Crime Scene Cleanup
Crime scene cleaning after police release the property, from blood to odor.
See crime scene cleanupGet blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials and odor removed after investigators release a home, rental, business or vehicle in Wake County. The cleanup scope is based on where contamination traveled.
Homicide cleanup is specialized crime scene work performed after investigators complete their duties and release the property. It removes bodily fluids, blood and other contaminated materials.
The investigation is the responsibility of law enforcement and the medical examiner, not property cleaning. A relative, landlord, owner or other person with authorization can arrange homicide cleaning once officials have released the scene.
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.

You can ask what will be cleaned, what must be removed, how waste will leave the property and what remains for restoration.
You are consulted about recoverable personal property after it is isolated and before a removal decision occurs.
To help preserve your privacy during a painful time, you may ask for unmarked vehicles and restrict access to authorized people.
Disposal records, scope details, photos and item lists can help when you speak with insurance companies or property owners.
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:
A visible blood mark can extend beneath flooring and behind trim, so wiping only the surface is insufficient.
Isolation of the affected area can continue as shared spaces, stores, warehouses or offices undergo contamination checks.
Checks of carpet, insulation, seats and trim determine which materials are cleanable and which require removal.
Blood cleanup may involve a bedroom, living area, hallway and nearby surfaces that were exposed during the event.
Begin by honoring the investigation, limiting exposure and keeping information that may help with a claim. Take these steps before cleanup technicians are allowed to enter:
Call (888) 440-9227The available homicide cleanup cost guides list $2,500 to $9,000 for a violent crime scene. They also list $2,000 to $6,000 for a smaller scene and $3,000 to $10,000 for a larger scene. These are published planning ranges, not a quote. The final scope depends on the assessment.
Published national cost guides are the source for these ranges, rather than an inspection of your property. After an on-site assessment, the price for your property is determined and shared with you before cleanup begins.
Ask about cost: (888) 440-9227Insurance may pay toward homicide cleanup through a commercial, homeowners or renters policy. Coverage is determined by the loss, the policy and its deductible.
Local requirements, property ownership, lease conditions and policy language can determine who pays and arranges cleanup. The tenant and landlord should contact their respective insurance companies.
Victims of violent crime can ask the North Carolina Department of Public Safety's Office of Victim Compensation Services about crime scene cleanup, which the program lists among accepted expenses. Insurance is usually checked first.
Find out which waste documents, photographs, item inventories, invoices and scope records the insurance company requires. Keep copies of everything you submit.
After the scene is released by police, inform the insurer about the loss. Ask whether biohazard cleanup, damaged building materials and restoration are included.
Remediation proceeds in a controlled sequence once the scene is released. The path of contamination, the materials that are still safe to save and applicable waste rules guide each step.
Known affected areas are identified by the authorized person, then technicians assess surrounding surfaces, contents, floor borders and possible routes of spread.
The work zone is separated from clean rooms. Suitable personal protective equipment and controls help cleanup technicians limit the movement of contamination outside the scene.
Surface-specific methods collect bodily fluids and blood that are visible before detailed cleaning and disinfection.
Removal focuses on the smallest practical area when affected padding, upholstery, drywall, carpet or subfloor cannot be fully disinfected.
Each retained surface receives detailed scene cleaning, then an EPA-registered disinfectant stays wet for its full label contact time.
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.
The completed scope is reviewed, saved personal property is returned as agreed and removed finishes are listed for restoration services.
You can call anytime. A specialist in homicide cleanup takes your call, explains each step and agrees on a start time with you.
Blood, bodily fluids and hidden contaminated materials can present serious health risks, even when the visible area looks small or dry.
Blood may contain HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Hepatitis B can live on surfaces for at least seven days, the CDC says, which makes controls necessary even for dry blood.
Wall cavities, subfloor, padding, grout and seams can absorb fluids. Wiping what you can see leaves contamination within material below the surface or behind it.
Loved ones may find the scene profoundly upsetting. Professional cleanup lets family members avoid direct contact with the affected space and personal property.
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. When blood enters carpet, drywall, wood, fabric or an area without clear limits, avoid the space and get professional cleanup.
