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 Fulton County. The cleanup scope is based on where contamination traveled.
Homicide cleanup is crime scene cleanup focused on the removal of contaminated materials, blood and bodily fluids. The specialized work starts only when investigators are finished and the property has been released.
The investigation is the responsibility of law enforcement and the medical examiner or coroner, not property cleaning. A relative, landlord, owner or other person with authorization can arrange homicide cleaning once officials have released the scene.
The cleanup process goes beyond ordinary cleaning services. Cleanup technicians locate contamination in the affected area and surrounding areas, protect unaffected rooms, remove materials that cannot be disinfected and treat cleanable surfaces. The work also includes hazardous waste packaging, waste disposal, odor removal and records for an insurance company when requested.

During a painful event, privacy can be supported when you limit entry to approved people and ask that crews arrive in unmarked vehicles.
Photos, item lists, scope notes and disposal documents can support conversations with insurance companies and property owners.
You can request details about cleaning, necessary removals, waste movement off the property and the work left for restoration.
Personal property that can be saved is separated and discussed with you before removal decisions are made.
Homicide cleanup services are needed when a violent death leaves blood or other biological material in a home, rental, business or vehicle. Common situations include:
Blood and tissue can reach walls, ceilings, furniture, carpet and hidden joints, so the full path must be traced.
Checks of carpet, insulation, seats and trim determine which materials are cleanable and which require removal.
Isolation of the affected area can continue as shared spaces, stores, warehouses or offices undergo contamination checks.
Surface wiping is not enough when visible blood extends under the floor or behind trim.
Your first steps are to respect the investigation, avoid exposure and preserve useful claim information. Before cleanup technicians enter:
Call (888) 440-9227Available homicide cleanup cost guides put violent crime scenes in the $2,500 to $9,000 range. They place smaller scenes in a range from $2,000 to $6,000 and larger scenes between $3,000 and $10,000 based on their published figures. These are planning ranges rather than a quote. An assessment determines the final scope.
These national ranges are taken from published cost guides, rather than a property visit. You learn what your property will cost after the on-site assessment and before any work begins.
Ask about cost: (888) 440-9227Homicide cleanup may be paid through a renters, homeowners or commercial policy. Whether it applies depends on the specific loss, policy terms and deductible.
Local requirements, property ownership, lease conditions and policy language can determine who pays and arranges cleanup. Tenants and landlords should each contact the appropriate insurer.
Have the insurance company identify every needed invoice, photo, item list, disposal record and scope note. Retain everything you send to the insurance company.
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.
Tell the insurer what happened after police release the scene. Check if coverage includes restoration, biohazard cleanup and damaged structural materials.
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.
The authorized person identifies known affected areas, and technicians inspect nearby surfaces, floor edges, contents and possible travel paths.
The cleanup area is isolated from unaffected rooms. Cleanup technicians rely on proper personal protective equipment and containment controls to keep contamination from being tracked past the scene.
Before detailed cleaning and disinfection, visible bodily fluids and blood are gathered using a method appropriate for each surface.
The smallest practical sections of upholstery, subfloor, carpet, padding or drywall are removed when complete disinfection is not possible.
Each retained surface receives detailed scene cleaning, then an EPA-registered disinfectant stays wet for its full label contact time.
After source removal, filtered air and focused treatments can reduce odor affecting indoor air, materials that remain and adjoining areas.
Applicable rules guide the sealing, labeling and movement of contaminated waste, while available disposal documentation is kept.
The closing assessment examines completed work, returns salvageable personal property according to the agreement and records removed finishes for restoration services.
Call at any time. A homicide cleanup specialist answers, explains the steps and agrees a start time with you.
Serious health risks can come from blood, bodily fluids and contamination you cannot see. The concern remains even if visible signs seem dry or limited.
Hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV can be carried through blood. Hepatitis B can live on surfaces for at least seven days, the CDC says, which makes controls necessary even for dry blood.
