Crime Scene Cleaners Explain Their Messy Job

How do you work with the families? Is there a “grief counseling” element of your job? 

Spaulding: Our company was founded on empathy, and that is the very core of our existence. We lead with empathy and want to be as resourceful as possible to the families. In addition to cleanup, we also have a partnership with a mental health organization which allows us to offer our customers four free therapy sessions and unlimited texting for a month. This is available to our customers as well as our technicians. We strongly believe in taking care of our mental health first and foremost, as that is a priority in order for us to do such a difficult job time and again.

Andrews: Lots and lots of tears. Sometimes the property owner/landlord is on the property and the family is not, though typically it’s frazzled, confused, sad, and depressed family members. Grief-stricken, angry family members are common too. Thankfully, many come up to us and express their gratitude, and the feeling that you’ve been able to inspire hope in them during such a dark — probably the worst — time in their life is really what keeps me going every day. No exaggeration.

You certainly have to be part counselor — you have to be empathetic, open to listening, patient, and kind. You need to be sensitive, but you also need to be able to detach from the situation and your surroundings. You need to take the role of a counselor without completely replacing one, if that makes sense.

What is your typical process for a crime scene cleanup? 

Spaulding: When we receive a call, we gather as much information as possible in order to assess the scene. We provide an estimate and we help our customers file a claim with their insurance company, as more often than not, many of these cleanups are covered under their homeowners insurance policy. Once that has been taken care of, we come to the scene with our equipment, protective gear, and special cleaning solutions. We do a very thorough job cleaning any surface that has come into contact with body matter, especially fluids that can seep through surfaces. More often than not, we find ourselves removing drywall, carpets, tile, you name it.

Martin: My company takes [Occupational Safety and Health Administration], [Department of Transportation], and local and state protocols very seriously. After all, an error that seems minor can actually create a serious issue that exposes everyone on site to a life-threatening illness or circumstance. That is why all cleaners are certified, licensed, and trained to do these types of jobs through OSHA.

That means having a plan to minimize exposure to all and any dangers at the site. A supervisor comes up with a plan to deal with contaminated areas, the supplies appropriate for the job, the level of PPE required, and what actions to take if someone is exposed (or suspects exposure).

We arrive at the scene in an unmarked work van (to respect the privacy of our clients — naturally we wouldn’t want our neighbors to see a murder cleanup company when the incident is so fresh) and enter the home in PPE. A family member may or may not be there — in which case, like you asked earlier, they are usually crying, distraught, frazzled, and not in their [usual] state of mind. Yes, we respond by trying to be their backbone and reassure them that they aren’t alone in what they’re going through, answer any questions they may have, and provide them with a sense of hope, comfort, and stability. We are there to help them during their time of need.

Depending on how the occurrence happened, we may need to remove wall panels, flooring panels, ceiling panels — especially if they are saturated with biohazards. Carpet is the worst because bio usually always seeps through the carpet fibers into the flooring beneath — and if there’s wood floors beneath the carpet then they can seep through the wood as well. The bio can get down into the foundation even — and yes, that will need replacing. It’s a lot of physical labor and demolition.

We also try to keep as many valuables in the home by decontaminating them with foggers loaded with EPA-registered disinfectants. We strive to use the top-of-the-line disinfectants that are environmentally friendly and do not cause allergenic reactions, so the premises can be entered as soon as the restoration is complete.

The biohazards have to be properly contained in biohazard containers and properly labeled and color-coded. We also need special licensing on our work vans to transport them.

Once the job is completed, we work with the insurance companies directly for payment. There’s no reason why these families should have to pay — they’re already going through enough. We are here to help them.