Frequently Asked Questions About Crime Scene Cleaning

The crime scene cleaning business, much like the mortuary industry and even some areas of medical care like surgery and emergency room care, is different from normal everyday experience in that what takes place usually occurs behind closed doors and can evoke strong emotions in observers. People have a lot of questions about this business, and their imaginations often create images that are worse than reality. I'm going to address some of the most frequently asked questions I hear about crime scene cleaning, and hopefully something that you were wondering is included here. 

• How does what you do differ from a maid service? 
  • At Bio-One Houston, our technicians how are trained and experienced in dealing with and protecting themselves from blood borne pathogens. We use the proper personal protective equipment to protect our own bodies from any dangerous bacteria, viruses, molds, or other infectious agents. We use proprietary disinfection chemicals that will kill HIV, ebola, hepatitis virus, C diff, cold and flu virus, molds, pretty much anything microbial that could cause disease. We go after the kinds of messes that a regular maid or housekeeping service wouldn't, and shouldn't, try to tackle. In fact, many of the referrals that we receive come from maid and house keeping companies who run across projects that are a little too much for them to handle. And in these cases, we're very happy to help. As a decontamination company, we can make the property safe so that maids can come in and do a final sparkly cleaning. 
• How do you stand doing that kind of work?
  • This is actually an incredibly rewarding line of work.  We are fortunate in that we are able to help people on what may be the worst day of their life.  Our training, experience, and capabilities allow us to confidently make at least one of their problems go away: the difficulty of cleaning up after a death or trauma.  I had the same feeling as a mortuary representative in the 90s.  Because I was dealing directly with the deceased, I was able to demonstrate to families that I could and would handle their loved one's body in a professional and caring way.  Then, like now, I can sleep well at night knowing that my work and the work of my team have made someone's life better.  Yes, sometimes there are difficult sights or smells associated with trauma and death, but we have become used to them very quickly.  We concentrate on the tasks at hand and the service we are providing.
• Do you ever get depressed doing this kind of work?  Talking about and seeing death all day long?
  • I don't.  There are occasionally circumstances around particular death scenes that make me feel bad for the victims and their families, but I remember that my job is to help them with the cleanup and to remain professional.  I can be empathetic, but not deep dive into a place of deep sadness.  Our crew members are committed to providing quality service to our clients and remaining professional and courteous in all situations.
• Why can't I just clean the mess up myself?
  • It is important to let professionals perform the cleanup for three reasons.  First, traumatic situations such as violent crime, homicide and suicide leave behind blood and other bodily fluids that can potentially contain disease-causing bacteria or viruses.  The professional crews at Bio-One Houston know how to deal with these substances in a safe way that protects the public and themselves.  Second, it is critical to completely kill or deactivate the microbes that are present.  Not all cleaning substances are equal.  Bio-One Houston's proprietary chemicals and regimen completely render dangerous biological microbes harmless.  Third, cleaning up after a traumatic event or a death can be psychologically difficult, especially for the victim's loved ones, whose time and energy may be better spent comforting each other, making arrangements for other services, or spending time with the victim.  Bio-One Houston can handle the cleaning tasks for you, letting you concentrate on other important things.
• What types of clients call for your services?  How do they find you?
  • Every month we help many families, retail businesses, apartment communities, construction companies, hotels, etc.  We are called by law enforcement personnel and crime victim services liaisons as well.  We have great relationships with many apartment communities and property management companies, so we are called on often to discreetly and professionally perform cleanups in apartments.  Our Compliance Depot Vendor ID is 902166, for those apartment managers interested in our services.  For families needing our help, we can be found at www.bioonehouston.com or by calling 832-444-8352.
• What if I just have questions about your service?
  • Give me a call!  I'm happy to talk with you about your questions and curiosities.  If I don't know an answer to a question, I'll help you find someone who does.  🙂