Homicide Cleanup
After investigators leave, homicide cleanup removes contaminated materials along with tissue and blood.
See homicide cleanupGet blood, body fluids, fingerprint powder and odor removed from a home, apartment, rental or business in Riverbend once police release the property. Most crime scene cleanups take one to three days.
Crime scene cleanup, also called forensic cleaning or trauma scene cleanup, is the removal of blood, body fluids, tissue and contaminated materials after a violent crime, then disinfection and odor removal so the property is safe to use again.
It starts where the investigation ends. Police, detectives and the medical examiner or coroner collect evidence and remove the deceased, but they do not clean. The scene is released to the property owner, the family or the landlord, and the cleanup becomes their responsibility.
Crime scene cleaners, also called forensic cleaners or a forensic clean up crew, treat every drop of blood as infectious. They trace how far it traveled, remove what cannot be disinfected, clean and treat every surface, and haul the hazardous materials away under medical waste rules. It is a form of biohazard remediation, and the cleanup process covers these steps from start to finish.

Prepared photos, waste paperwork and scope details are available for landlords and insurance companies so you can move forward.
Crews separate your keepsakes, documents and photos, and ask you before discarding any of them.
You hear the cleanup steps and what affects the price before any work starts, so you can make the right decision for your family.
Phone support is available day and night, while crews use unmarked vehicles to protect your privacy nearby.
A violent event may create a need for crime scene cleaning services when body fluids or blood remain. These situations commonly include:
Broken glass with blood, damaged doors and fingerprint powder throughout the home.
For offices, retail spaces and warehouses, commercial crime scene cleanup includes isolating each work area while it is cleaned.
A fall can leave blood on walls and ceilings, with saturation reaching carpet and subfloor.
Discreet cleaning keeps relatives from having to enter the affected space.
The first hours matter for your health, your insurance claim and the final cost. Before the cleanup technicians arrive:
Call (888) 351-0904Most residential crime scene cleanup costs between $1,500 and $7,500. Published cost guides show this range. Companies generally set a price for the whole job rather than charging by the hour. Surface blood limited to a small area may cost less. When several rooms or the subfloor are affected, costs may exceed $10,000. An on-site assessment determines the final price.
Published national cost guides are the source for these ranges, rather than an inspection of your property. You learn what your property will cost after the on-site assessment and before any work begins.
Ask about cost: (888) 351-0904Crime scene cleanup coverage is determined by the terms in your renters or homeowners policy. The loss may qualify as sudden and accidental, subject to your deductible.
Victims of violent crime can ask the Louisiana Crime Victims Reparations Board, supported by the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, about crime scene cleanup. The program lists it among eligible expenses. Insurance is usually checked first.
Ask whether biohazard cleanup is covered, whether you can choose the cleanup company and what photos or records the adjuster needs.
Your homeowners or renters policy terms determine coverage following a violent crime. Keep your claim number after reporting the event without delay.
Property owners typically pay for and organize crime scene cleanup in shared areas and rental homes.
A safe, consistent order guides the remediation process, even though every crime scene differs. From the opening walk-through until final inspection, the crime scene cleanup process follows that sequence.
Technicians walk the scene with you or your representative, photograph it and agree the scope before work starts.
Plastic barriers and negative air isolate the affected area while technicians use complete personal protective equipment.
Crews cut away soaked mattresses, furniture, carpet, pad and drywall, then bag and seal them as medical waste.
After cleaning each surface, technicians apply a hospital-grade, EPA-registered disinfectant and observe its complete contact time.
Air scrubbers, hydroxyl generators or ozone treat odor at the source, and HVAC vents are checked.
Tracking documents accompany closed containers to a medical waste facility that is permitted to receive them.
ATP testing can be used to check surfaces, while photographs and records support your insurance claim.
After cleanup, replacement drywall and flooring may be installed by your contractor or the insurance company's vendor.
Call any hour. You speak with a crime scene cleanup specialist who outlines the process and schedules a start time with you.
Serious health risks can come from blood and bodily fluids, including contamination beyond what you are able to see.
Saturated items count as regulated medical waste. They must be taken to an authorized treatment site instead of a dumpster or household garbage.
HIV and the hepatitis B and C viruses may be carried in blood. According to the CDC, hepatitis B remains viable on surfaces for at least seven days, including when blood appears dry.
