Crime Scene Cleanup
Crime scene cleaning after police release the property, from blood to odor.
See crime scene cleanupGet blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials and odor removed after investigators release a home, rental, business or vehicle in Davidson County. The cleanup scope is based on where contamination traveled.
Homicide cleanup is specialized crime scene work performed after investigators complete their duties and release the property. It removes bodily fluids, blood and other contaminated materials.
The investigation is the responsibility of law enforcement and the medical examiner, not property cleaning. A relative, landlord, owner or other person with authorization can arrange homicide cleaning once officials have released the scene.
This work involves more than an ordinary cleaning service. Technicians identify contamination both in and around the affected space, isolate rooms that were not affected and take out anything that cannot be disinfected. Surfaces that can remain are treated. When requested, the scope also covers insurance company records, hazardous waste packaging and disposal, and odor removal.

Personal property that may be saved is separated so you can discuss it before deciding what needs removal.
Disposal records, scope details, photos and item lists can help when you speak with insurance companies or property owners.
You may protect privacy by requesting unmarked vehicles and allowing only authorized people into the property during this difficult event.
Your questions can cover items marked for removal, surfaces to be cleaned, plans for taking waste away and remaining restoration needs.
When blood or other biological material remains after a violent death, a home, vehicle, rental or business may require homicide cleanup services. Common examples are:
After the family retrieves essential belongings and police release the unit, the landlord or authorized property manager may organize scene cleanup.
A living space, bedroom, hallway and adjacent surfaces may each require blood cleanup after the event.
Each seat, piece of trim, section of carpet and insulation area is assessed for cleaning or removal.
The affected area can stay separate during contamination assessments of offices, warehouses, stores and common spaces.
Begin by honoring the investigation, limiting exposure and keeping information that may help with a claim. Take these steps before cleanup technicians are allowed to enter:
Call (888) 351-0904The available homicide cleanup cost guides list $2,500 to $9,000 for a violent crime scene. They also list $2,000 to $6,000 for a smaller scene and $3,000 to $10,000 for a larger scene. These are published planning ranges, not a quote. The final scope depends on the assessment.
Published national cost guides are the source for these ranges, rather than an inspection of your property. An on-site assessment determines your property's price, which is explained to you before the cleanup starts.
Ask about cost: (888) 351-0904Homicide cleanup may be paid through a renters, homeowners or commercial policy. Whether it applies depends on the specific loss, policy terms and deductible.
Find out which waste documents, photographs, item inventories, invoices and scope records the insurance company requires. Save a copy of every submitted document.
Victims of violent crime can ask the Tennessee Treasury Department's Criminal Injuries Compensation Program about crime scene cleanup, which it can help with when the crime happened in a victim's home. Insurance is usually checked first.
Local requirements, property ownership, lease conditions and policy language can determine who pays and arranges cleanup. Tenants and landlords should each contact the appropriate insurer.
Tell the insurer what happened after police release the scene. Ask whether biohazard cleanup, damaged building materials and restoration are included.
After scene release, a controlled order guides the remediation work. Each step reflects how far contamination went, which items can remain and the waste rules that govern the material.
The authorized person identifies known affected areas, and technicians inspect nearby surfaces, floor edges, contents and possible travel paths.
A barrier separates clean spaces from the work zone. Suitable personal protective equipment and controls help cleanup technicians limit the movement of contamination outside the scene.
Before detailed cleaning and disinfection, visible bodily fluids and blood are gathered using a method appropriate for each surface.
Removal focuses on the smallest practical area when affected padding, upholstery, drywall, carpet or subfloor cannot be fully disinfected.
Each retained surface receives detailed scene cleaning, then an EPA-registered disinfectant stays wet for its full label contact time.
After source removal, filtered air and focused treatments can reduce odor affecting indoor air, materials that remain and adjoining areas.
Applicable rules guide the sealing, labeling and movement of contaminated waste, while available disposal documentation is kept.
Once work is complete, retained personal property is returned as arranged, and removed finishes are documented for restoration services.
Phone any hour. A specialist in homicide cleanup takes your call, explains each step and agrees on a start time with you.
Blood, other bodily fluids and contamination hidden from view may create serious health risks. A dry appearance or a visibly small area does not remove those concerns.
Soaked absorbent materials and used protective equipment may need compliant packaging, transport and disposal under relevant medical waste rules.
Seeing the affected space can cause loved ones deep distress. Direct contact with the affected room and personal property can be avoided by family members through professional cleanup.
Seams, wall voids, grout, subfloors and carpet pads may hold fluids. Material concealed behind or under a surface remains after only the visible spot is cleaned.
