Crime Scene Cleanup
After police release the property, crime scene cleaning addresses blood and odor.
See crime scene cleanupGet blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials and odor removed after investigators release a home, rental, business or vehicle in Miami-Dade County. The cleanup scope is based on where contamination traveled.
Homicide cleanup is crime scene cleanup focused on the removal of contaminated materials, blood and bodily fluids. The specialized work starts only when investigators are finished and the property has been released.
The investigation is the responsibility of law enforcement and the medical examiner or coroner, not property cleaning. A relative, landlord, owner or other person with authorization can arrange homicide cleaning once officials have released the scene.
The cleanup process goes beyond ordinary cleaning services. Cleanup technicians locate contamination in the affected area and surrounding areas, protect unaffected rooms, remove materials that cannot be disinfected and treat cleanable surfaces. The work also includes hazardous waste packaging, waste disposal, odor removal and records for an insurance company when requested.

Your questions can cover items marked for removal, surfaces to be cleaned, plans for taking waste away and remaining restoration needs.
You may protect privacy by requesting unmarked vehicles and allowing only authorized people into the property during this difficult event.
When discussing the loss with property owners and insurance companies, you can use photos, inventories, scope notes and disposal paperwork.
You are consulted about recoverable personal property after it is isolated and before a removal decision occurs.
Homicide cleanup services are needed when a violent death leaves blood or other biological material in a home, rental, business or vehicle. Common situations include:
While stores, offices, shared spaces or warehouses are checked for contamination, the affected area can remain isolated.
A living space, bedroom, hallway and adjacent surfaces may each require blood cleanup after the event.
A visible blood mark can extend beneath flooring and behind trim, so wiping only the surface is insufficient.
Seats, carpet, trim and insulation are checked to decide what can be cleaned and what must be removed.
Your first steps are to respect the investigation, avoid exposure and preserve useful claim information. Before cleanup technicians enter:
Call (888) 440-9227The available homicide cleanup cost guides list $2,500 to $9,000 for a violent crime scene. They also list $2,000 to $6,000 for a smaller scene and $3,000 to $10,000 for a larger scene. These are published planning ranges, not a quote. The final scope depends on the assessment.
These ranges come from published national cost guides, not from a site visit. After an on-site assessment, the price for your property is determined and shared with you before cleanup begins.
Ask about cost: (888) 440-9227Insurance may pay toward homicide cleanup through a commercial, homeowners or renters policy. Coverage is determined by the loss, the policy and its deductible.
After the scene is released by police, inform the insurer about the loss. Ask about policy coverage for biohazard cleanup, affected construction materials and the restoration phase.
Who organizes and pays for the work may depend on ownership, the lease, applicable local law and insurance terms. Tenants and landlords should each contact the appropriate insurer.
Have the insurance company identify every needed invoice, photo, item list, disposal record and scope note. Retain everything you send to the insurance company.
Victims of violent crime can ask the Florida Attorney General's Bureau of Victim Compensation about cleanup, since its rules count crime scene cleanup costs as a compensable loss. Insurance is usually checked first.
The remediation process follows a controlled order after scene release. Every step is based on where contamination traveled, which materials can be saved and what waste rules apply.
Known affected areas are identified by the authorized person, then technicians assess surrounding surfaces, contents, floor borders and possible routes of spread.
A barrier separates clean spaces from the work zone. Cleanup technicians use suitable personal protective equipment and controls that reduce tracking beyond the scene.
Collection of visible blood and bodily fluids comes first, using surface-specific methods before the area is carefully cleaned and disinfected.
Carpet, pad, drywall, upholstery or subfloor that cannot be fully disinfected is removed in the smallest practical area.
After thorough scene cleaning, an EPA-registered disinfectant remains wet on each cleanable surface for the contact time stated on its label.
Targeted treatment and air filtration can address odors in connected spaces, room air and retained materials once the source has been removed.
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.
Call at any time. A specialist in homicide cleanup takes your call, explains each step and agrees on a start time with you.
Serious health risks may remain in bodily fluids, blood and contaminated material out of sight. Those risks can still be present if the visible spot appears dry or limited.
Fluids may travel into carpet padding, joints, grout, walls and the subfloor. Cleaning the visible mark does not address material below or behind the surface.
Hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV can be carried through blood. According to the CDC, hepatitis B remains viable on surfaces for at least seven days, meaning dried blood needs careful controls.
For family and loved ones, the scene may be very distressing. Direct contact with the affected room and personal property can be avoided by family members through professional cleanup.
