Suicide

Cleanup after a suicide

We are sorry for your loss. You should not have to clean the place where it happened, and you don't have to. An independent cleanup company can do it quietly, while you look after yourself and your family.

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What happens

The next few days

A death that may be a suicide is reported to the county coroner, as South Carolina law requires (S.C. Code 17-5-530). The coroner's office and the police investigate, and the coroner's office notifies the family. When they are finished, the home is released, and the person who died is released to the family's chosen funeral home.

The cleanup can wait until you are ready, but the sooner it is done, the less has to be removed. Many families ask someone they trust, a sibling, a friend or a pastor, to make the call and meet the company. That is a good way to do it.

Salt marsh at dawn with a winding tidal creek and mist over the cordgrass

Ask the company

Things you can ask for

One person to speak with from the first call to the end
A list of what will be removed, before it is removed
Keepsakes, papers and photos set aside and cleaned where possible
Work done while you are away, if you would rather not be there
How the company arrives and parks, if privacy matters to you
A walk-through with you, or someone you choose, when it is finished

There is no right way to feel after a loss like this. Practical tasks can wait an hour, or a day, while you breathe.

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

Questions families ask

Should I be there during the cleanup?

You don't need to be. Most companies only need access, a list of anything to keep, and a phone number to reach you with questions.

What happens to things that can't be cleaned?

They are packed in sealed containers and taken for disposal. A good company lists them for you first, so nothing is thrown away without your knowing.

Who pays for this?

Sometimes homeowners or renters insurance helps, sometimes not. Read who pays and ask your insurer before work begins.

Where can I find support?

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is for people in crisis and for people who are struggling after a loss. Call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org.

Let someone else take this on

A short call is enough to ask questions. You can also ask a friend or relative to call for you.

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.