Crime Scene Cleanup
Crime scene cleaning begins after police release and covers blood, odor and the affected property.
See crime scene cleanupGet blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials and odor removed after investigators release a home, rental, business or vehicle in Strafford County. The cleanup scope is based on where contamination traveled.
Homicide cleanup is a specialized form of crime scene cleanup that removes blood, bodily fluids and other contaminated materials after investigators finish their work and release the property.
While the medical examiner and law enforcement concentrate on investigative duties, they do not clean what remains at the property. Homicide cleaning can be arranged after release of the scene by an authorized person, including an owner, landlord or relative.
This work involves more than an ordinary cleaning service. Technicians identify contamination both in and around the affected space, isolate rooms that were not affected and take out anything that cannot be disinfected. Surfaces that can remain are treated. When requested, the scope also covers insurance company records, hazardous waste packaging and disposal, and odor removal.

Photos, item lists, scope notes and disposal documents can support conversations with insurance companies and property owners.
Personal property that may be saved is separated so you can discuss it before deciding what needs removal.
Your questions can cover items marked for removal, surfaces to be cleaned, plans for taking waste away and remaining restoration needs.
To help preserve your privacy during a painful time, you may ask for unmarked vehicles and restrict access to authorized people.
Homicide cleanup services may be necessary after a violent death affects a rental, vehicle, home or business with blood or biological material. Common circumstances include:
Checks of carpet, insulation, seats and trim determine which materials are cleanable and which require removal.
Blood and tissue can reach walls, ceilings, furniture, carpet and hidden joints, so the full path must be traced.
After the family retrieves essential belongings and police release the unit, the landlord or authorized property manager may organize scene cleanup.
A living space, bedroom, hallway and adjacent surfaces may each require blood cleanup after the event.
Before technicians enter for cleanup, focus on staying away from exposure, preserving helpful claim details and respecting the active investigation. Your first steps are:
Call (888) 440-9227Available homicide cleanup cost guides put violent crime scenes in the $2,500 to $9,000 range. They place smaller scenes in a range from $2,000 to $6,000 and larger scenes between $3,000 and $10,000 based on their published figures. These are planning ranges rather than a quote. An assessment determines the final scope.
These ranges come from published national cost guides, not from a site visit. You learn what your property will cost after the on-site assessment and before any work begins.
Ask about cost: (888) 440-9227A renters, commercial or homeowners policy may cover homicide cleanup costs. The particular policy, nature of the loss and applicable deductible determine coverage.
Victims of crime can ask the New Hampshire Attorney General's Victims' Compensation Program whether cleanup costs can be included in a compensation claim. Insurance is usually checked first.
Tell the insurer what happened after police release the scene. Find out whether the policy includes damaged building components, restoration and biohazard cleanup.
Find out which waste documents, photographs, item inventories, invoices and scope records the insurance company requires. Save a copy of every submitted document.
Local requirements, property ownership, lease conditions and policy language can determine who pays and arranges cleanup. Tenants and landlords should each contact the appropriate insurer.
Scene release comes before a controlled remediation process can start. Decisions at every stage depend on contamination travel, applicable waste rules and whether each material is suitable to be saved.
Technicians check contents, nearby surfaces, possible travel paths and flooring edges after an authorized person identifies the affected areas already known.
The work zone is separated from clean rooms. Cleanup technicians rely on proper personal protective equipment and containment controls to keep contamination from being tracked past the scene.
Surface-specific methods collect bodily fluids and blood that are visible before detailed cleaning and disinfection.
The smallest practical sections of upholstery, subfloor, carpet, padding or drywall are removed when complete disinfection is not possible.
Each retained surface receives detailed scene cleaning, then an EPA-registered disinfectant stays wet for its full label contact time.
After source removal, filtered air and focused treatments can reduce odor affecting indoor air, materials that remain and adjoining areas.
Contaminated waste is sealed, labeled and moved according to applicable rules, with disposal records retained when available.
A final check covers finished work, the agreed return of saved personal property and a list of removed finishes for restoration services.
You can call anytime. Your homicide cleanup specialist answers the phone, describes what happens next and works with you on a start time.
Blood, bodily fluids and hidden contaminated materials can present serious health risks, even when the visible area looks small or dry.
Blood may contain HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Dried blood must still be controlled carefully because the CDC says hepatitis B survives on surfaces for at least seven days.
