Unattended Suicide Scene Cleanup
Sometimes a person who died by suicide is not found for several days. When that happens, the cleanup involves more than the immediate area. Natural changes after death mean fluids can soak deep into flooring and furniture, and odor can spread through the home and its air system.
We handle both sides of the work: the care a family needs after a suicide, and the thorough removal and deodorization that a delayed discovery requires. This page explains what is different, what we look for and what you can do now.
Finding someone you love, or learning they were alone, can bring a particular kind of grief. If you are struggling or having thoughts of suicide, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is there by call or text at 988, or at 988lifeline.org.
Photo: aismallard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What changes when a death is discovered later
The longer a person has been undiscovered, the further biological material travels into the materials around them. That is a natural process, not a reflection on anyone. It does mean the cleanup has three extra concerns compared with a death found quickly:
- Depth. Fluids may pass through carpet into the pad and subfloor, or through a mattress into the box spring and frame.
- Odor. Odor can settle into soft furnishings, drywall and clothing in nearby rooms, not only the room where the person was found.
- Air movement. If heating or cooling was running, the HVAC system may have carried odor through the house.
For background on this kind of work generally, see our unattended death cleanup service and our guide to understanding unattended death cleanup.
After the medical examiner and police
A death found after a delay will be investigated by the county medical examiner, whose office looks into sudden and unexpected deaths in Tennessee, along with local law enforcement. Nothing should be moved or cleaned until the property is released. We do not start work before then.
Families sometimes receive the release on the same visit and sometimes a little later. Ask the officer or investigator directly if you are not sure. You are welcome to call us beforehand so we can plan.
Porous materials and how deep the work goes
Porous materials absorb. After a delayed discovery, many soft items in the affected area cannot be cleaned to a safe standard and need to be removed. Common examples include:
| Material | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| Carpet and pad | Removed from the affected area; we then check the subfloor |
| Wood subfloor | Cleaned and sealed if sound; a section may need to be cut out and replaced by a contractor |
| Mattress and box spring | Removed for disposal |
| Upholstered furniture | Usually removed if fluids have reached it; nearby pieces are assessed for odor |
| Hard furniture and fixtures | Often cleaned, disinfected and kept |
We always explain before anything is removed. Our guide on what happens to contaminated porous materials explains the reasoning.
Odor and the air system
Odor is the part families notice first and worry about most. The honest answer is that it does not go away by airing out the house or using fragrance. It is resolved by removing the source, cleaning what remains, and then deodorizing the air and surfaces.
If the HVAC system ran while the person was undiscovered, we check returns, vents and filters near the affected area. Filters are replaced. If the ductwork itself has taken on odor, we will tell you and explain whether specialist duct cleaning is needed. Our odor-related remediation page describes this work in more depth.
Avoid masking odor
Candles, sprays and plug-in fresheners can make it harder for us to judge where odor is coming from. If you can, leave them out until the work is complete.
How the work is carried out
Assess every affected room
We check the primary area, the floors beneath it, nearby rooms and the HVAC returns.
Set aside belongings
Items the family wants are located and assessed first. Some can be cleaned; some cannot, and we will say so.
Remove absorbed materials
Soft furnishings, flooring and any structural sections that cannot be cleaned are removed and packaged for disposal in line with applicable Tennessee and federal requirements.
Clean, disinfect and seal
Exposed surfaces are cleaned and treated with EPA-registered disinfectants used according to label directions. Where appropriate, subfloor may be sealed after cleaning.
Deodorize and check
Air and surfaces are deodorized, and we check the result before handing the space back.
What you can safely do now
- Close the door to the affected room once the property is released.
- If it is easy, turn the thermostat to a moderate setting rather than leaving heat or air running hard.
- Open a window in another part of the house if that makes it easier to be there.
- Keep pets out of the house or well away from the affected area.
- Do not throw anything away before speaking with your insurer, if you plan to make a claim.
Who usually calls
Many of these calls come from family who live in another city or state and are trying to manage everything from a distance. We can coordinate access through a neighbor, a property manager or an attorney, send photos, and keep you informed by phone or email. Landlords and apartment managers also call when a tenant is found after a delay; our page on rental property suicide cleanup covers that situation.
Scope, cost and where we work
Cost depends on how far material has traveled into flooring and furniture, how many rooms carry odor, whether HVAC components need attention, and how much has to be removed. The written scope comes first. See how pricing works for more on the factors. Some property insurance policies may cover part of this work depending on the policy; we provide photos and an itemized invoice.
We travel from Nashville throughout the counties we serve, including Wilson County and Maury County. For an overview of our suicide-related work, see the suicide scene cleanup hub.
Questions people ask
Will the odor come back after you leave?
Once the source has been removed and the area deodorized, odor should not return. If a faint smell lingers in something we could not remove, such as a structural element, we will explain it and what can be done next.
Do we need to replace the floor?
Not always. If fluids reached the subfloor, a section may need to be cut out and replaced by a contractor. Often the subfloor can be cleaned and sealed instead. We will know after the assessment.
Are the clothes in the closet safe to keep?
Clothing in other rooms or closed closets is often fine, though it may need laundering to remove odor. Items close to the affected area are assessed individually.
I live out of state. Can you manage this without me there?
Yes. We can arrange access through someone local, agree the scope with you by phone or email, and send photos before and after the work.
Should we turn the air conditioning off?
If it is easy and the weather allows, setting it to a moderate level or turning it off can limit how far odor travels. Do not worry if you cannot; we check the system either way.
Is this the same as decomposition cleanup?
The physical work overlaps a great deal with decomposition cleanup. The difference is in how we work with the family, keeping in mind that the person died by suicide.
Sources
Let us take care of the house
Call (615) 513-5112, day or night. We can explain what is involved and arrange the assessment, even if you are not nearby.
