Before cleanup
When can cleanup start?
After police and the coroner release the home or vehicle. Ask them when that will be.
What should I do while I wait?
Close the door to the room, keep people and pets out, and don't try to clean blood or fluids yourself.
Do I need to be home?
Someone has to let the workers in and agree to the work. You do not have to stay.
Money
How is the price worked out?
By how far fluids spread, what must be removed, how much waste there is, and how long the work takes. Ask for a written bill.
Will insurance pay?
Sometimes. Homeowner, renter and auto policies differ. Ask your agent before work starts.
Does the state pay after a crime?
CalVCB can repay cleanup after a crime in a home or vehicle, if a registered company did the work. You can apply up to seven years after the crime.
The company
Who actually does the work?
An independent cleanup company. Biohazard Cleanup Fresno is a referral service and does no cleanup.
How do I know they are allowed to do this?
Ask for their registered name and look for it on the California Department of Public Health's list of trauma scene waste practitioners.
Will neighbors know?
You can ask for an unmarked vehicle and for workers to say nothing about the job to anyone but you.
Do you remove needles or sharps?
This service does not offer needle or sharps disposal. If you find needles, don't pick them up, and mention them on the call.
When you are ready
One call, then a plan you can say yes or no to
You do not have to clean this yourself, and you do not have to decide anything tonight. If the home has been released, a company can talk you through the next steps.
Talk it through with a cleanup company
Say what happened and where. The company will tell you what it would do and what it needs from you. Nothing is agreed until you say so.
Call (559) 555-0101Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded. Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.