Unattended Death In Port Charlotte, FL
Discreet cleanup for unattended death and decomposition situations
Professional Unattended Death Services In Port Charlotte, FL
A body that lay undiscovered for as little as 1-2 days will begin to decompose. Bodily fluids that usually are contained in the body slowly leak out and saturate anything in the path of gravity. This causes a complex problem and needs to be properly cleaned. What may appear like a simple stain on the surface is actually just the beginning of the problem. The odor associated by decomposition is overwhelming to say the least. It will remain embedded in the contents and the structure itself up to several months if not effectively dealt with.
As you can see, this plywood subfloor was completely saturated and would not have been discovered if the carpet had not been removed. Not only would the strong odor have remained, but severe health hazards would have been present as well. If you can picture a constant drop of water on one area of carpet, the surface of the carpet will only have a small area affected. Underneath the carpet however, the water spreads out as it travels with gravity.
Unfortunately, we cannot remove a bloody mattress as is. Mattresses, couches and other furniture items simply cannot be taken to a licensed medical waste facility whole. We must cut out the affected portions and place them into biohazard transport containers. The remainder of the unaffected furniture will also be removed, but disposed of at a regular landfill. Homeowners insurance will almost always cover the cost of our services and possibly the replacement of items affected in the residence.
Our Unattended Death Cleanup Process
It’s important to have full transparency over the cleanup process particularly where it concerns cleaning your home during such a challenging time.
Quality Restoration Services Inc. is fully licensed, bonded, and insured and offers complete transparency in its process both over the phone and online.
▸Our teams respond within hours, if not minutes
The sooner we can address your biohazard crisis, the better. Once on-scene, Bio Recovery technicians inspect the site and create a custom cleanup action plan based on EPA, CDC, and OSHA guidelines and our own comprehensive checklist.
If our customer service staff hasn’t already done so, they’ll order roll-off trash containers (also called dumpsters) to discard any non-contaminated yet destroyed materials.
▸We follow strict safety protocols
Our team will divide the property into zones so that clean areas aren’t contaminated during the project. Each technician will put on protective clothing, footwear, masks, and gloves for their own safety and change them as needed so as not to spread harmful pathogens.
These steps are often overlooked during “do-it-yourself” cleaning attempts.
▸We remove obvious surface contamination
Upon arriving at a death or trauma scene, it’s clear which areas need attention first. We use special absorbent compounds to quickly soak up pooled fluids.
Sometimes human tissue is left behind, which we safely contain. (It’s possible to arrange delivery to funeral services or law enforcement as requested.) We also remove insects and use first aid supplies.
▸We salvage what we can without compromising safety
Saturated sections of carpet and upholstery are cut out and disposed of. We often have to cut through subflooring, tile, ceilings, and subflooring to access areas where biohazardous fluids have soaked in.
▸We use safe, effective odor-neutralizing and disinfecting solutions
Once our biohazard cleaning teams have removed all obvious signs of contamination, they wipe down and sanitize all surfaces in the area. Whenever appropriate, we use enzyme-based cleaning solutions approved by the CDC.
These destroy pathogens as well as odor-causing bacteria without leaving behind telltale odors.
Overuse of chlorine-based cleaners leaves toxins and telltale odors in the environment. It also breeds chlorine-resistant viruses and bacteria.
Bleach is corrosive and can cause further physical damage to surfaces and structural materials. We reserve chlorine-based products for sites known to have been exposed to major infectious diseases.
▸We inspect, clean, inspect, clean, and sanitize… and inspect again
Throughout the after death cleaning process, we check and double-check our work. We know how easily biohazard waste can permeate unexpected areas, especially in the chaos following the discovery of a body or first responders’ lifesaving efforts.
Furniture gets moved, drawers and cabinets are opened and shut, often hiding stains and tissue.
We also carefully inspect the following in primary and secondary contamination zones:
- Molding
- Fixtures and switches
- HVAC ducts, vents, and intakes
- Decorative furnishings and knickknacks
We’re often called in to finish the work and repair the damage left behind by less-experienced biohazard cleaning companies or unskilled individuals. Residual organic matter encourages mold growth and pests and leaves behind foul odors.
It’s not unusual to hear about occupants finding teeth, bone fragments, or tissue long after the supposed cleanup is complete.
▸We dispose of all contaminated waste
Contaminated material must be specially bagged and labeled as biohazardous waste. Uncontaminated material is disposed of in dumpsters or contractor-grade garbage bags, which our teams will later carry away.
Whenever it’s cost-effective for our clients without compromising safety, we separate materials to reduce unnecessary disposal costs.
▸You give your final approval
Once our job is complete, you’re invited to join us for a final inspection. We’re happy to answer any questions about how we’ve made your home safe and sanitary.
Quality Restoration Services Inc. are fully licensed and insured skilled general contractors and are able to completely restore your property to better than its original pre loss condition making it easy and less stressful for our clients that both the biohazard and reconstruction process is done and handled by one company all in house making it a smoother process with your insurance company and clients not having to deal with subcontractors