Carpet does not stop blood from reaching the pad and subfloor, while grout and spaces under baseboards can trap it. Odor and bacteria may return when hidden material remains after a surface wipe.
Can you clean it yourself? Wear gloves and apply an EPA-registered disinfectant when fresh blood is limited to a few drops on any hard, non-porous surface. If blood touches fabric, wood, carpet or drywall, or spreads beyond visible edges, you need professional cleanup.
Most crime scene cleanup work requires one to three days at the property. A small scene that happened recently may take one day, but a heavy scene requiring structural removal can last two to five days.
| Scene | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| Light scene, one area | Often one to two days |
| Standard scene affecting one to two rooms | Often one to three days |
| Extensive scene requiring subfloor removal or several rooms | Often two to five days |
Odor removal starts with removing the source. Spraying fragrance over blood or tissue only hides the smell for a few days.
Once contaminated materials have been removed, HEPA air scrubbers can capture particles. The cleanup team may run hydroxyl generators safely with people present, or use ozone in empty rooms when odor persists. Thermal fogging can enter wall cavities and fabrics, while checks of HVAC ductwork help keep the smell from moving into other rooms.
Federal rule 29 CFR 1910.1030 sets requirements for protective equipment, training and handling whenever workers can be exposed to blood.
A disinfectant for blood should carry EPA registration and stay on each surface for the complete labeled contact period.
Louisiana treats soaked materials from a biohazard scene as potentially infectious biomedical waste. Louisiana Department of Health sanitary code rules control how it is packaged, stored and transported, so it cannot go in household trash.
Louisiana has no statewide medical examiner. Each parish has an elected coroner who investigates deaths involving violence, accidents or suspicious circumstances. Cleanup starts after police or the coroner release the scene.
The full crime scene cleanup guide covers what is cleaned or removed, odor and air quality work, and the rules that apply in Louisiana and East Baton Rouge Parish.
Read the full crime scene cleanup guide
Local population patterns, housing and site access may affect how containment and cleanup are planned.
If direct exposure occurs, the closest listed emergency option is Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, about 3.4 miles away, not the cleanup site.
Crews coming in from Heatherstone, Harwich or Sharlo should keep vehicles and equipment staged close to the affected property for privacy.
The neighborhood setting makes privacy especially important when equipment must pass through sidewalks, lobbies, or other visible common areas.
Your phone conversation can include questions about service in nearby ZIP codes and communities.
After investigators leave, homicide cleanup removes contaminated materials along with tissue and blood.
See homicide cleanup
Families are spared from facing the scene through discreet and considerate suicide cleanup.
See suicide cleanup
Trauma scene cleanup after accidents, injuries and violent events.
See trauma scene cleanup
Walls, carpets, furnishings and hard floors receive blood cleanup, with safe disposal afterward.
See blood cleanup
Cleanup when a death went unnoticed for days, with decomposition and odor control.
See unattended death cleanup
Death odor removal targets the source through ozone treatment, hydroxyl and air scrubbers.
See death odor removal
Deep cleaning, respectful sorting and removal are all part of hoarding cleanup.
See hoarding cleanup
Raw sewage cleanup treats Category 3 black water and includes both drying and disinfection.
See raw sewage cleanupCleaning crime scenes uses a cleaning process that contains the space, removes saturated material, cleans and disinfects surfaces, treats odor and disposes of medical waste.
Whether coverage applies depends on your renters or homeowners policy, with a possible deductible. Contact the insurance company to report what happened and check coverage for biohazard cleanup.
Some viruses, such as hepatitis B, can survive in dried blood on surfaces for days. Take equal care with blood whether fresh or dried.
Police, detectives and the medical examiner or coroner collect evidence and remove the deceased, but they do not clean. Crime scene cleanup is commonly arranged by a landlord, family or property owner and completed by professional crime scene cleaners.
Yes. Chemical remnants and fingerprint dust are addressed through forensic cleaning. First comes dry collection, followed by the proper product for the material to keep powder from leaving stains.
At the beginning, a person must allow entry and approve the work scope. After access and scope are settled, your family can choose not to remain during cleanup.
You can request respectful, discreet crime scene cleanup 24 hours a day, and crews use unmarked vehicles.