cleanup process after the crime scene has been fully processed; by then, in the television show or movie, they have moved on to the detectives hunting down the suspect, or to the courtroom after having caught them.

Crime scene cleanup isn’t a simple process, and it requires professionals in order to properly, and safely remove all the hazards from a crime scene, and then clean up everything else to make the space liveable again. As well, a lot of care has to be taken during crime scene cleanup; the family of the deceased has to be kept informed of the progress, and in some higher profile cases, the media has to be properly managed.

All Crime Scenes Are Unique

Every crime scene is different, even if there are two homicide scenes and the same procedures are in place, the process is going to be slightly different between them when it comes to cleaning up a crime scene. Without the assistance of professional crime scene cleanup teams, things can get overlooked, especially when it comes to cleaning up blood or bodily fluids, and especially if it has had a chance to soak up into floors or under walls and appliances. As well, the more severe the crime, the more cleanup must be done, and the more diligent the cleanup professionals have to be to ensure that the space is safe and liveable once again after the cleanup.

Cleanup Begins After the Initial Investigation Ends

Due to the fact that everything in a crime scene is evidence, the crime scene cleanup process cannot begin until the initial investigation is over, otherwise evidence can be contaminated, making it inadmissible in court. This means that, even though a cleanup could have been easier while fresh, it has to wait until the investigators are gone, making the job even more difficult. Most often, a crime scene will be released a few days after the initial investigation starts, and that’s when the first physical part of the cleanup process begins.

Proper Care When Cleaning up Crime Scenes

Once the process of cleaning up a crime scene begins, those that are working on the scene must take proper care to ensure their own safety, and the safety of those that will be using the area after the crime scene cleanup is done. Almost everything in a crime scene needs to be considered hazardous to the cleanup crew, especially any form of bodily fluids. Blood especially is considered a biohazard due to the fact that there is no way of knowing what germs, pathogens, or diseases the person had. Sometimes, full PPE bodysuits and air filtration masks need to be worn due to smells or other airborne contaminants that may be on the scene. A professional crime scene cleanup company will know the exact safety measures that need to be taken, and they will have the equipment on hand to deal with it.

Cleaning All Biohazards on the Scene

The biohazard on a scene goes beyond just the body and bodily fluids that were involved with the victim. If the body or fluids have been soaking in for several days, or even longer, then the crime scene cleanup professionals have to determine everything that has been contaminated by those fluids and remove them as well. Bodily fluids can easily ruin furniture beyond the point of cleaning, and they need to be fully removed. As well, if bodies have started to decay before cleanup, anything that has absorbed the smells coming from the body may also have to be fully removed.

Any biohazards removed from a scene also have to be properly disposed of; they can’t simply be thrown into the trash or into a dump. Bringing on a professional team of crime scene cleanup specialists not only means the scene gets cleaned up; it also means any hazards are properly disposed of afterwards.

Working on crime scenes can be a troubling task for most, but when you bring in specialized crime scene cleanup teams, you’ll get a professional team that will ensure that the entire scene is cleaned up and disinfected so that repairs can start in a safe environment.