The scene can be deeply distressing for loved ones. Professional cleanup lets family members avoid direct contact with the affected space and personal property.
Fluids may travel into carpet padding, joints, grout, walls and the subfloor. Material concealed behind or under a surface remains after only the visible spot is cleaned.
Can you clean it yourself? For a minor fresh blood spot on solid material that does not absorb fluids, wear disposable gloves and apply an EPA-registered disinfectant throughout the contact time stated on its label. If blood reached carpet, wood, fabric, drywall or an area with unclear edges, keep away and seek 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 |
|---|---|
| Limited affected area with accessible surfaces | Inspection and official scene release determine the schedule |
| One room with porous material removal | Could need a distinct restoration stage after cleaning |
| Several rooms or structural contamination | Usually needs a staged scope and longer restoration work |
Odor cannot be corrected with fragrance alone when fluids remain absorbed in drywall, hidden cavities, carpet, furniture or subfloor. The source must be located and removed first.
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.
Under 29 CFR 1910.1030, the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard addresses worker training, protective equipment and exposure controls.
The selected disinfectant should have EPA registration for its intended purpose and stay on the material for the complete labeled contact time.
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.
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.
For an injury during discovery, Emory University Hospital is the nearest listed hospital at approximately 1.7 miles away.
Nearby communities include Virginia Highland, Lenox Park, and Mayfair, useful geographic references when explaining a property location to a cleanup crew.
As an Atlanta neighborhood, North Highlands may include several building styles, so cleanup planning should start with the exact property type.
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
Walls, carpets, furnishings and hard floors receive blood cleanup, with safe disposal afterward.
See blood cleanup
Following accidents, violence or injuries, trauma scene cleanup addresses the affected area.
See trauma scene cleanup
Cleaning a home after someone dies, including fluids, odor and affected belongings.
See death cleanup
Careful, private suicide cleanup keeps family members from having to confront the scene.
See suicide cleanup
Cleanup when a death went unnoticed for days, with decomposition and odor control.
See unattended death cleanup
Forensic cleaning addresses investigation residue, fingerprint powder and tissue along with cleaning of blood.
See forensic cleaning
Air scrubbers, hydroxyl and ozone treatment support death odor removal at its source.
See death odor removalYes, additional hazards may be present at the property. Hoarding cleanup services can address heavy contents after evidence restrictions end. Sewage cleanup may be needed after a sewage backup, and water damage may require drying. Containment, disposal and the cleaning process must each be planned for the specific hazard.
First, cleanup technicians identify the affected area and establish containment around it. With protective gear on, technicians gather visible material and take out porous items unsuitable for disinfection. After cleaning surfaces that remain, they use a disinfectant registered by the EPA for the contact time shown on its label. Hazardous waste is packaged before the finished scope receives a final check.
For violent crime scene work, the published homicide cleanup cost is $2,500 to $9,000. Published figures put a smaller scene between $2,000 and $6,000, while the larger range runs from $3,000 to $10,000. Police release status, scene dimensions, depth of contamination, number of rooms and disposal requirements all affect the scope.
DIY cleaning is not appropriate when blood reached carpet, wood, fabric, drywall, furniture or a hidden space. Bloodborne pathogens and hidden contamination may lead to serious health risks. Keep people and pets out while awaiting scene release, then arrange professional cleanup when any affected area has uncertain edges.
After your deductible, insurance might pay part or all of the covered expense, but the answer differs for every policy and every situation. Give the insurance company the claim details and ask about emergency response work, biohazard cleanup, building materials and restoration. Retain all photos, work notes, bills and waste records.
Unaffected items can remain under protection or be moved away from the contaminated zone to a clean location. Each belonging inside the scene receives its own assessment. Cleaning may work for hard, non-porous items. Before deciding, the team should speak with you about papers, photos and keepsakes, while absorbent property may have to be removed.
Respectful, discreet homicide cleanup is available 24 hours a day, and crews arrive in unmarked vehicles.