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Odor Remediation in Port Townsend, WA

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A lasting odor in a Port Townsend home after a death, a hoarding situation, animal waste, smoke or a sewage backup is removed by finding and taking out its source, then treating the air and surfaces that remain. If a death is involved, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office1, which serves as coroner in Jefferson County, and any police must finish their work and release the home before anything else happens. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local company that does this work; we do not clean anything, and you hire the company directly.

We are sorry you are facing this. This page explains what odor remediation involves, what to leave alone for now, and what to ask the company you hire.

What odor remediation involves

Odor remediation is the process of finding what is causing a smell, removing it, and then treating what is left so the odor does not return. A lasting odor comes from a source that is still in the home: materials that absorbed fluids, animal waste, smoke residue, or water left by a sewage backup.

That is why sprays, candles and ordinary cleaners do not solve the problem. They cover the odor for a short time while the source stays in place. The Washington State Department of Health2 (DOH) gives similar advice about mold: do not paint or caulk over it. Sealing over a problem does not remove it.

The hardest sources to reach are in porous materials, which are materials full of tiny openings that soak up liquid, such as carpet, carpet pad, drywall and wood subfloor. When fluids or sewage have soaked into them, they may have to be cut out and replaced rather than cleaned. Deodorizing comes only after the source is gone, and the result is checked at the end.

What happens first

If a death is involved

A coroner is the official who looks into certain deaths. In Jefferson County, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office1 serves as coroner, and the coroner’s role is to determine cause and manner of death. You can reach the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office at 360-385-9180.

Until you receive scene release, which is the point when police or the coroner tell you they are finished with the home, please do not clean, move items, or try to treat the odor. Keep doors to the affected room closed. Once the home is released, sooner is better, because the source keeps soaking further into floors and walls the longer it stays. Our unattended death cleanup page covers that situation in more detail.

Hoarding, animals and sewage

If the odor is in the home of a person who hoards, the person living there should have a say in what happens to their belongings and what they decide to let go. A careful company can work around that.

Where animals or rodents are involved, DOH3 says to handle all rodent droppings as if they are infectious and not to stir up dust by vacuuming or sweeping. If you see sharps, meaning needles, syringes or lancets, do not pick them up; Jefferson County Public Health4 runs a Home Syringe Disposal program. For homes on a septic system, the county’s On-Site Sewage Program is the relevant program. DOH says to hire a professional if mold has been contaminated by sewage or is in hidden places.

What to expect from the company you hire

Ask the company to walk you through its plan before work begins. Points worth asking about:

  • Protective equipment. Cleanup workers wear gloves, suits and breathing protection.
  • Containment. This means sealing off the work area, often with plastic sheeting, so dust and odor do not spread to the rest of the home.
  • Removal of affected materials. Ask which porous materials they expect to remove and why.
  • Disinfection. This means using products that kill germs on surfaces that stay in place.
  • Odor treatment after the source is gone, and how they will check that the odor is truly gone.
  • Biomedical waste. Washington defines biomedical waste as a limited list of waste types, including discarded human blood and materials with free-flowing blood, and sharps waste. Rules of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission require a company that collects, transports and disposes of it to keep it separate from other solid waste until treatment or disposal. Ask how the company handles this.
  • Records. Ask for photos, a written scope of work, and a list of removed materials for your insurer.

Before you hire, you can ask whether workers follow OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, which covers germs carried in blood that can cause disease, and whether the company works to the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup from the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). You can also look up the business yourself with the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business, and our certifications guide explains what each of these means.

How long odor remediation takes

No honest company can name a time before it sees the home, and the length of the job depends on a few things:

  • How long the source was there. The longer fluids, waste or smoke residue sat, the deeper they reach.
  • Porous materials. Removing carpet, pad, drywall or subfloor adds steps, and hidden areas under floors or inside walls can take time to find.
  • Ventilation. Fresh air helps, but closed or crowded rooms can hold odor longer.
  • Whether restoration follows. Once materials are removed, rebuilding may be needed. Our page on how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration explains that handoff.
  • Checking the result. Ask how the company will confirm the odor is gone before it finishes.

Ask for a written plan that lists each stage so you know what comes next.

Odor remediation in Port Townsend

Port Townsend is an incorporated city and the Jefferson County seat. For permits, building questions or code concerns inside city limits, the city’s Planning and Community Development Department (PCD) has Planning, Building and Code Compliance divisions. That may matter if walls or subfloor have to be rebuilt, or if a landlord or tenant has questions about a home’s condition.

