Biohazard, trauma or unattended death: what to do first
What to do right now
Call 911 first, and leave the room as it is until police say you may go back in. Family members do not have to clean, and should not. Blood and body fluids can carry disease, and OSHA says some bloodborne viruses can survive on surfaces for two weeks or more. Hire a trained biohazard cleanup company. If a crime caused the scene, your state's victim compensation program may pay part of the cost; in Florida, up to $1,500 for crime scene cleanup.
On this page
First hour: call for help and step away
This is one of the hardest things a family can face. You do not need to handle the cleanup. These steps keep you safe and protect your options.
- Call 911.
- Leave the room, and keep children and pets out.
- Do not clean, move or throw away anything. Wait until police tell you that you may go back in.
- Write down the officer’s name and the police report or case number. You will need it for insurance and victim compensation.
- If you can, ask a friend or relative to stay with you and make the calls.
First 24 hours: plan the cleanup without doing it yourself
- Do not clean blood or body fluids yourself. OSHA says its Bloodborne Pathogens standard applies to workers who clean up blood and body fluids, and some bloodborne viruses can survive on surfaces for two weeks or more.
- Call your homeowners or renters insurer. Ask whether your policy covers biohazard cleanup and what they need from you.
- If a crime happened, contact your state’s victim compensation program. The U.S. Office for Victims of Crime funds these programs in every state, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its Help in Your State page lists each one. Eligibility varies by state.
- In Florida, call the Attorney General’s victim compensation line at 1-800-226-6667. Florida pays up to $1,500 for crime scene cleanup, only for costs incurred within 7 days of the crime and only after other payment sources are used.
24 to 48 hours: choose a cleanup company
- Look for a company that does trauma and biohazard cleanup, not a general cleaning service. Our guide to crime scene cleanup explains what the work involves.
- Ask whether its workers are trained under OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard.
- Get a written estimate before work starts. Compare it with our biohazard cleanup cost page.
- Ask the company to work with your insurer and to give you itemized invoices.
- Keep every receipt. Texas, for example, pays up to $2,250 toward a licensed company’s fees or cleaning supplies, and only after insurance.
After 48 hours: what comes next
Our guide to who pays for biohazard cleanup explains insurance, victim compensation, landlords and estates. If the home also needs clearing out, see hoarding cleanup. Before you sign anything, use our questions to ask a restoration company. More help is on the biohazard hub.
When to call a pro
- There is any blood, body fluid or tissue in the home or car.
- A death went undiscovered for some time.
- Fluids soaked into carpet, a mattress, furniture, subfloor or walls.
- There is a strong odor that airing out does not fix.
- The space is also cluttered or has hoarding conditions.
Common mistakes
- Cleaning before police have released the scene.
- Family members cleaning the scene themselves. It risks exposure to disease and adds to the trauma.
- Hiring a general cleaning service that does not follow OSHA's bloodborne pathogens rules.
- Missing the victim compensation deadline. Florida covers crime scene cleanup costs only if they are incurred within 7 days of the crime.
- Throwing away receipts. Compensation programs and insurers need them.
After a death or trauma at home
Questions people ask
Do I have to clean up after a death in my home?
No. You do not have to do it, and it is safer if you do not. Blood and body fluids can carry disease. OSHA requires cleanup workers exposed to blood to follow its Bloodborne Pathogens standard. A trained biohazard company can do the work so you and your family do not have to see it again.
Who pays for crime scene cleanup?
It depends. Ask your insurer first. If a crime happened, every state has a victim compensation program, funded in part through the federal Office for Victims of Crime. Limits vary: Florida pays up to $1,500 and Texas up to $2,250 for cleanup, and both pay only after other sources such as insurance.
Does victim compensation help after a natural or unattended death?
Usually not. Victim compensation programs pay crime-related costs for crime victims, so a death from natural causes is generally outside them. Ask your homeowners or renters insurer, the landlord, or the estate about cleanup costs. Our guide to who pays for biohazard cleanup covers the options.
Sources
- Application of OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard to contractors who clean up blood following accidents, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (May 22, 2007)
- Cleanup of blood from crime or accident scenes and HAZWOPER training requirements, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (September 6, 2019)
- Victim Compensation, Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Help in Your State, Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Bureau of Victim Compensation Schedule of Benefits, Florida Office of the Attorney General (January 6, 2022)
- Crime Victims Services, Florida Office of the Attorney General (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Crime Scene Clean-Up, Office of the Attorney General of Texas (accessed 2026-10-19)
Safety note. This page follows CDC, Ready.gov, FEMA and American Red Cross guidance; it cannot see your home. Return home only when authorities say it is safe. When in doubt, wait for a professional.
How this page was made. Drafted with AI assistance from the public agency, statute and industry sources listed above, then edited and published by Vincent Wallace. An independent expert has not yet reviewed this page; when one does, their name and the review date will appear at the top. See our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.