Wall cavities, subfloor, padding, grout and seams can absorb fluids. Cleaning the visible mark does not address material below or behind the surface.
Seeing the affected space can cause loved ones deep distress. Professional cleanup allows family members to avoid direct exposure to the affected space and personal property.
Can you clean it yourself? With disposable gloves, a small quantity of fresh blood may be cleaned off a hard, non-porous area by keeping an EPA-registered disinfectant on it for the full label contact time. Stay out and seek professional cleanup if blood affected drywall, fabric, wood, carpet or any space whose boundaries are uncertain.
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 schedule depends on scene size, the depth of contamination, the number of rooms, scene access and the amount of material that must be removed. You can get a more useful timeline after the initial assessment.
| Scene | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| Accessible surfaces within a small affected area | Schedule set after inspection and scene release |
| A single room requiring removal of porous materials | May involve cleanup followed by restoration as another phase |
| Several rooms or structural contamination | Usually needs a staged scope and longer restoration work |
Odor cannot be corrected with fragrance alone when fluids remain absorbed in drywall, hidden cavities, carpet, furniture or subfloor. The source must be located and removed first.
After affected material has been removed, HEPA air scrubbers may be used to capture airborne particles. In an occupied setting, hydroxyl treatment may be appropriate if allowed by the equipment instructions. Ozone can only be used under strict controls with the treatment space empty. Cleaning may also include an inspection of adjacent rooms and vents before you move ahead.
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
Local population patterns, housing and site access may affect how containment and cleanup are planned.
With a 34.7% renter share, some cleanup calls require a tenant and property owner to agree on access and material removal.
The median home in Farmington was built in 1970, so cleanup may involve common drywall, carpet, and sheet flooring assemblies.
The local count of seniors living alone is 249, so a cleanup plan may need input from someone managing the home remotely.
Single-family homes represent 51.7% of housing in Farmington, creating a mix of detached properties and buildings with shared spaces.
You can ask about cleanup in nearby communities and ZIP codes during the call.
Crime scene cleaning begins after police release and covers blood, odor and the affected property.
See crime scene cleanup
Carpet, solid floors, walls and furnishings receive blood cleanup that includes safe disposal.
See blood cleanup
Trauma scene cleanup addresses the aftermath of accidents, injuries and violent incidents.
See trauma scene cleanup
After a person dies at home, cleanup addresses fluids, odors and belongings that were affected.
See death cleanup
Families are spared from facing the scene through discreet and considerate suicide cleanup.
See suicide cleanup
Cleanup when a death went unnoticed for days, with decomposition and odor control.
See unattended death cleanup
Forensic cleaning of blood also covers investigation residue, tissue and fingerprint powder.
See forensic cleaning
Death odor removal targets the source through ozone treatment, hydroxyl and air scrubbers.
See death odor removalFor violent crime scene work, the published homicide cleanup cost is $2,500 to $9,000. While the smaller range is $2,000 to $6,000, costs for a larger scene are listed at $3,000 to $10,000. Affected area size and depth, involved rooms, disposal and police clearance shape the final scope.
A 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. A family member should neither enter nor attempt cleanup if blood or bodily fluids remain in an area.
Unaffected items can remain under protection or be moved away from the contaminated zone to a clean location. Items within the scene are assessed individually. Hard, non-porous belongings may be cleanable. Absorbent items may require removal, but decisions about keepsakes, records and photographs should first be reviewed with you.
Yes. The conditions can vary between them. Trauma scene cleanup and death cleanup are categories that apply to each. Law enforcement retains control of the homicide location before release, and the property may have residue left by evidence work. Time between death and discovery means an unattended death may involve decomposition along with more extensive odor issues.
Yes, separate hazards may exist at the same property. Hoarding cleanup services can address heavy contents after evidence restrictions end. A sewage backup may make sewage cleanup necessary, while resulting water damage might also need drying. Each hazard needs a separate disposal plan, cleaning process and containment setup.
You should not attempt cleanup when blood has entered furniture, drywall, carpet, fabric, wood or a concealed area. Serious health risks can result from contamination you cannot see and bloodborne pathogens. Keep people and pets away, wait for scene release and arrange professional cleanup for any affected area whose full boundary is unclear.
Respectful, discreet homicide cleanup is available 24 hours a day, and crews arrive in unmarked vehicles.