How to Handle the Cleanup Process after a Suicide

The cleanup process

Let’s start by stating that it is not recommended for property owners or family members to carry out suicide cleaning by themselves, considering all the risks involved, especially on one’s health. This is especially true if you don’t know what you are doing. But if you are someone who is properly trained and knows what is supposed to be done, then you can take on the cleaning task. But even so, you really need to be sure that you are doing the right thing. How are you going to do that? Well, by following a specific protocol. Upon entering the suicide scene, the cleanup must follow a set of strict procedures that are designed to remove all the harmful contaminants, odours, and not forgetting the structural damage. Now, to achieve this, you need to come up with a plan, and it is in that plan that you are to establish three specific zones first, where each of them plays a specific function. These zones are:

Control zone – this is the zone or areas where the suicide took place and where the remediation and disinfection are supposed to take place.

Buffer zone – now this is the area where you put personal protective equipment and other disposal items. This area is quite critical as it’s where you keep all the crucial items you plan on using during the cleanup.

Clean zone – this area is like the buffer zone with the only difference being, the clean zone is where you keep all the items you don’t want to be contaminated. As the name suggest, you keep items in this zone to prevent close contamination.

For your cleanup process to be effective, you must establish these zones. They will ensure that the entire process flows smoothly.

Once you established the three zones, now you can start cleaning. In your cleaning, you are to do it in three very important stages. They include:

Cleaning – in this stage, you are to remove all the bloodstains and any other biological dirt, materials, and chemicals from the control zone. You need to ensure that you remove everything from the scene, and thoroughly remediate the entire area. If there are items that can’t be remediated, then they become waste and should be disposed of immediately.

Disinfecting – at this stage, and after cleaning the scene, you will need to spray the scene with disinfectant after a certain period of time. Then wipe all the surfaces manually to ensure that you remove all the remaining bacteria and pathogens from the scene. To ensure that the scene is fully sanitised, you may want to test the area to determine the sanitisation levels using a process like ATP (adenosine triphosphate) fluorescence testing.

Deodorising – in a suicide scene, there is a possibility that there will be lingering odours left behind. So, to eliminate them, you might need a deodoriser. It is important to leave the entire area scene smelling fresh. Don’t let it be a reminder of what happened every time you go into that room and come across a foul smell.

Remember, you don’t have to do all these! As a matter of fact, it is highly recommended that you stay away from the scene as much as possible. There are trained professionals who can help you. They will take that burden off your shoulders, and will give you back the property when it’s in a safe, liveable condition again.