Why You Need Professional Crime Scene Cleanup
Posted on: 16 May 2023
If your residence or business was a crime scene, the next phase after the forensic investigation is cleaning the scene. Although it may be tempting and less expensive for you or your janitorial crew to do the cleaning, there are important reasons it should be left to the professionals.
Infectious Diseases
Body fluids, in particular, blood, are a major disease vector. There are many types of diseases that could be transmitted during crime scene cleanup if the scene is not handled properly. Gloves and protective suits might be needed for the cleanup. Some common diseases that can be transmitted from bodily fluids are HIV and various types of hepatitis. Extra precautions may be necessary if the person who is cleaning up the scene has any open wounds that would greatly increase their risk of infection.
Biohazardous Waste
Beyond bodily fluids, there can be other things that constitute biohazardous waste. Depending on the crime that was committed, there may be fragments of bone, brain, or other body organs. Not only does this material need to be handled in a safe manner, but it must also be disposed of in a safe manner. Different localities may have various methods of disposing of biohazardous waste. This type of waste cannot be thrown directly into the trash. Often, biohazardous waste is placed in specialized containers that are puncture-proof, and the material may be incinerated or destroyed in another manner.
Deep Cleaning
It can be difficult for private citizens or residential cleaning companies to adequately deep-clean a crime scene. Blood splatter can end up in the crevice where the wall meets the floor, on the ceiling, or in other inconspicuous areas that may go unnoticed. When blood and other fluids end up on porous surfaces, like carpets or certain types of flooring, special cleaning techniques will be needed because you may notice an odor even after you think the surface has been cleaned. There may be residue that is not noticeable visually. If the crime scene involved human decomposition, there are even more fluids released as the body decomposes. Additionally, it will be hard to eliminate the odor even after cleaning. The location will need special techniques to eliminate the odor.
Trauma
People who are not trained in crime scene cleanup may find the process especially traumatic. This tends to be exacerbated if the crime scene is in a private residence and the victim was a loved one. Whenever possible, many people try to move from the residence, but when that's not possible, it helps for them to not see and clean the crime scene. Since it is uncommon for the professionals to know the victim, the job is less emotional.
Dealing with a crime scene is a life-altering and traumatic experience. To prevent additional trauma and exposure to biohazardous waste, it is best to hire professional crime scene cleaners.
For more information about crime scene cleaning, contact a local company.
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