For health concerns, Jefferson County Public Health4 can be reached at 360-385-9400, and it takes a Jefferson County Public Health Concern/Complaint Action Request for Environmental Health.

When you call a company, clear directions help. From the Olympic Peninsula region, WSDOT’s route into Port Townsend is Highway 101 east, then the exit onto State Route (SR) 20 east into town. SR 20 becomes Sims Way, then Water Street toward the Port Townsend/Coupeville ferry dock. If your home is near Fort Worden Historical State Park, mention it. For homes outside town, the SR 20 corridor is the major link between Port Townsend and the unincorporated parts of the county.

More local help is on our Port Townsend page and our Jefferson County page, including hoarding cleanup and sewage and biohazard waste cleanup.

Who to call first

In an emergency, call 911.These official offices may be part of the first steps. They are government pages, not ours.

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What this covers

Unattended death

Unattended death cleanup means cleaning a home after someone died and was not found right away. When someone is found after they have died, RCW 68.50.010 gives the county coroner or medical examiner jurisdiction over the body.

The details, if you want them

OSHA said in a 2007 letter that its Bloodborne Pathogens standard is concerned with exposure to blood no matter how long the blood has been exposed to air. The same letter says there are studies stating that the hepatitis B virus is likely to survive on surfaces for longer than two weeks.

Unattended death cleanup in Port Townsend

Suicide

Suicide cleanup means cleaning the place where someone died by suicide. Grief support: 988 (call or text, free, any time).

The details, if you want them

The 988 line offers live help in English and Spanish, and interpretation in more than 240 languages and dialects, the Department of Health says.

Crime and trauma scene cleanup in Port Townsend

Crime or trauma scene

Crime or trauma scene cleanup means cleaning a home, business or other place after a violent crime, a serious accident or another traumatic event. An industry standard for this work, IICRC S540, sets out the procedures and precautions to follow. It assumes law enforcement or a regulatory agency has already released the scene.

The details, if you want them

OSHA addressed in a 2020 letter how its Bloodborne Pathogens and HAZWOPER (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response) standards apply to crime and trauma scene cleanup in homes and businesses. Under OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard, regulated waste includes liquid or semi-liquid blood, items that would release blood if squeezed, and items caked with dried blood that can release it when handled.

Crime and trauma scene cleanup in Port Townsend

Blood and bodily fluids

Blood and bodily fluid cleanup means cleaning up blood or other body fluids after an injury, an illness or a death. Washington’s workplace rule on blood (WAC 296-823-099) describes treating all human blood and certain body fluids, whoever they came from, as if they carry HIV, hepatitis B and other germs carried in blood.

The details, if you want them

Professionals call this approach universal precautions. Under WAC 296-823-100, the rule applies to employers whose workers have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), even if no exposure incident has happened. WAC 296-823-099 defines bloodborne pathogens as germs in human blood that can cause disease, such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Blood and bodily fluid cleanup in Port Townsend

Hoarding

Hoarding cleanup means clearing and cleaning a home where belongings have built up over time. The U.S. Fire Administration says belongings that fill a living space until it can no longer be used create fire risks for the people who live there and for firefighters. It advises keeping doorways and windows clear, for escape in a fire and to prevent injuries from falls.

The details, if you want them

A 2012 National Institute of Mental Health science update describes hoarding disorder, then a proposed category in psychiatry’s diagnostic manual (DSM-5), as marked by avoiding decisions about possessions. The U.S. Fire Administration says blocked windows and doors make it hard for firefighters to get into a home to fight a fire and search for the people inside.

Hoarding cleanup in Port Townsend

Sewage

Sewage cleanup means cleaning up after a toilet, drain or sewer line backs up into a home or building. Raw sewage carries bacteria, viruses, parasites and intestinal worms, the EPA says. Washington’s Department of Health says indoor sewage spills need thorough cleaning, started as soon as possible, to protect people, especially small children.

The details, if you want them

The EPA says rugs, curtains, flooring, wallboard and upholstered furniture that come into contact with sewage usually must be replaced.

Sewage and biohazard waste cleanup in Port Townsend

Infectious disease

Infectious disease cleaning means cleaning and disinfecting a home or workplace after an illness that can spread.