Can you clean it yourself? For a minor fresh blood spot on solid material that does not absorb fluids, wear disposable gloves and apply an EPA-registered disinfectant throughout the contact time stated on its label. If blood reached carpet, wood, fabric, drywall or an area with unclear edges, keep away and seek professional cleanup.
Porous material usually comes out after it absorbs blood. Non-porous surfaces can often be kept, provided that every exposed section is accessible and can be disinfected.

A timeline for homicide cleaning is shaped by scene access and size, the number of affected rooms, depth of contamination and amount that must be taken out. You can receive a more practical schedule once the initial assessment is complete.
| Scene | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| A small affected area on reachable surfaces | Work schedule established following release and assessment |
| Porous material removal within one room | May involve cleanup followed by restoration as another phase |
| Several rooms or structural contamination | Usually needs a staged scope and longer restoration work |
Source removal comes before other odor work. Adding fragrance cannot resolve odor from fluid absorbed by subfloor, furniture, concealed cavities, drywall or carpet.
Once contaminated materials are gone, airborne particles can be filtered with HEPA air scrubbers. Hydroxyl treatment is an option for occupied spaces when permitted by equipment instructions. Ozone treatment needs an empty area and strict controls. Before you proceed, the cleaning process may also involve inspecting neighboring rooms and vents.
The full homicide cleanup guide covers what is cleaned or removed, odor and air quality work, and the rules that apply in Florida and Miami-Dade County.
Read the full homicide cleanup guide
Local housing, population and access details can shape containment, access and cleanup planning.
The 23.2% renter share suggests many residents can make direct decisions about removing contaminated flooring, walls, or personal items.
Because the median home dates to 1957, cleanup planning should account for older finishes that may not tolerate heavy moisture.
About 262 older residents live alone in Westwood Lakes, equal to 11.6% of seniors and still relevant to welfare planning.
With 97.9% single-family housing, crews may need to inspect basements, crawl spaces, garages, and other areas unique to detached homes.
Your phone conversation can include questions about service in nearby ZIP codes and communities.
After police release the property, crime scene cleaning addresses blood and odor.
See crime scene cleanup
Carpet, solid floors, walls and furnishings receive blood cleanup that includes safe disposal.
See blood cleanup
Trauma scene cleanup after accidents, injuries and violent events.
See trauma scene cleanup
Home cleaning following a death includes affected possessions as well as fluid and odor cleanup.
See death cleanup
Suicide cleanup is completed privately and with care, protecting families from seeing the scene.
See suicide cleanup
When a death remains undiscovered for days, cleanup addresses decomposition and controls odors.
See unattended death cleanup
Investigation residue, tissue and fingerprint powder are addressed along with forensic cleaning of blood.
See forensic cleaning
Death odor removal at the source with air scrubbers, hydroxyl and ozone treatment.
See death odor removalOnce property clearance comes from law enforcement as well as the medical examiner or coroner, an authorized manager, relative, owner or landlord may organize cleanup. Homicide cleaners perform biohazard remediation, blood cleanup, disinfection, odor work and hazardous waste removal. Police examine the scene, but completing the cleaning service is not their responsibility.
A murder scene is cleaned by professional homicide cleaners after investigators allow access. Containment, detailed surface cleaning, removal of absorbed fluid, disinfection, waste disposal and odor removal may be part of the job. Do not ask a family member to enter or clean a room that still contains bodily fluids or blood.
Yes, different hazards can affect the same location. Heavy accumulations may be addressed through hoarding cleanup services once evidence restrictions have ended. Sewage cleanup can be required following a sewage backup, and drying may be needed where water damage occurred. Each hazard needs its own containment, cleaning process and disposal plan.
Items outside the contaminated zone can be protected in place or moved to a clean area. Items within the scene are assessed individually. Belongings with hard, non-porous surfaces might be cleaned. Absorbent items may require removal, but decisions about keepsakes, records and photographs should first be reviewed with you.
The published homicide cleanup cost for a violent crime scene ranges from $2,500 to $9,000. A smaller scene is listed at $2,000 to $6,000, while a larger scene is listed at $3,000 to $10,000. The finished scope depends on police release, disposal needs, contamination depth, room count and scene size.
Some or all covered expenses may be paid after the deductible, although terms vary for every policy and every situation. When reporting claim details, ask the insurance company about biohazard cleanup, emergency response work, structural materials and restoration. Keep photos, scope notes, invoices and disposal records.
Respectful, discreet homicide cleanup is available 24 hours a day, and crews arrive in unmarked vehicles.