Homicide Cleanup
Homicide cleanup of blood, tissue and contaminated materials after investigators leave.
See homicide cleanupGet blood, body fluids, fingerprint powder and odor removed from a home, apartment, rental or business in The Loop once police release the property. Most crime scene cleanups take one to three days.
Forensic cleaning, trauma scene cleanup and crime scene cleanup all describe the same work: removing tissue, blood, contaminated materials and body fluids following a violent crime. The property can safely be used again after odor treatment and disinfection.
The investigation comes before any cleaning. Detectives, police and the medical examiner remove the deceased and collect evidence, but cleanup is not part of their role. After release, responsibility for the scene passes to the family, landlord or property owner.
A forensic clean up crew, forensic cleaners and crime scene cleaners all treat blood as infectious, down to every drop. The team tracks its spread and removes materials that disinfection cannot save. All surfaces are treated and cleaned, while hazardous items are taken away in line with medical waste rules. This end-to-end process is a form of biohazard remediation.

Keepsakes, photos and documents are set aside and reviewed with you, never thrown out without asking.
Calls are answered day and night, and crews arrive in unmarked vehicles so neighbors do not know what happened.
You hear the cleanup steps and what affects the price before any work starts, so you can make the right decision for your family.
Insurance companies and landlords receive prepared photos, waste paperwork and scope details so you can move forward.
Crime scene cleaning services are needed any time a violent event leaves blood or body fluids behind. Common situations include:
Family members can avoid seeing the scene when cleanup is done privately.
Commercial crime scene cleanup reduces closure time at stores, offices and warehouse properties.
Ceilings and walls may have blood spatter, and the carpet and subfloor beneath a person may be saturated.
The home may contain bloody broken glass, door damage and widespread fingerprint dust.
The first hours matter for your health, your insurance claim and the final cost. Before the cleanup technicians arrive:
Call (888) 351-0904According to published cost guides, a residential crime scene cleanup most often costs from $1,500 through $7,500. Crime scene cleanup companies commonly price the full job, not each hour. Limited surface blood may mean a lower cost, while subfloor contamination or several affected rooms can push the bill past $10,000. Final pricing follows an on-site assessment.
National cost guides that have been published supply these ranges, not a visit to the property. An on-site assessment determines your property's price, which is explained to you before the cleanup starts.
Ask about cost: (888) 351-0904Yes, in many situations. Homeowners and renters insurance may cover crime scene cleanup as a sudden, accidental loss. Your deductible is subtracted.
Victims of violent crime can ask the Illinois Attorney General's Crime Victim Services Division whether cleanup costs can be included in a compensation claim. Insurance is usually checked first.
For common spaces or rented units, crime scene cleanup is generally arranged and paid for by the owner.
Coverage for violent crime events is common in homeowners and renters insurance policies. Report it quickly and keep the claim number.
Ask about biohazard cleanup benefits, choosing your own cleanup company, and the adjuster's requirements for photographs or documentation.
Although no two crime scenes are alike, each remediation process uses one safe sequence. The crime scene cleanup process moves in that order from an initial walk-through through the final inspection.
You or your representative walks through the area with technicians, who document it in photos and settle the scope before cleaning begins.
The affected area is sealed with plastic sheeting and negative air, and technicians wear full personal protective equipment.
Crews cut away soaked mattresses, furniture, carpet, pad and drywall, then bag and seal them as medical waste.
All surfaces receive cleaning followed by an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant that stays wet for the full contact time.
Air scrubbers, hydroxyl generators or ozone treat odor at the source, and HVAC vents are checked.
Sealed containers go to a permitted medical waste facility with the paperwork that tracks them.
Surface results can be measured through ATP testing, with supporting photos and paperwork prepared for your insurer.
A contractor you choose or your insurer's vendor can replace any drywall and floors removed during cleaning.
You can call anytime. A specialist in crime scene cleanup takes your call, walks you through the process and confirms when work can start.
Blood and bodily fluids may pose serious health risks. Visible contamination is usually only part of what is present.
Carpet does not stop blood from reaching the pad and subfloor, while grout and spaces under baseboards can trap it. A surface-only cleaning leaves concealed residue that can bring back bacteria and odor.
