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What Tragic Death Leaves Behind: Protect Yourself By Letting The Professionals Do The Cleanup

13 April 2015

Felecia Coleman

Most people never imagine having to call for help to clean up after a loved one's violent death or suicide. It's not something anyone ever plans for or anticipates. When a family member passes at home, for whatever reason, the home must be cleaned and sanitized. When a crime or suicide occurs, that task can seem impossibly difficult. Instead of doing it yourself, there are two reasons why you should call a crime scene cleaning service instead.

You can be emotionally changed.

Some family members really do want to take on the task of cleaning up after a loved one's death. They may feel it is their last act of caring for their lost loved one. They may feel ashamed to let outsiders see the home. They may think it will give them some closure.

But seeing the unpleasant reminders of a loved one's death can increase the trauma for some people. Even if you were not present when your family member died, you can be affected emotionally and physically. This is especially true in the case of murder or suicide.

After the horrific events of September 11, 2001 in NYC, many people reported that they developed forms of post traumatic stress disorder, yet they lived many miles away from the site of the disaster. This phenomenon can affect you as well if your loved one's death seems senseless or traumatic, and even if you were nowhere near the site of their passing. You may be feeling fear, rage, denial and deep sadness. You may believe that cleaning up the mess left behind will be cathartic.

It's actually a wise choice to let strangers handle the gruesome yet necessary tasks. Seeing the site of trauma, and feeling personally responsible for hiding it can be very painful for anyone. Cleaning the crime scene may bring up very frustrating and agonizing thoughts for those who loved the deceased. You need meditation and time to grieve, not the anxiety or concern over whether you are doing things the right way.

There are very strict rules for disposing of bio-hazards.

Whenever human tissue or body fluids contaminate surfaces, those surfaces can harbor diseases such as Hepatitis, MRSA, Ebola and HIV. The pathogens responsible for these infectious diseases must be handled carefully to avoid contaminating other humans. That's why there are very strict procedures that must be followed when containing and disposing of human waste, needles and blood.

The CDC, DOT, OSHA and EPA each have rules for containing and transporting toxic or infectious materials. There are even more local, state and federal laws that may need to be followed. Failure to follow the specific requirements for the cleanup of crime scenes can lead to fines, criminal charges and loss of insurance coverage.

You put your own health at risk when you expose yourself to the pathogens that are at the cleanup site. And if you don't sanitize floors, walls and other surfaces, blood-borne pathogens can continue to grow and possibly make people in the home sick. The experts who do this for a living are trained in the proper use of the suits, gloves and respirators that should be worn. They know how to use the industrial-strength sanitizers that kill infectious diseases, and how to wrap, label and safely discard bio-hazards. They have the skills to make a room look as it did before, leaving you to be with your family when they need you most.

Some states offer assistance with crime scene cleanup, and many insurance policies offer some degree of coverage. A crime scene cleaning service will be happy to help you with the proper paperwork to make your claim. Don't go it alone when you need this type of cleanup. It's okay to ask for help from a company like The Crime Scene Cleaner when tragedy leaves a mess behind.

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