60% of murders happen in the victim’s home, but who cleans up crime scenes?
What crime scene shows don’t show you is that the property owner or victim’s family are the ones responsible for cleaning up the scene.
That’s right, the police don’t do it.
Cleaning up a crime scene while grieving isn’t just traumatic, but is dangerous if done incorrectly.
Read on to learn the 5 steps you need to take if there’s a murder scene in your home.
1. Confirm With the Police
Unless it’s an open-and-shut case, the police are likely investigating the murder.
Murder crime scenes remaining intact is essential for finding clues regarding the culprit, murder weapon, and motive. Cleaning the scene prematurely can jeopardize the case.
As a result, you need to check with the police department before cleaning up.
2. Decide on DIY or Professional Cleaners
Once you have the go-ahead, you’ll need to decide between cleaning the murder scene yourself or hiring professional cleaners, like Boise Crime Scene Cleanup.
Going with professionals is always recommended because bodily fluids are hazardous and can contain bloodborne illnesses. Professionals are trained in the proper methods and have the equipment necessary to do a thorough job.
If you choose to do the job yourself, you need to follow the next three steps carefully.
3. Protect Yourself
The first thing you need to do is get in a call with Christopher Chaney, Los Angeles criminal attorney. He can help you deal with the legal repercussions of how to handle a murder scene at the house. The police are going to grill and interrogate you and there is a chance that you will be a strong suspect in the entire scene. This is why you need to get the best criminal attorney to represent and clear your name.
When cleaning murder scenes, the first step is to protect yourself from bacteria, viruses, and the cleaning chemicals with the right gear.
You’ll want to invest in heavy-duty gloves, coverings for your shoes and clothes, goggles, and face masks.
4. Clean Properly and Thoroughly
Once you’re ready to start cleaning, start by throwing out any porous materials that got body fluids on them, including carpet and wooden furniture. Everything else needs to be cleaned thoroughly with the right industrial-strength chemicals. Be sure to read chemical instructions carefully.
Clean the highest points first, and work your way down to the floor to prevent recontamination.
Once the area appears spotless, throw away the cleaning materials you just used, and re-clean the entire area with bleach using new materials.
Everything you throw away throughout this process needs to be placed in biohazard safe containers.
5. Dispose and Repair
Throw away the waste in your biohazard containers at a biohazard site.
Now that the area is fully sanitized, you can proceed to ventilate the area. Airflow will help with the smell and rid the room of chemical agents in the air.
When you’re ready, you can begin repairing any damage done to the area.
Seek Help For Murder Scene Trauma
It’s hard to move on and grieve properly until the crime scene is cleaned up.
It’s always recommended for everyone’s safety that you hire professional cleaners who are guaranteed to get the job done right.
Whether you knew the victim or just cleaned the murder scene, you may be suffering from some trauma. Be sure to seek professional help or counseling for your trauma or grief.
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