Materials that are saturated become regulated medical waste. An approved facility must treat them because they cannot be placed with household waste or in a dumpster.
HIV and the hepatitis B and C viruses may be carried in blood. Even if blood seems dry, the CDC says hepatitis B may live on a surface for at least seven days.
When a small blood spill is safe to clean yourself. A few drops of fresh blood on a hard, non-porous surface can be cleaned with gloves and an EPA-registered disinfectant. Anything that reached fabric, carpet, wood or drywall, or any amount you cannot see the edges of, needs professional cleanup.
Blood-soaked material has to be removed, while material that allows complete disinfection can be cleaned.

Most crime scene cleanup work requires one to three days at the property. A small scene that happened recently may take one day, but a heavy scene requiring structural removal can last two to five days.
| Scene | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| Light scene, one area | Often one to two days |
| Typical scene, one to two rooms | Often one to three days |
| Extensive scene requiring subfloor removal or several rooms | Often two to five days |
Removing the source is the first step in odor removal. Fragrance sprayed onto blood or tissue merely covers the odor for a few days.
The cleanup team can address the air after taking out contaminated materials. HEPA air scrubbers capture particles, while hydroxyl generators are safe to operate with people in the space. For persistent odor, ozone treatment can be used in vacant rooms. Thermal fogging reaches fabrics and cavities inside walls, and checking HVAC ducts keeps smell from traveling to other rooms.
Most crime scene cleanup work requires one to three days at the property. A small scene that happened recently may take one day, but a heavy scene requiring structural removal can last two to five days.
The full crime scene cleanup guide covers what is cleaned or removed, odor and air quality work, and the rules that apply in your state.
Read the full crime scene cleanup guide
Local population patterns, housing and site access may affect how containment and cleanup are planned.
Knowing that Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital Of Chicago is about 1.1 miles away helps households plan where to seek care before arranging scene cleanup.
For planning after exposure, note Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital Of Chicago at approximately 1.1 miles and the additional listed facility, Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
The location sits near Jewelers Row, Financial District, and Theatre District, making local landmarks helpful when a property entrance is hard to find.
A neighborhood address can differ from its broader city label, making the full street and unit information important for discreet cleanup access.
You can ask about cleanup in nearby communities and ZIP codes during the call.
Homicide cleanup of blood, tissue and contaminated materials after investigators leave.
See homicide cleanup
Families are spared from facing the scene through discreet and considerate suicide cleanup.
See suicide cleanup
Following accidents, violence or injuries, trauma scene cleanup addresses the affected area.
See trauma scene cleanup
Blood cleanup clears blood from furniture, walls, hard floors and carpet, followed by safe disposal.
See blood cleanup
Cleanup after an undiscovered death includes odor control and the effects of days of decomposition.
See unattended death cleanup
At the source, death odor removal uses air scrubbers plus hydroxyl and ozone treatment.
See death odor removal
Hoarding cleanup combines respectful sorting, removal and deep cleaning.
See hoarding cleanup
Raw sewage cleanup of Category 3 black water, with disinfection and drying.
See raw sewage cleanupFor most residential crime scene cleanup, published pricing guides show a range between $1,500 and $7,500. A minor surface job may be cheaper, while extensive or multiple-room cleanup may exceed $10,000.
When cleaning crime scenes, the cleaning process covers containment, affected material removal, full cleaning and disinfection, odor treatment and medical waste disposal.
Yes. Dried surface blood can hold certain viruses, including hepatitis B, for multiple days. Use the same precautions for dry and fresh blood.
Police, detectives and the medical examiner collect evidence and remove the deceased, but they do not clean. Crime scene cleanup is commonly arranged by a landlord, family or property owner and completed by professional crime scene cleaners.
After subtracting the deductible, renters or homeowners coverage often applies to the event as a sudden loss. Call your insurer, report the event and ask about biohazard cleanup coverage.
At the beginning, a person must allow entry and approve the work scope. Many relatives decide to be elsewhere during the work after the initial arrangements.
Crews offer discreet and respectful crime scene cleanup, arrive in unmarked vehicles and take calls 24 hours a day.