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Odor Remediation in Kent, WA

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A lasting odor after a death, a hoarding situation, animal waste, smoke or a sewage backup in Kent fades only when its source is found and removed, and the space is deodorized after that. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local cleanup company that you hire directly; we do not clean, remove or deodorize anything ourselves.

If you have just lost someone, or you are a landlord facing a home that needs more than ordinary cleaning, this page explains what odor remediation involves and what to ask.

Why sprays and ordinary cleaners do not work

Remediation means fixing a problem at its source rather than hiding it. A lasting odor comes from material that has soaked into the home. Sprays, candles and household cleaners cover the air for a while, but the source stays, so the odor returns.

Much of the problem sits in porous materials, meaning materials with tiny openings that absorb liquid, such as carpet, carpet pad, drywall and the subfloor (the wood layer under the flooring). Surface cleaning cannot reach liquid that has soaked into these layers, so affected sections may have to be cut out and replaced. The Washington State Department of Health1 (DOH) gives similar advice about mold: do not paint or caulk over it.

Some sources are also a biohazard, meaning material such as blood or body fluids that can carry bloodborne pathogens, the germs in blood that can cause disease.

What happens first

If someone died in the home

A medical examiner is the public office that investigates certain deaths. Here, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office investigates sudden, violent, unexpected, and suspicious deaths that occur in King County. Families are not charged for the investigation or examination. You can reach the King County Medical Examiner’s Office at 206-731-3232.

Scene release is the point when police or the medical examiner say they are finished and the home can be cleaned. Until then, do not clean, move items or throw anything away, and afterward keep people and pets out of affected rooms. The unattended death cleanup page covers this in more detail.

If the source is sewage, animals or a hoarding situation

No scene release is needed when no death is involved. Public Health – Seattle & King County2 offers information on sewage releases in Seattle and King County, on mold under indoor air quality, and on rodent complaints, though its mold page notes that it does not conduct mold assessments. DOH1 says to hire a professional when a moldy area has been contaminated by sewage. See sewage and biohazard waste cleanup.

Where rodents have been, DOH3 says to handle all droppings as if infectious and not to sweep or vacuum, and it notes that a dust mask does not protect against viruses. If your parent or another person who hoards lives in the home, ask the company to work around what the person decides to let go. More is on the hoarding cleanup page.

What to expect from the company you hire

Ask any company you call to explain each of these steps:

  • Protective equipment such as gloves, eye protection, breathing protection and coveralls.
  • Containment, meaning sealing off the work area so dust and particles do not spread to other rooms.
  • Source removal: taking out affected porous materials and items that cannot be saved, only after you agree.
  • Disinfection, meaning applying products that kill germs on the surfaces left behind.
  • Deodorizing, done only after the source is gone.
  • Checking the result: ask how the company confirms the odor is gone and what happens if it returns.
  • Disposal: biomedical waste is a category in state law that includes discarded blood, materials holding free-flowing blood, and used needles.
  • Records: ask for photos and a written list of what was removed. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner tells renters not to throw damaged things away yet, since the insurer may want to inspect them.

Before you hire anyone, ask how the crew follows OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard4, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup from the IICRC (the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit group for the cleaning and restoration industries). You can also check the business yourself with the Department of Labor & Industries5 (L&I) lookup, Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business5, and the certifications guide explains what to look for.

How long odor remediation takes

No one can give a fair estimate before seeing the home. These things can make the work longer:

  • How long the source was there. Material that sat longer can reach deeper into floors and walls.
  • How much porous material is affected. Subfloor or wall framing that absorbed liquid adds removal and treatment steps.
  • Ventilation. Rooms with little airflow can hold odor longer, and deodorizing may take more than one round.
  • The amount of belongings. In a hoarding situation, items are sorted with the person or family before the source can be reached.
  • Whether restoration follows. Rebuilding walls or floors is a separate stage, explained in how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration.
  • Waiting periods. Scene release, an insurance inspection and decisions about belongings all affect when work starts.

DOH1 says to clean and dry water-damaged carpets, clothing, bedding and upholstered furniture within 24 to 48 hours, or consider replacing them, which is one plain reason sooner is better. Ask the company for a written plan listing each stage and what could change it.

Odor remediation in Kent

Kent is an incorporated city, and its Economic and Community Development department runs the city’s Permit Center, so ask the company whether rebuilding after removal needs a permit. The steps on this page apply whether the home is near Meeker Street in downtown Kent or closer to the Green River Natural Resources Area, a wildlife sanctuary with trails and bird-viewing towers.

You can reach Public Health – Seattle & King County2 at 206-296-4600. If a relative’s home is on Vashon/Maury Island instead, it is reachable only by water; the Fauntleroy ferry terminal carries ferry riders between West Seattle, Vashon Island and the Kitsap Peninsula, so ask any company how it will get there.

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.

Odor remediation: every town we cover

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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 Kent

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 Kent

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 standard4, 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 Kent

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 Kent

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 Kent

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 Kent

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 Kent

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 Kent

Questions people ask

Who cleans up after someone dies at home in Kent, WA?

An independent cleanup company, hired directly by the family or property owner, does the cleanup and odor work. After release, the company's job is to remove affected materials, disinfect, and deodorize only once the source is gone.

Why does the smell come back after cleaning the carpet?

The smell comes back because its source is still in the home. Liquid can soak through carpet into the pad, drywall and subfloor, where surface cleaning cannot reach. Those sections may need to be cut out before deodorizing can work.

How long does it take to get rid of a death or sewage odor in a house?

There is no set time, and it depends on the home. How long the source was there, how much porous material absorbed it, how well the rooms are ventilated and whether rebuilding follows can all add steps. Ask the company for a written plan that lists each stage and what could change it.

Does homeowners insurance pay for odor removal after a death or sewage backup?

It depends on your policy. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner says dwelling coverage, usually standard on a homeowner policy, typically covers repairing or replacing a damaged home, but most homeowner policies don't cover gradual leaks. You can ask your agent or company whether a loss is covered without filing a claim, and the OIC says homeowners have the right to choose their own contractor for covered repairs.

Usually covered: If your home is on a sewer system, sewer backup coverage can be added to a home policy as an optional endorsement, says the Insurance Commissioner’s flood insurance page.

Usually not covered: A standard home policy does not cover sewer backup, but it can be added as an optional endorsement, says the Insurance Commissioner’s flood insurance page. If you rent, your landlord’s or property management company’s policy covers the building but not your belongings, says the Commissioner’s renter insurance page.

Ask your insurer: “Does my policy include a sewer backup endorsement, and does it cover this backup?” Source: Learn how home insurance works (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)

Sources

  1. Washington State Department of Health (opens in a new tab)Washington State Department of Health
  2. Public Health – Seattle & King County (opens in a new tab)King County
  3. DOH (opens in a new tab)Washington State Department of Health
  4. 29 CFR 1910.1030 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  5. Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business (opens in a new tab)Washington State Department of Labor & Industries

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