Can you clean it yourself? With disposable gloves, a small quantity of fresh blood may be cleaned off a hard, non-porous area by keeping an EPA-registered disinfectant on it for the full label contact time. When blood enters carpet, drywall, wood, fabric or an area without clear limits, avoid the space and get professional cleanup.
A timeline for homicide cleaning is shaped by scene access and size, the number of affected rooms, depth of contamination and amount that must be taken out. You can receive a more practical schedule once the initial assessment is complete.
| Scene | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| Small affected area on accessible surfaces | Timeline determined once the scene is released and inspected |
| A single room requiring removal of porous materials | May require cleaning plus a separate restoration phase |
| Several rooms or structural contamination | Often involves a phased cleanup scope and extended restoration |
Odor removal begins by finding and removing the source. Fragrance alone cannot correct fluids absorbed into carpet, subfloor, drywall, furniture or hidden cavities.
After contaminated material is removed, HEPA air scrubbers can filter airborne particles. Hydroxyl treatment may be used in occupied settings when equipment instructions allow it. Ozone requires strict controls and an empty treatment area. The cleaning process may also include checking vents and adjacent rooms before you move forward.
The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, sets worker requirements for exposure controls, training and protective equipment.
A disinfectant should be EPA-registered for the intended use and remain on the surface for the full contact time shown on its label.
Tennessee treats soaked materials from a biohazard scene as medical waste, a type of special waste. Rules from the Department of Environment and Conservation's Division of Solid Waste Management control its treatment and disposal, so it cannot go in household trash.
Tennessee uses a mix of state and county medical examiners, with county medical examiners investigating deaths and the Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner supporting them. Cleanup starts after police or the medical examiner release the scene.
The full homicide cleanup guide covers what is cleaned or removed, odor and air quality work, and the rules that apply in your state.
Read the full homicide cleanup guide
Planning for access, containment and cleanup can depend on local population, housing and entry conditions.
If direct exposure occurs, the closest listed emergency option is Tristar Southern Hills Medical Center, about 5.0 miles away, not the cleanup site.
Autumn Oaks is near Jackson Valley, High Point, and Concord Hills, which can matter when family members are arriving from surrounding communities.
As a Nashville neighborhood, Autumn Oaks may include several building styles, so cleanup planning should start with the exact property type.
You can ask about cleanup in nearby communities and ZIP codes during the call.
Crime scene cleaning after police release the property, from blood to odor.
See crime scene cleanup
Walls, carpets, furnishings and hard floors receive blood cleanup, with safe disposal afterward.
See blood cleanup
Trauma scene cleanup is needed after violent events, accidents and injuries.
See trauma scene cleanup
Cleaning a home after someone dies, including fluids, odor and affected belongings.
See death cleanup
Suicide cleanup is completed privately and with care, protecting families from seeing the scene.
See suicide cleanup
Cleanup when a death went unnoticed for days, with decomposition and odor control.
See unattended death cleanup
Forensic cleaning addresses investigation residue, fingerprint powder and tissue along with cleaning of blood.
See forensic cleaning
Death odor removal at the source with air scrubbers, hydroxyl and ozone treatment.
See death odor removalFirst, cleanup technicians identify the affected area and establish containment around it. Technicians wearing protective gear collect visible material, remove porous items that cannot be disinfected, clean remaining surfaces and apply an EPA-registered disinfectant for its label contact time. The team finishes by packaging hazardous waste and checking the completed cleanup scope.
Insurance may pay some or all covered costs after the deductible, but no answer applies to every policy or every situation. Give claim information to the insurance company and ask whether emergency response work, affected building materials, biohazard cleanup and restoration are covered. Save your invoices, disposal paperwork, scope details and photographs.
Belongings beyond the affected area may stay protected where they are or be relocated to an uncontaminated space. Scene property is evaluated item by item. Hard, non-porous belongings may be cleanable. Absorbent items may require removal, but decisions about keepsakes, records and photographs should first be reviewed with you.
Professional homicide cleaners clean a murder scene after investigators give permission to enter. Tasks can involve removing absorbed fluids, setting containment, completing detailed cleanup, applying disinfectant, odor removal and waste disposal. Any family member should stay outside and avoid cleaning a space where blood or other bodily fluids remain.
The conditions can vary between them. Trauma scene cleanup and death cleanup are categories that apply to each. A homicide scene remains under law enforcement control until release and may include evidence-processing residue. An unattended death often involves decomposition and wider odor concerns because time passed before the person was found.
Once release comes from the medical examiner and law enforcement, cleanup is arranged by an authorized owner, landlord, relative or manager. Homicide cleaners may address hazardous waste removal, odor control, disinfection, blood cleanup and biohazard remediation. Police examine the scene, but completing the cleaning service is not their responsibility.
You can request respectful, discreet homicide cleanup 24 hours a day, and crews use unmarked vehicles.