The time required for homicide cleaning depends on how large the scene is, how deep contamination went, how many rooms are involved, available access and how much material needs removal. A useful schedule can be discussed following the initial assessment.
| Scene | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| Small affected area on accessible surfaces | Timeline determined once the scene is released and inspected |
| One affected space containing absorbent materials for removal | Could need a distinct restoration stage after cleaning |
| Several rooms or structural contamination | Usually needs a staged scope and longer restoration work |
Finding the odor source and taking it out is the first step. Fragrance does not fix fluids that have soaked into furniture, carpet, drywall, subfloor or concealed cavities.
HEPA air scrubbers may filter particles from the air following removal of contaminated material. If equipment instructions permit, hydroxyl treatment can be suitable where a space remains occupied. Strict controls apply to ozone, and nobody may be in the treatment area. Vents and rooms next to the scene may also be checked as part of cleaning before you continue.
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.
North Carolina treats soaked materials from a biohazard scene as medical waste. Rules from the state Department of Environmental Quality's Solid Waste Section control how it is packaged, stored, transported and treated, so it cannot go in household trash.
North Carolina uses a statewide medical examiner system run by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, with county medical examiners appointed in each county. Cleanup starts after police or the medical examiner release the scene.
The full homicide cleanup guide covers what is cleaned or removed, odor and air quality work, and the rules that apply in your state.
Read the full homicide cleanup guide
Planning for access, containment and cleanup can depend on local population, housing and entry conditions.
The nearest listed emergency facility is Wakemed, Raleigh Campus, about 4.5 miles away, so medical care remains separate from property cleanup.
Crews coming in from Pinecrest, Forest Ridge or tree-top-apartments should keep vehicles and equipment staged close to the affected property for privacy.
In Greenwood Farms, identifying the correct building entrance can reduce unnecessary movement through shared spaces during a sensitive cleanup.
You can ask about cleanup in nearby communities and ZIP codes during the call.
Crime scene cleaning after police release the property, from blood to odor.
See crime scene cleanup
Blood cleanup on carpet, hard floors, walls and furniture with safe disposal.
See blood cleanup
Trauma scene cleanup addresses the aftermath of accidents, injuries and violent incidents.
See trauma scene cleanup
Fluids, odor and impacted belongings are addressed when a home is cleaned after a death.
See death cleanup
Families are spared from facing the scene through discreet and considerate suicide cleanup.
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
Air scrubbers, hydroxyl and ozone treatment support death odor removal at its source.
See death odor removalAfter law enforcement and the medical examiner release the property, an authorized owner, relative, landlord or manager arranges cleanup. For biohazard remediation and blood cleanup, homicide cleaners can disinfect surfaces, treat odors and complete hazardous waste removal. Police are responsible for investigating the scene, not performing the cleaning service.
For violent crime scene work, the published homicide cleanup cost is $2,500 to $9,000. For a smaller scene, the published range is $2,000 to $6,000, compared with a larger scene at $3,000 to $10,000. Affected area size and depth, involved rooms, disposal and police clearance shape the final scope.
If blood affected wood, furnishings, fabric, drywall, carpet or somewhere hidden, the cleanup is not suitable for DIY work. Serious health risks can result from contamination you cannot see and bloodborne pathogens. Keep people and pets away, wait for scene release and arrange professional cleanup for any affected area whose full boundary is unclear.
Both are forms of death cleanup and trauma scene cleanup, but the conditions can differ. Until law enforcement releases a homicide scene, it stays under official control and may contain residue from evidence processing. Time between death and discovery means an unattended death may involve decomposition along with more extensive odor issues.
Cleanup technicians first map the affected area and set containment. After putting on protective gear, technicians collect material they can see. They remove porous items beyond disinfection, clean surfaces left in place and follow the label contact time when using a disinfectant registered by the EPA. Next, technicians package the hazardous waste and inspect all completed work.
A homeowners policy might pay for homicide scene cleanup or death cleanup, but coverage varies according to policy language, exclusions, the event and the deductible. Notify the insurer prior to the start of work. Ask about biohazard cleanup, damaged materials, personal property, restoration and the exact documents needed before work begins.
Discreet, respectful homicide cleanup, 24 hours a day, with crews in unmarked vehicles.