The details, if you want them

The EPA defines cleaning as removing dirt and organic matter from surfaces with soap or detergents, and disinfecting as killing viruses and bacteria on surfaces with chemicals. It says to follow the label on EPA-registered disinfectants and to pay attention to the contact time, which is how long the surface must stay wet.

Rodent and animal waste

Rodent and animal waste cleanup means removing droppings, urine and nests left by mice, rats or other animals. Washington’s Department of Health3 says a person may be exposed to hantavirus by breathing contaminated dust after disturbing or cleaning rodent droppings or nests. The Department of Health’s rodent guidance says not to vacuum or sweep around rodent waste, and that homeowners should consider hiring a professional company for heavily contaminated areas.

The details, if you want them

Because you cannot tell how old a dropping is, the Department of Health3 says to handle all rodent droppings as if they are infectious. For heavy infestations, the Department of Health’s rodent guidance says to wear respiratory protection, such as a half-mask respirator with a HEPA filter or a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR).

Sewage and biohazard waste cleanup in Port Townsend

Drug residue

Drug residue is what is left on surfaces where people used illegal drugs. Washington’s Department of Health says testing and cleanup at illegal drug labs and drug storage sites are regulated under state law. See our guide to drug lab cleanup.

The details, if you want them

Under WAC 246-205-091, a contractor may do decontamination, demolition or disposal work at an illegal drug manufacturing or storage site only after getting a certificate from the state health department. The Department of Health says it has no policy on when to test for residue from drug use, and that your local health officer decides whether an area is considered contaminated.

Vehicle cleanup

Vehicle cleanup means cleaning blood or other biohazards inside a car, truck or boat. This can follow an accident, a crime or a death in the vehicle.

Blood and bodily fluid cleanup in Port Townsend

Questions people ask

How long does odor remediation take after a death in Port Townsend?

There is no set length of time, because it depends on the home and what caused the odor. How long the source was there, how far it reached into carpet, drywall or subfloor, and whether repairs follow all make the job longer. The work cannot begin until the Prosecuting Attorney's Office1, which serves as coroner in Jefferson County, and any police have released the home. Ask the company you hire for a written plan that lists each stage.

Why won't air fresheners get rid of the smell after someone dies at home?

Air fresheners and household cleaners only cover an odor for a short time, because the source is still in the home. The odor comes from materials that absorbed fluids, such as carpet pad, drywall or subfloor. Those materials have to be found and removed or treated before deodorizing can work.

Does homeowners insurance pay for odor removal in Washington?

It depends on your policy, and homeowners insurance sometimes covers this kind of work. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner says you can ask your agent or insurance company whether a loss is covered without filing a claim. It also says homeowners have the right to choose their own contractor for covered repairs, and it warns that signing a contractor's assignment of benefit form could affect your rights.

Usually covered: Homeowner insurance protects your home and belongings from damage caused by specific risks, says the Insurance Commissioner’s page on how home insurance works. For sudden, accidental smoke damage, standard policies typically pay for cleaning and deodorizing, says the Commissioner’s smoke damage page5.

Usually not covered: Damage from smoking tobacco inside your own home over time is not covered, says the Insurance Commissioner’s smoke damage page5.

Ask your insurer: “Does my policy cover removing this odor from my home and belongings, and which items would be cleaned and which replaced?” Source: Smoke damage and your homeowner or renter insurance (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)5

Can I clean up mold and a sewage smell myself in Jefferson County?

The Washington State Department of Health2 says to hire a cleaning professional if a moldy area has been contaminated by sewage or is in hidden places. If the home uses a septic system, Jefferson County Public Health4 runs an On-Site Sewage Program. For other environmental health concerns, Jefferson County Public Health can be reached at 360-385-9400.

Who do I call when someone dies at home in Port Townsend?

In Jefferson County, the Prosecuting Attorney's Office1 serves as coroner, and the coroner's role is to determine cause and manner of death. Its public number is 360-385-9180. Cleanup and odor work can only start after the home is released.

Sources

  1. Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney's Office (opens in a new tab)Jefferson County
  2. Washington State Department of Health (opens in a new tab)Washington State Department of Health
  3. DOH (opens in a new tab)Washington State Department of Health
  4. Jefferson County Public Health (opens in a new tab)Jefferson County Public Health
  5. Smoke damage and your homeowner or renter insurance (opens in a new tab)Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner

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