A lasting odor after a death, a hoarding situation or a sewage backup in Renton goes away only when the source is found and removed, then the space is deodorized and checked. Biohazard Network can connect you with an independent local company that does this work; we do not do the work, and you hire the company directly.
This is hard to face, whether the home belonged to someone you love or to a tenant. Here is what the work involves and what to ask.
Why the source has to come out first
Odor remediation means removing the cause of a lasting odor rather than hiding it. The cause is physical: bodily fluids after an unattended death, animal waste, smoke residue, sewage, or belongings that have absorbed moisture over time in the home of a person who hoards. Sprays, candles and household cleaners only cover it for a while. The Washington State Department of Health1 (DOH) says not to paint or caulk over mold, and the same logic holds for any source: sealing over it leaves it in place.
Porous materials are materials with tiny openings that let liquid and air soak in, such as carpet, carpet pad, drywall and wood subfloor. Once fluid reaches them, surface cleaning cannot pull it back out, so the company may cut out and remove those sections. Deodorizing, which treats any odor left in the air and on hard surfaces, comes only after the source is gone.
What happens first
Whatever the cause, you do not need to clean anything yourself. Avoid spraying fragrance or cleaners on the area, which can make the source harder to trace.
If someone died in the home
A medical examiner is the public office that investigates deaths placed under its control by law. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office investigates sudden, violent, unexpected and suspicious deaths in King County, and it can be reached at 206-731-3232. Scene release is the moment investigators say they are finished and the family may arrange cleaning; odor work cannot start before then. Families are not charged for the investigation or examination, and personal effects collected go to the funeral home the family chooses, so ask the funeral home about personal items. The unattended death cleanup page goes into more detail.
If the source is sewage, mold or animals
Public Health – Seattle & King County2 has a page on Sewage releases in Seattle and King County, and a Mold page under indoor air quality that notes Public Health does not conduct mold assessments. If sewage has reached a moldy area, or mold is in hidden places, DOH1 says to hire a cleaning professional rather than tackle it yourself. With rodent droppings, DOH says not to vacuum or sweep, and to handle all of them as if infectious. See sewage and biohazard waste cleanup or hoarding cleanup if either fits.
What to expect from the company you hire
Expect the crew to wear protective equipment such as gloves, suits and breathing protection. It sets up containment, which means sealing off the work area so contamination does not spread to other rooms. Affected porous materials come out, and hard surfaces go through disinfection, meaning treatment with products that kill germs. Odor treatment follows, and you can ask how the company will confirm the result before any walls or floors are closed up.
Some removed material may be biomedical waste, which Washington law limits to listed types such as discarded human blood and materials containing free-flowing blood.
For insurance, ask for photos, a written scope of work and a list of what was removed. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner3 (OIC) says you can ask your agent or insurer whether a loss is covered without filing a claim, which makes a sensible first call. If mold is part of the problem, check your policy, because the OIC says many homeowner policies offer only limited mold coverage, and only when the mold results from a covered loss.
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 works4. 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
Before you hire anyone, ask which written practices the company’s crew follows, such as OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard (rules on germs carried in blood), 29 CFR 1910.1030, and the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup from the IICRC, a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries. You can also look the company up in the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business, and the certifications guide explains what each of these means.
How long odor remediation takes
It is hard to know how long the work will take until a company has seen the property. These factors make it longer:
- How long the source was there. The longer it sat, the deeper it can reach into the building.
- Porous materials. Removing carpet, pad, drywall or subfloor adds steps before deodorizing.
- Ventilation. Odor can move through air ducts and shared spaces, so more rooms may need treatment.
- Waiting on others. Scene release comes first, and if you are waiting on an insurer, it has 30 days from the date a claim is filed to inspect the damage.
- Restoration. Rebuilding after removal is separate work that follows.
Sooner is better for one plain reason: DOH1 says to clean and dry water-damaged carpets, bedding and upholstered furniture within 24 to 48 hours, or consider replacing them. The page on how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration explains that handoff.
Odor remediation in Renton
Because Renton is an incorporated city, permits and code questions go to the city. Its Community and Economic Development (CED) department leads land use planning and regulation and services for the development process. If rebuilding after drywall or subfloor removal needs a permit, ask CED’s Development Services division, which handles building permits. That holds whether the home is in the Renton Highlands, east of the city center, or in Kennydale, a neighborhood annexed into Renton.
If you also manage property elsewhere in King County, Vashon/Maury Island is reachable only by water, so ask any company whether it serves the island. For health questions, Public Health – Seattle & King County2’s main number is 206-296-4600. More is on the Renton page and the King County page.
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.
- King County Medical Examiner (opens in a new tab)After a sudden or unexpected death, cleanup waits until this office is done.
- Public Health – Seattle & King County (opens in a new tab)For local health questions, such as a home that was used as a drug lab.
- Washington Crime Victims Compensation Program (L&I) (opens in a new tab)If a crime happened, it may help with some costs, such as funeral expenses. It doesn't pay for cleanup.
- Verify a contractor (L&I lookup) (opens in a new tab)Look up whether a company is a registered contractor before work starts.
- Washington State Department of Health (opens in a new tab)State health rules, such as for drug lab cleanup and hantavirus.