Crime Scene Cleanup
Crime scene cleaning begins after police release and covers blood, odor and the affected property.
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.
While the medical examiner and law enforcement concentrate on investigative duties, they do not clean what remains at the property. Homicide cleaning can be arranged after release of the scene by an authorized person, including an owner, landlord or relative.
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.

You are consulted about recoverable personal property after it is isolated and before a removal decision occurs.
Your questions can cover items marked for removal, surfaces to be cleaned, plans for taking waste away and remaining restoration needs.
Photos, item lists, scope notes and disposal documents can support conversations with insurance companies and property owners.
You may protect privacy by requesting unmarked vehicles and allowing only authorized people into the property during this difficult event.
Homicide cleanup services may be necessary after a violent death affects a rental, vehicle, home or business with blood or biological material. Common circumstances include:
A living space, bedroom, hallway and adjacent surfaces may each require blood cleanup after the event.
The affected area can be isolated while offices, stores, warehouses or shared spaces are assessed for contamination.
Visible blood may continue beneath flooring or behind trim, which makes surface wiping incomplete.
Seats, carpet, trim and insulation are checked to decide what can be cleaned and what must be removed.
Your first steps are to respect the investigation, avoid exposure and preserve useful claim information. Before cleanup technicians enter:
Call (888) 351-0904Available 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. After an on-site assessment, the price for your property is determined and shared with you before cleanup begins.
Ask about cost: (888) 351-0904Homicide cleanup may be paid through a renters, homeowners or commercial policy. Whether it applies depends on the specific loss, policy terms and deductible.
Who organizes and pays for the work may depend on ownership, the lease, applicable local law and insurance terms. Tenants and landlords should each contact the appropriate insurer.
Tell the insurer what happened after police release the scene. Ask whether biohazard cleanup, damaged building materials and restoration are included.
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.
Have the insurance company identify every needed invoice, photo, item list, disposal record and scope note. Make copies of all materials before submission.
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.
After the authorized person points out known affected areas, technicians examine floor edges, belongings, adjacent surfaces and potential travel routes.
Clean rooms are kept apart from the work area. Cleanup technicians use suitable personal protective equipment and controls that reduce tracking beyond the scene.
Collection of visible blood and bodily fluids comes first, using surface-specific methods before the area is carefully cleaned and disinfected.
The smallest practical sections of upholstery, subfloor, carpet, padding or drywall are removed when complete disinfection is not possible.
After thorough scene cleaning, an EPA-registered disinfectant remains wet on each cleanable surface for the contact time stated on its label.
Once the source is gone, air filtration and targeted treatment can address odor in room air, remaining materials and connected spaces.
Waste containing contamination is labeled, sealed and transported under relevant rules, and disposal records are saved when available.
The closing assessment examines completed work, returns salvageable personal property according to the agreement and records removed finishes for restoration services.
Call any hour. You speak with a homicide cleanup specialist who outlines the process and schedules a start time with you.
Blood, other bodily fluids and contamination hidden from view may create serious health risks. A dry appearance or a visibly small area does not remove those concerns.
Wall cavities, subfloor, padding, grout and seams can absorb fluids. Material concealed behind or under a surface remains after only the visible spot is cleaned.
Seeing the affected space can cause loved ones deep distress. Professional cleanup lets family members avoid direct contact with the affected space and personal property.
Hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV can be carried through blood. According to the CDC, hepatitis B remains viable on surfaces for at least seven days, meaning dried blood needs careful controls.
Can you clean it yourself? A small amount of fresh blood on a hard, non-porous surface may be cleaned with disposable gloves and an EPA-registered disinfectant used for its full label contact time. If blood reached carpet, wood, fabric, drywall or an area with unclear edges, keep away and seek professional cleanup.
Non-porous surfaces can often remain when every exposed area is accessible and disinfectable. Porous material that absorbed blood usually needs removal.

Homicide cleaning has no set schedule. Scene size, access, contamination depth, room count and the volume of material requiring removal all affect timing. The initial assessment allows for a more useful timeline.
| Scene | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| A small affected area on reachable surfaces | Inspection and official scene release determine the schedule |
| Porous material removal within one room | Could need a distinct restoration stage after cleaning |
| Several rooms or structural contamination | A staged plan and more extensive restoration work are usually necessary |
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.
The full homicide cleanup guide covers what is cleaned or removed, odor and air quality work, and the rules that apply in North Carolina and Wake County.
Read the full homicide cleanup guide
Containment, entry and cleanup plans can be influenced by local housing, population and access details.
Chestnut Hills is listed about 4.1 miles from Rex Hospital, a relevant distance when prompt evaluation follows a biohazard exposure.
Chestnut Hills is near Montclair, Temple Street, and Chestnut Hills Estates, which can matter when family members are arriving from surrounding communities.
The Wake County location helps orient travel, while the neighborhood and full address identify where private cleanup work actually occurs.
Ask on the call about cleanup options for neighboring communities and ZIP codes.
Crime scene cleaning begins after police release and covers blood, odor and the affected property.
See crime scene cleanup
Carpet, solid floors, walls and furnishings receive blood cleanup that includes safe disposal.
See blood cleanup
Following accidents, violence or injuries, trauma scene cleanup addresses the affected area.
See trauma scene cleanup
Home cleaning following a death includes affected possessions as well as fluid and odor cleanup.
See death cleanup
Suicide cleanup is completed privately and with care, protecting families from seeing the scene.
See suicide cleanup
Cleanup after an undiscovered death includes odor control and the effects of days of decomposition.
See unattended death cleanup
Forensic cleaning of blood, tissue, fingerprint powder and investigation residue.
See forensic cleaning
At the source, death odor removal uses air scrubbers plus hydroxyl and ozone treatment.
See death odor removalInvestigators must permit entry before professional homicide cleaners start work at a murder scene. Containment, detailed surface cleaning, removal of absorbed fluid, disinfection, waste disposal and odor removal may be part of the job. A family member should neither enter nor attempt cleanup if blood or bodily fluids remain in an area.
After your deductible, insurance might pay part or all of the covered expense, but the answer differs for every policy and every situation. Give claim information to the insurance company and ask whether emergency response work, affected building materials, biohazard cleanup and restoration are covered. Store copies of photographs, scope documentation, invoices and disposal papers.
Published homicide cleanup cost data lists a violent crime scene at $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. Scene size, depth, room count, disposal and police release affect the final scope.
Yes, one property can contain several distinct hazards. Heavy accumulations may be addressed through hoarding cleanup services once evidence restrictions have ended. After a sewage backup, sewage cleanup may be necessary along with drying for areas affected by water damage. Each hazard needs its own containment, cleaning process and disposal plan.
Items outside the contaminated zone can be protected in place or moved to a clean area. Items within the scene are assessed individually. Cleaning may work for hard, non-porous items. Porous belongings may require removal, but you should be consulted about photographs, documents and treasured items before any choice is final.
After law enforcement and the medical examiner release the property, an authorized owner, relative, landlord or manager arranges cleanup. Homicide cleaners perform biohazard remediation, blood cleanup, disinfection, odor work and hazardous waste removal. Police conduct the investigation, but the cleaning service is not part of their work.
Respectful, discreet homicide cleanup is available 24 hours a day, and crews arrive in unmarked vehicles.