Crime Scene Cleanup
Crime scene cleaning after police release the property, from blood to odor.
See crime scene cleanupGet blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials and odor removed after investigators release a home, rental, business or vehicle in Duval 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, not property cleaning. A relative, landlord, owner or other person with authorization can arrange homicide cleaning once officials have released the scene.
Ordinary cleaning services do not cover the full process. Cleanup technicians protect rooms outside the scene while locating affected material in the immediate space and nearby areas. They treat surfaces that are cleanable and remove those materials where disinfection is not possible. Odor treatment, the packaging and disposal of hazardous waste, and requested records for an insurance company are also included.

You can ask what will be cleaned, what must be removed, how waste will leave the property and what remains for restoration.
Your discussions with insurance companies and property owners may be supported by photographs, item inventories, work notes and waste documentation.
You can request unmarked vehicles and limit entry to authorized people, which helps protect privacy during a painful event.
Before any removal choice, salvageable personal property is set aside and discussed with you.
When blood or other biological material remains after a violent death, a home, vehicle, rental or business may require homicide cleanup services. Common examples are:
A living space, bedroom, hallway and adjacent surfaces may each require blood cleanup after the event.
Seats, carpet, trim and insulation are checked to decide what can be cleaned and what must be removed.
Blood that appears on the surface may travel behind trim or below flooring, leaving a wipe incomplete.
Once police release the unit and essential belongings are removed by the family, an authorized manager or landlord may arrange scene cleanup.
Respect for the investigation comes first. You should also avoid exposure and retain details that may be useful for a claim. Before cleanup technicians enter, take these steps:
Call (888) 351-0904The available homicide cleanup cost guides list $2,500 to $9,000 for a violent crime scene. They also list $2,000 to $6,000 for a smaller scene and $3,000 to $10,000 for a larger scene. These are published planning ranges, not a quote. The final scope depends on the assessment.
These national ranges are taken from published cost guides, rather than a property visit. The price for your property is set after the on-site assessment, and you hear it before work starts.
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.
Victims of violent crime can ask the Florida Attorney General's Bureau of Victim Compensation about cleanup, since its rules count crime scene cleanup costs as a compensable loss. Insurance is usually checked first.
Find out which waste documents, photographs, item inventories, invoices and scope records the insurance company requires. Keep copies of everything you submit.
Responsibility for arranging the work and covering the cost can vary with local law, ownership, insurance terms and the lease. Tenants and landlords should each contact the appropriate insurer.
Report what occurred to the insurance company after police clear 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.
Technicians check contents, nearby surfaces, possible travel paths and flooring edges after an authorized person identifies the affected areas already known.
Clean rooms are kept apart from the work area. 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.
Carpet, pad, drywall, upholstery or subfloor that cannot be fully disinfected is removed in the smallest practical area.
Each retained surface receives detailed scene cleaning, then an EPA-registered disinfectant stays wet for its full label contact time.
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 completed scope is reviewed, saved personal property is returned as agreed and removed finishes are listed for restoration services.
Call at any time. You speak with a homicide cleanup specialist who outlines the process and schedules 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.
Applicable medical waste rules may require regulated disposal, transportation and packaging for used protective equipment and saturated porous materials.
Wall cavities, subfloor, padding, grout and seams can absorb fluids. A surface mark may be cleaned while affected material underneath or behind it goes untreated.
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.
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. When blood enters carpet, drywall, wood, fabric or an area without clear limits, avoid the space and get professional cleanup.
Blood-absorbing porous materials generally must be taken out. A non-porous surface can often stay if the entire exposed portion can be reached and disinfected.

The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, sets worker requirements for exposure controls, training and protective equipment.
The selected disinfectant should have EPA registration for its intended purpose and stay on the material for the complete labeled contact time.
Florida calls it biomedical waste, and the term covers absorbent materials saturated with blood or body fluids. The Florida Department of Health's rules control packing, transport and treatment, so it cannot go in household trash.
Florida uses district medical examiners, with the Medical Examiners Commission under the Florida Department of Law Enforcement overseeing them. Cleanup starts after police or the medical examiner release the scene.
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.
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
Containment, entry and cleanup plans can be influenced by local housing, population and access details.
The nearest listed emergency facility is Shands Jacksonville, about 12.0 miles away, so medical care remains separate from property cleanup.
The surrounding area includes Jamestown, Oceanway, and San Mateo, so cleanup travel may cross several local streets or municipal boundaries.
A neighborhood address can differ from its broader city label, making the full street and unit information important for discreet cleanup access.
Your phone conversation can include questions about service in nearby ZIP codes and communities.
Crime scene cleaning after police release the property, from blood to odor.
See crime scene cleanup
Blood cleanup on carpet, hard floors, walls and furniture with safe disposal.
See blood cleanup
Trauma scene cleanup is needed after violent events, accidents and injuries.
See trauma scene cleanup
Home cleaning following a death includes affected possessions as well as fluid and odor cleanup.
See death cleanup
Careful, private suicide cleanup keeps family members from having to confront the scene.
See suicide cleanup
Decomposition cleanup and odor control are needed after a death goes unnoticed for several days.
See unattended death cleanup
Investigation residue, tissue and fingerprint powder are addressed along with forensic cleaning of blood.
See forensic cleaning
Air scrubbers, hydroxyl and ozone treatment support death odor removal at its source.
See death odor removalA murder scene is cleaned by professional homicide cleaners after investigators allow access. The work may include waste disposal, containment, odor removal, disinfection, careful cleaning and taking out absorbed fluids. Do not ask a family member to enter or clean a room that still contains bodily fluids or blood.
Some or all covered expenses may be paid after the deductible, although terms vary for every policy and every situation. Share claim facts with the insurance company, then ask how the policy addresses restoration, building materials, biohazard cleanup and emergency response work. Store copies of photographs, scope documentation, invoices and disposal papers.
Yes, separate hazards may exist at the same property. Hoarding cleanup services can address heavy contents after evidence restrictions end. Sewage cleanup can be required following a sewage backup, and drying may be needed where water damage occurred. Containment, disposal and the cleaning process must each be planned for the specific hazard.
Coverage under a homeowners policy may extend to homicide scene cleanup, and death cleanup may also qualify, depending on the event, deductible, exclusions and exact policy terms. Contact the insurer before work begins. Ask the insurer about required documentation, biohazard cleanup, damaged materials, personal property and restoration before work starts.
DIY cleaning is not appropriate when blood reached carpet, wood, fabric, drywall, furniture or a hidden space. Contamination that is not visible, along with bloodborne pathogens, can present serious health risks. Until official release, keep pets and people outside, then arrange professional cleanup if you cannot identify the affected area's complete limits.
Once property clearance comes from law enforcement as well as the medical examiner, an authorized manager, relative, owner or landlord may organize cleanup. For biohazard remediation and blood cleanup, homicide cleaners can disinfect surfaces, treat odors and complete hazardous waste removal. Police examine the scene, but completing the cleaning service is not their responsibility.
Discreet, respectful homicide cleanup, 24 hours a day, with crews in unmarked vehicles.