Violent Crime Scene Cleanup

When the person who was hurt survived

Most of our violent crime calls involve someone who lived through it. That brings a different set of feelings than a death: relief, anger, fear of going back into the room, worry about the person still in the hospital. Sometimes the person calling us is the survivor.

If that's you, we'll keep the call simple and practical. You don't need to explain what happened. We'll ask whether the police have released the property, where it is, and how we can get in. If you'd rather a friend or relative handled the arrangements, that's fine.

Recovery takes time, and so does feeling safe at home again. Having the space cleaned by someone else is one way to make returning a little easier.

What these scenes usually involve

Violent incidents tend to leave more than biological material. Without going into detail, we commonly find:

• Blood spread across several surfaces as people moved, sought help or were treated by paramedics
• Broken glass from windows, doors, tables or bottles
• Damage from forced entry, such as splintered door frames or broken locks
• Medical waste left behind by first responders, such as gloves and packaging
• Overturned furniture and scattered belongings
• Fingerprint powder or other residue from evidence collection

Broken glass with blood on it needs particular care because it can cut through gloves and skin. That is one reason we'd ask you not to pick it up yourself.

What you can safely do before we get there

The reason is safety, not rules. Blood can carry bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, which can spread through contact with infected blood. Our guide on the limits of household cleaning explains why ordinary cleaning products aren't enough on porous materials.

Broken doors, windows and securing the property

If a door or window was broken, getting the home secure may feel more urgent than the cleanup. Board-up and repairs aren't part of our service. We can, though, talk through who to call: a locksmith for a damaged lock, a glass company or general contractor for windows and frames, or your landlord if you rent. Your insurer may have preferred vendors too.

We'll coordinate with whoever is doing those repairs so the cleanup comes first wherever biological material is involved. For example, we'd remove contaminated material around a door frame before a carpenter replaces it.

How the cleanup works

1. Confirm release

   We check with you that police have released the scene.

2. Walkthrough and scope

   We look at every affected surface, including the routes people took in and out, and write up what needs to be done.

3. Debris and sharps

   Broken glass and other sharp debris with biological contamination are collected in puncture-resistant containers.

4. Removal and cleaning

   Contaminated porous materials are removed; surfaces are cleaned and treated with EPA-registered disinfectants used according to label directions.

5. Disposal and paperwork

   Waste is disposed of in line with applicable Tennessee and federal requirements. You get photos, a written scope and an itemized invoice.

Help with costs for victims of crime

If the crime happened in Tennessee in the victim's home, or an eligible relative's home, the state's Criminal Injuries Compensation program can pay up to $3,000 for cleaning and removal of materials. It doesn't pay for repairs or replacement. The crime generally has to be reported to police within 15 days, with some exceptions, and the claim filed within two years. The program pays after insurance and other sources.

Some property insurance policies may cover part of the cleanup or the repairs; that depends on the policy and the insurer. We provide documentation you can send to either. For a broader overview of costs, see how biohazard cleanup pricing is determined.

What shapes the scope of a violent crime cleanup

Violent incidents are often less contained than people expect. Someone injured may have moved through several rooms, out a front door and down steps, and paramedics may have treated them in a hallway or on a lawn. Each of those places becomes part of the job. The main things that shape the written scope are:

• How many areas were affected, indoors and out
• Whether blood reached porous materials such as carpet, rugs, upholstery or unsealed wood
• The amount of broken glass and damaged material mixed with biological contamination
• Whether blood ran under baseboards, thresholds or flooring seams
• Access and parking, especially in apartment buildings

We don't quote over the phone because these details only become clear on site. If you'd like to get on the schedule online, the Order Online page takes a $2,000 initial deposit, which is not the final price. Details of the blood side of this work are on our crime scene blood cleanup page.

How this differs from related services

Where someone died, our homicide scene cleanup page is written for that situation. If the injury wasn't caused by a crime, such as a fall or a workplace accident, see serious injury scene cleanup. For an assault where you want information focused on that alone, assault scene cleanup covers it, and gunshot scene cleanup covers shootings.

We're based in Nashville and travel throughout our service area, including Clarksville and Lebanon. All of our crime scene services are listed on the main crime scene cleanup page.

Questions people ask