Death cleanup is never easy, especially when it involves an unattended death that is discovered after the fact. Often this is the case for families with elderly parents who have retired here in Florida. Family members need compassionate and qualified advice that helps them understand decomposition cleanup and helps them separate the difficult task at hand from the pain associated with losing a loved one.
Family members always have lots of questions when Dan, our founder, or other Accident Cleaners team members arrive on scene. Often times there are questions about the cleanup that were not asked over the phone about whether they can manage some or even all of the cleaning themselves. Sometimes they have even started, only to realize that it is just too hard. If you are ever faced with this situation, here are 5 mistakes to avoid:
- Don’t rely on your insurance company for recommendations: ask counselors, ask for referrals and specifically ask them “What would YOU do if you were in my shoes?”. Find someone that is not going to bill you for expensive out-of-state travel/hotel charges in addition to the cleanup work. Dispatch fees are normal parts of most service agreements, extended travel costs are not. There are qualified local providers who understand the unique circumstances related to cleaning in the area that your family members home is located in.
- Don’t attempt to clean the scene yourself. Disinfection can be difficult and sometimes even impossible. Most of the time, furniture and porous surfaces like untreated wood have to be completely removed to ensure proper cleaning.
- Don’t underestimate the psychological toll that being at a death scene can have on you for weeks, months or even years. Especially when you are dealing with the death of a loved one.
- Don’t assume that your household cleaning products can properly disinfect decomposition or body fluids. All of our biorecovery technicians specialize in decomposition cleanup and understand exactly what needs to be done based on your unique circumstances.
- Don’t assume that death smell will eventually fade. Odors from decomposition can linger and need to be addressed: often times with special equipment and/or solvents. Experienced technicians even find death odor removal one of the most difficult aspects of the job.
After being on hundreds of unattended death, accidental death an
d murder scenes, our team understands the importance of compassion, speed and thoroughness in our work. Family members who avoid these five mistakes usually find themselves in a much better place. Often times one of the more difficult (but at the same time rewarding) aspects of our jobs relates to the bonds we build with families we help. We are here to help you through difficult times and we hope you avoid these common mistakes and find the experienced local providers you need to help you through this difficult time.