Blood or other bodily fluid in Lakewood is cleaned up safely by an independent cleanup company whose crew wears protective equipment, removes materials that cannot be fully cleaned, disinfects what remains and sends the waste for regulated disposal. First, if police or the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office1 is involved, they control the area until they release it. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local company that does this work; it does not clean anything itself, and you hire the company directly.
If you are dealing with this after a fall, an injury at home, a medical emergency or a death where someone was present, nothing here asks you to clean anything. This page explains what the work involves and what to ask.
Why ordinary cleaning is not enough
A biohazard is biological material, such as blood, that can carry disease. Bloodborne pathogens are germs carried in blood that can cause serious illness, and they can also be present in OPIM, short for “other potentially infectious materials,” which covers certain other body fluids.
The harder problem is porous materials, meaning things with tiny openings that soak up liquid, such as carpet and padding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, drywall and unsealed wood. Fluid can pass through the top layer into the padding, subfloor or wall. A surface can look clean while contamination remains underneath.
This is not only a home problem. Cars need the same care, because seats and carpet absorb fluid, and so do shops and offices. If it happened at your business, bloodborne pathogens rules protect employees who might be exposed, so staff should not be asked to clean it up untrained.
What happens first
If anyone still needs medical help, that comes first. Scene release means the agency in charge, such as the police, has finished its work and says the space may be cleaned.
If someone died, a medical examiner may be involved. A medical examiner is a public official who investigates certain deaths. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office1 determines the cause and manner of death and investigates deaths in Pierce County that are under its jurisdiction and of concern to public health, safety and welfare. Not every death falls under its jurisdiction, so if you are unsure, you can call the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office at (253) 798-6494. Its family guidance says a person’s belongings, other than money, are released to the funeral home the legal next of kin chooses.
Until a company arrives:
- Do not wipe, scrub or spray anything, including with bleach.
- Do not move or throw away soaked items, bandages or towels.
- Keep children and pets out, and close the door if you can.
- Leave any sharps where they are. Sharps are needles, syringes, lancets and blades. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department2 publishes a brochure called Safely Remove Discarded Sharps and offers a sharps response kit.
Once the area is released, sooner is better, because fluid keeps moving into materials over time.
The process, step by step
Ask the company you hire to walk you through its own plan before work starts.
1. Assessment
The crew checks where fluid reached, including places you cannot see, such as under flooring or inside a seat. Ask for a written description of the work.
2. Containment
Containment means sealing off the work area, for example with plastic sheeting, so contamination does not spread. The crew wears protective equipment such as gloves, suits and eye protection.
3. Removal of porous materials
Materials that cannot be fully cleaned are cut out and bagged, such as a section of carpet and pad or a seat cushion. Ask which belongings can be cleaned, and say so if there is something you want to keep.
4. Cleaning and disinfection
Surfaces are cleaned, then disinfected. Disinfection means using a product that kills germs, not just removing what you can see. If an odor remains after the source is gone, ask about odor remediation.
5. Disposal of biomedical waste
Biomedical waste is a legal category of waste that needs special handling. Washington’s single state definition includes discarded human blood, materials containing free-flowing blood, and sharps waste. Here, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department2’s Infectious Waste Management program permits and inspects businesses that generate, transport or treat infectious waste. Under state transport rules, a company that collects, transports and disposes of biomedical waste must keep an operating plan that holds it separate from other solid waste until treatment or disposal. Ask the company who hauls and treats its waste.
6. Final check
The crew reviews the area before leaving. Ask how they confirm the job is done, and ask for photos, the written scope and an itemized record of what was removed. Homeowners insurance sometimes covers this work, and these records help when you talk with your insurer.
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 works3. Personal property coverage includes your furnishings and personal items, such as your TV, clothing and dishes, the same page says.
Usually not covered: Standard homeowner and renter policies exclude wear and tear: insurance covers sudden accidents, not ongoing issues, says the Insurance Commissioner’s smoke damage page, which lists what standard policies exclude4.
Ask your insurer: “Without filing a claim yet, can you tell me if my policy covers cleaning up blood or body fluids in my home, and what limits apply?” Source: Steps to take after home damage or a loss (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)5
How to check a company
When you call a company, ask whether it follows OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup, a standard from the IICRC (the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit group for the cleaning and restoration industries). You can also search the business 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.
Blood cleanup in Lakewood
Lakewood is an incorporated city, and its Planning and Public Works Department performs permitting, building inspections and development review. If drywall or subfloor is removed and must be rebuilt, ask whether the repair needs a permit from that department.
The local health department is the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department2, at (253) 649-1500.
If you also look after a property elsewhere in the county, location can affect timing. Leaving Ketron Island on the county ferry needs a reservation at least 60 minutes ahead, so mention the address when you first reach out to a company. For more, see biohazard cleanup in Pierce County and biohazard cleanup in Lakewood.
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.
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (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.