Crime Scene Cleanup: What to do in those challenging cases

PuroClean of Deerfield Beach is one of the few companies that offer crime scene cleanup in Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, and the surrounding areas. The crime scene cleanup technicians are highly trained and have extreme attention to detail.

When a person we know and care about passes, grief comes with a lot of stress and disorientation. The innumerable bureaucratic procedures that the bereaved must go through can be overwhelming. One thing that most people forget about in those hard times is their safety and health. And that’s when a service of Crime Scene Cleanup or Biohazard Cleanup turns vital. 

Whether the body was undiscovered for several days or if it was a traumatic death, crime scenes carry a lot of pathogens and bacteria that could be fatal for humans. There are many factors that we should consider. The room temperature, days passed, and even the size of the space where the event occurred are variables that drastically change the situation and seriousness of the case. 

This is why a crime scene cleanup it’s not just a regular janitorial service. The specialists in this type of procedure must thoroughly sanitize the area with specific chemicals and equipment and, after the job is done, run compliant tests to prove that the space is safe to be habitable again.

In PuroClean of Deerfield Beach, we use the Global Risk Advisory Council (GBAC) to test the premises and provide a pathogen-free healthy environment. As well as the ANSI/IICRC standard for cleanup. 

But what procedures must be followed depending on the different crime scene scenarios? 

Unattended death cleanup: This is probably one of the most challenging scenarios. When a body is left alone for several days, the damage done to the property is serious and can cause severe health problems to the people that circulate in the area. The level of decomposition varies from the number of days passed and the climate conditions. Either way, all the people must stay away from the premises, and the technicians should wear proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and work with a full-face organic vapor respirator. This type of work could take over four days to be finished, all the affected materials (carpets, sofas, etc.) must be disposed of and spaces thoroughly cleaned with peroxide, industrial strength deodorizers, and enzyme solvents to disinfect and re-liquefy dried blood.

Suicide or other accidents: When a suicide or a fatal accident occurs on a property, usually there are bodily fluids, such as blood, all over the walls, floor, appliances, or even furniture. Sometimes the contaminants are invisible to the naked eye, but they still can be highly dangerous. This is why in PuroClean, we treat all the premises as if there were visible stains. Cleaning up biological matter is extremely delicate and should only be done by certified professionals, such as the technicians of PuroClean of Deerfield Beach. We possess special chemicals, equipment, and years of knowledge. 

Crime Scene: Sometimes, when there’s been a crime scene or a murder in a property, the law enforcement uses tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator, to neutralize those involved in the crime. This gas is highly toxic, even if it’s been sitting around for various days. Cleaning the lachrymator is challenging and requires special techniques and hours of work. Nevertheless, this needs to be remediated as soon as possible before anyone enters the premises. It can cause a runny nose, burning eyes, mouth, difficulty swallowing, chest tightness, and coughing, among other symptoms. 

Finally, and maybe one of the essential characteristics that a crime scene cleanup specialist must have is empathy, compassion, and patience, since they will have to deal with numerous tragic circumstances and must be capable of giving the families support, clear information, and calmness in those challenging times.