Blood and body fluids
Blood and bodily fluid cleanup
A bad fall, an accident or a serious illness can leave blood or other fluids behind. Call and you are connected with an independent cleanup company in the Stockton area.
Lines answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
When to call instead of cleaning it yourself
A small spot on a hard floor is something many people handle themselves with gloves and a disinfectant. It is a different job when blood has soaked into carpet, a mattress or upholstery, when it covers a large area, or when you do not know the person's health history.
Blood can carry bloodborne pathogens. Workers who handle it are covered by Cal/OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard, which is why cleanup companies use gloves, suits and eye protection and follow set procedures.
Large amounts of blood-soaked material from a serious injury or death count as trauma scene waste in California and have to go to a permitted medical waste facility.
The work
What the company does
- Finds where fluids have spread, including under flooring and along baseboards.
- Removes porous materials that absorbed blood.
- Cleans, then disinfects hard surfaces with products suited to the job.
- Packs and removes the waste properly.
- Lets you know which items can be kept.
Before you book
Questions to ask on the phone
You can ask any of these on the first call. A reputable company will answer them plainly.
- Are you registered with the California Department of Public Health as a trauma scene waste management practitioner?
- Will you give me a written price before work starts, and what could change it?
- Which materials do you expect to remove, and will you show me before you do?
- Can you work with my insurer or with a CalVCB claim by providing an itemized invoice and photos?
- How will the waste leave the home, and where does it go?
- Can I keep personal items or papers that are set aside during the work?
Questions
Blood and body fluids: common questions
Is bleach enough?
Cleaning and disinfecting are two steps. The CDC explains that cleaning removes most germs and disinfecting kills what remains, and that a disinfectant has to stay wet on the surface for the time on its label. Porous materials that soaked up blood usually cannot be disinfected and have to be removed. Source: CDC.
The blood is old and dry. Is it still a concern?
It can still stain and smell, and it may have soaked deeper than it looks. Have it assessed.
Is this only for homes?
No. The same work is done in offices, shops and rental units. Tell the company what kind of property it is.
Other situations
Other cleanup situations
- Crime Scene CleanupAfter a homicide, assault or other violent event, once police have released the scene.
- Unattended Death CleanupWhen someone died alone and was not found right away. Includes odor and decomposition cleanup.
- Suicide CleanupQuiet, discreet cleanup after a suicide, so family members do not have to do it.
- Hoarding Cleanup with BiohazardsWhen a hoarded home has animal or human waste, needles or rotting food in it.
- Infectious Disease DisinfectionCleaning and disinfection after illness or contamination with infectious material.
- Vehicle Biohazard CleanupBlood or bodily fluids in a car, truck or van after an injury, death or crime.
- Needle and Sharps CleanupUsed needles found in a home, a rental unit, a yard or a business.
When you are ready
One call to a cleanup company that serves Stockton
Say what happened, where, and roughly when. The company will ask a few questions, explain what the work involves and arrange a visit if you want one.
Talk to a biohazard cleanup company
Your call is connected with an independent cleanup company that works in Stockton and San Joaquin County. You can ask questions first. There is no obligation to book.
Call (209) 555-0161Lines answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
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