First of all, we're deeply sorry for your loss. No, you might not be a relative, or even a friend of the deceased, but death affects us all, and even more so if you're having to deal with the unattended death cleanup.
Unfortunately, sometimes an unattended death in Cramlington won't be discovered for a while after the deceased passes on. Typically, it's only foul odours reported by neighbours that first alert people to an unattended death. And at this point, there's already a risk to health.
So, how do you handle the unattended death cleanup?
Well, you call in professionals to carry out undiscovered death cleaning services. Here at the Cleanup Team, we offer an unattended death cleaning service in Cramlington that reduces health risks, deals with hazardous waste, and cleans bodily fluids fully from an area to prevent cross contamination.
If you're in charge of cleaning up after an unattended death, then read on below to find out how we can help.
The very first thing you should do is report the death. If there are suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, then the Cramlington emergency services must be contacted so they can do an on site assessment of the situation and determine if there is a crime scene or if there has been a suicide or accident that may have caused their death.
If there is a crime, then the police will need to gather evidence and clear the scene before we come in. Please look at our crime scene cleanup services for more details about crime scene cleaning and trauma cleaning.
Our after death cleaning services in Cramlington are typically just for natural deaths that haven't been discovered for some time. The first steps here are all about being able to identify the body and inform the family after the emergency services have been contacted. After the family side of things has been taken care of, the police will deal with the person being retrieved.
Once the body has been taken away, we will be able to carry out our cleaning - which will look quite different from a crime scene cleanup.
The main difference is the amount of bodily fluids we will need to tackle in this cleaning service and the specialist equipment required.
So, what do we cover with our undiscovered death cleaning?
One of the hazards we have to be aware of during this service is bloodborne pathogens. Bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis b, hepatitis c, and HIV can lead to contamination when cleaning blood.
Biohazard remediation involves the removal of blood safely from a scene in a way that doesn't allow the affected areas to transfer blood and potential pathogens to the cleaner.
The process involved in cleaning blood effectively on site is quite lengthy, but all of our staff are trained to wear the proper personal protective equipment and have received the proper training to ensure they can carry out the work effectively and safely.
If a body has been left unattended for some time, then certain other body fluids will likely be present. Things like urine and faeces.
These need to be handled with great care too, ensuring minimal disruption so that the disposal poses no risk to the cleaners.
Health and safety are paramount during this type of cleaning.
When carrying out biohazard cleaning, the main thing our cleaners are aware of is the fact that bacteria found in ALL body fluids can survive outside of the human body for several weeks in some instances. Meaning the person may have passed a while ago, but any harmful bacteria may still be present.
Biohazard cleans will require the whole property to be vacated. Unfortunately, if the death has taken place on a business premises, customers, employees, and connected individuals will need to leave the site whilst we clean. This is so we can carry out the process quickly and safely.
If our cleaners ask you to leave, we ask that you respect their request so they can protect you and your loved ones or customers. It's in your best interest that you allow their assistance in carrying out the service to be as smooth as possible.
Another aspect of cleaning after death is removing odours from the affected areas. Under circumstances such as these, it's usually the odour that's first reported before the deceased is discovered. By which point, they can become quite bad.
We make sure that we use equipment to neutralise and eliminate odours in the property. No, odours don't pose a risk to safety, but it is an important task to tackle.
Another problem you may face at the property is pests. Flies and beetles are common here, and they must be dealt with quickly.
We carry out all pest control on site too, to ensure the property is pest free before we return the keys to you.
On the day, we'll arrive at your Cramlington property to carry out the cleaning. Typically, we will need your keys to access it, and then we will request that you leave until we are finished. This is to protect you.
Once we have entered the property, we will carry out an assessment to work out the best process for cleaning up the property. We'll look at waste that needs to be removed, contaminated areas and surfaces that will need to be cleaned.
As soon as we have a plan, we'll put it into action and then contact you when it's over so you can see the results and we can report back everything that happened during the process.
Although it may seem as though it's the emergency services' job to contact a cleaning company like ours and organise the cleanup, it's actually the property owner's.
So, if you're a property owner where a death has recently taken place, it is your responsibility to organise a cleaning team to come in and do the work.
Absolutely not.
In cases such as these, there are far too many bodily fluids and hazardous materials that could pose a serious risk to your health. The process is best carried out by a cleaning company like the Cleanup Team.
If you need your property to be cleaned thoroughly after a death, then reach out today using our handy form above.
In situations such as these, we'll get a quote to you as quickly as possible, and if you're happy to move ahead with us, the Cleanup Team aims to be on site within just an hour or two. We understand the sensitive nature of this topic, and we always aim to help as quickly as we can!
Although it may seem as though it's the emergency services' job to contact a cleaning company like ours and organise the cleanup, it's actually the property owner's.
Our cleaners are paid per hour. Depending on the length of time the person was undiscovered for, the nature of the cleanup, and the amount of affected areas, the price will vary. Get in touch today for a free no-obligation quote.
Absolutely. All our cleaners are aware of the sensitive nature of the work and will behave in a professional manner throughout with the utmost respect for the situation.
Yes. All our staff have received the training and support to complete these jobs quickly, effectively, and completely safely.