Crime scene and trauma
Crime scene and trauma cleanup in Charleston
After a violent event at home or at work, the police and the coroner investigate. Cleaning up is left to the owner or the family. You can hand that part to an independent cleanup company that does this work.
Calls answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
First
When the investigation is finished
Cleanup starts only after the investigating agency has released the scene. Until then, leave everything as it is, even if it is hard to look at. If you are not sure whether the home has been released, ask the officer or detective in charge, and write down the case number and the agency's name. The cleanup company may ask for both.
Once the home is yours again, nobody expects you to clean it. Blood and other fluids can soak into carpet, padding, furniture, grout and wood, and need to be handled as a biohazard. That is the job a biohazard cleanup company is for.
The work
What crime scene cleanup usually involves
- I
Look and plan
The company walks through the affected area, explains what has to be removed and gives you its price.
- II
Contain
The area is closed off, often with plastic sheeting, so nothing spreads to the rest of the home.
- III
Remove
Materials that can't be cleaned, such as soaked carpet, padding or cushions, are cut out and packed in sealed containers.
- IV
Clean and disinfect
Hard surfaces are cleaned first, then disinfected, following the product label.
- V
Check and hand back
The company checks its work, deals with lingering odor and tells you what, if anything, needs repair.
South Carolina
Victim compensation and cleanup costs
Cleanup is not on the list
South Carolina's Department of Crime Victim Compensation lists crime scene clean-up among the costs it cannot pay for, together with property damage and replacement.
What it can help with
For eligible victims and families: medical and dental care, counseling, lost wages or loss of support, and funeral and burial costs, with documentation.
Fund of last resort
If another source, such as insurance, can pay a cost, the program defers to that source first.
How to reach it
The program is part of the Attorney General's Crime Victim Services Division: 803-734-1900, or 1-800-220-5370 for crime victims.
Meanwhile
Before the cleanup company arrives
- Wait until the investigating agency releases the home or business
- Keep children and pets away from the affected rooms
- Don't try to scrub blood or fluids yourself, even small amounts on soft surfaces
- Take photos of the damage for your own records if you can, without touching anything
- Write down the case number and the name of the investigating agency
- Call your insurer to ask what your policy says about cleanup and repairs
Price
What the price depends on
This site publishes no prices, because every job is different. The cleanup company prices it after it knows the details. These are the things that move the number:
- How large the affected area is, and how many rooms
- Whether fluids reached carpet pad, subfloor, drywall or framing, which then has to come out
- How much time has passed, and whether the heating or cooling system was running
- How much furniture and how many belongings are affected
- How much sealed waste has to be packed and taken away
- Access: stairs, narrow halls, a crawl space or a vehicle
Questions
Crime scene cleanup questions
Do the police or the coroner clean up afterwards?
No. They investigate. Cleaning the property afterwards is left to the owner, the family or whoever manages the property.
Will South Carolina's victim compensation program pay for the cleanup?
Its FAQ lists crime scene clean-up among the costs it cannot pay for. It may help eligible victims and families with other costs, such as counseling or a funeral. See the who pays guide.
What if it happened at a business or in a rental?
The steps are the same. The owner or manager arranges the cleanup once the scene is released. The guide for landlords covers rentals.
Can I be there while the work is done?
Ask the company. Many people prefer to stay away from the affected room and come back once it is finished.
When you are ready
One call, and someone else takes this on
You don't have to clean this yourself, and you don't have to decide everything today. A short call is enough to ask questions and hear what the work would involve.
Talk to a cleanup company
The line puts you through to an independent biohazard cleanup company working in your ZIP code. Tell them what happened and where. You decide whether to hire them.
Call (843) 555-0162Calls answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
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