Accidents are beyond our control and they can happen at anytime in our lives. Whether you are dealing with a murder case, injury/accident, or crime in your home or workplace, you may need to clean up the scene after investigations are over. This is important because blood or body fluids may contain hazardous disease-causing pathogens. Therefore, avoiding exposure to sure pathogens is paramount. Here are a few guidelines that must be followed when cleaning up blood at a crime scene.
Protect and cover yourself
When cleaning up blood stains, you should wear protective gear and use safety equipment to avoid exposing yourself to any harmful substances. You will be able to carry out the job more effectively when you are well protected. Make sure that you have masks, gloves, and glasses to protect your body and eyes from the chemicals and ensure that you do not inhale the chemicals and detergents you are using.
Eliminate sharp objects first
Before you start cleaning up blood from a crime scene, you must ensure that any sharp objects and broken glasses are removed first. You can use forceps, tongs, or a dustpan and brush to remove these sharp objects. This is important because these pointed items can break through your protective clothing, exposing you to the blood. Make sure that every sharp object is placed in a leak-proof container. You should never use your hands to remove these objects irrespective of the circumstances.
Find out how long the blood has been there
When you want to clean up blood at any crime scene, make sure that you know the length of time that the blood has been there. This will enable you to choose the right cleaning agents and chemicals for the job. You can use water to wet the blood spots and apply efficient chemicals to remove the stains easily. It is advisable to clean blood when it is still fresh because as it dries, it becomes more difficult to clean up. For the best cleanup services, hire a crime scene cleanup company in Houston TX.
Use the best cleaning agents and chemicals
There are a variety of cleaning agents, detergents, and chemicals that you can use to eliminate all types of stains, including blood. These cleaning chemicals are readily available in the market and they guarantee excellent blood cleanup. Before using detergents or chemicals to remove blood, you should use water as this makes the blood easier to remove. Applying the detergent on the target area several times will ensure complete elimination of the stain.
Decontaminate
After cleaning up and sanitizing the entire area, you should carefully dispose your protective gear in a plastic bag. You should ensure that other surfaces are not contaminated in the process and seal the items, put them in another bag and mark them using a biohazard label ready for disposal. Make sure that any reusable equipment like buckets, brooms, tongs, or dustpans are decontaminated using broad spectrum disinfectant. You should then wash them off with clean water to remove traces of the disinfectant.
You can guarantee safety of the individuals that you are working with by implementing the above procedures. When you have a massive blood spill that is beyond your cleaning capacity, you should hire the services of a professional biohazard cleanup company. Such companies have the necessary equipment and manpower to handle different crime scenes.
