In Everett, decomposition odor soaks into soft and porous materials, so the source is removed before the air is treated. A lasting odor after a death, a hoarding situation, animal waste, smoke or a sewage backup in Everett goes away only when its source is found and removed, and the area is then cleaned, disinfected and deodorized in that order. If a death is involved, police or the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office1 must finish their work and release the home before anything else happens. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local company that does odor remediation; we do not do the work, and you hire the company directly.
If you are facing this, you may be tired, grieving or unsure where to start. Odor remediation means fixing the cause of an odor rather than hiding it. This page explains what that involves, what to ask, and what can make the work take longer.
Why fragrance and ordinary cleaners fall short
An odor that keeps returning means something is still feeding it. Sprays, candles and household cleaners only mask the air for a while, and the source stays in the material underneath.
Porous materials are things that soak up liquid, such as carpet, carpet pad, drywall, upholstered furniture and wooden subfloor. When fluids or moisture reach them, the source can settle deep inside, beyond the reach of surface cleaning. That is why a company may recommend cutting out some of these materials before any deodorizing starts. The Washington State Department of Health2 (DOH) makes a similar point on its page titled “Mold,” where it says not to paint or caulk over mold. Covering a problem only seals it in.
What happens first
If someone died in the home
A medical examiner is a public official who investigates certain deaths. In this county, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office1 determines the cause and manner of death of persons who die suddenly, violently, or unexpectedly while in apparent good health. Its investigators are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 425-438-6200, so you can call with questions about where things stand.
Scene release means police or the medical examiner have told you their work at the home is finished. No cleanup or odor work should begin before that. While you wait, the office’s Information Guide for Families answers common questions about next steps. It also keeps a Biohazard Cleanup Services list, which it says is for convenience only and not comprehensive, and being on or off that list is neither an endorsement nor disapproval. Our page on unattended death cleanup in Everett covers this situation in more depth.
What you do not need to do
You do not need to clean anything, and it is safer not to. Leave stained carpet, bedding and furniture in place. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner tells renters not to throw damaged things away yet, because the insurer may want to inspect them. If you see rodent droppings, DOH3’s “Hantavirus” page says to treat all droppings as infectious and not to stir up dust by vacuuming or sweeping.
For a sewage backup, the Snohomish County Health Department4 offers its Guidelines for Cleaning Indoor Sewage Spills, though it does not investigate indoor spills itself. DOH2 says to hire a cleaning professional if a moldy area has been contaminated by sewage or is in hidden places. See sewage and biohazard waste cleanup in Everett for that service.
What to expect from the company you hire
Ask the company to walk you through its plan before work starts. A sound plan covers these steps:
- Protective equipment. The crew wears gloves, suits and breathing protection. Bloodborne pathogens are germs carried in blood that can cause disease, and any area with body fluids is handled as if they are present.
- Containment. Containment means sealing off the work area with plastic sheeting so the source does not spread to clean rooms.
- Finding and removing the source. The crew checks under flooring and behind walls, then removes porous materials that cannot be saved.
- Disinfection. Disinfection means using a product that kills germs on a surface after visible material is cleaned away.
- Deodorizing last. Odor treatment comes only once the source is gone.
- Checking the result. Ask how the company will confirm the odor is gone and what happens if it returns.
- Disposal. Biomedical waste is a legal category in Washington that includes discarded human blood and sharps, meaning used needles, syringes and blades. Ask how it will be hauled away: a company that hauls solid waste for pay must first get a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.
- Records. Ask for photos, a written scope and an itemized invoice for 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 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
If discretion matters to you, such as unmarked vehicles, ask about it directly.
Before you hire, ask how the company’s work lines up with OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and with the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup, published by the IICRC, a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries. You can also look the business up yourself with the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business, and this site’s certifications guide explains what each of these means.
How long odor remediation takes
No company can promise a timeline before it sees the property. These factors decide the length of the job:
- How long the source was there. The longer it sat, the further it can travel into flooring, walls and furniture.
- How much porous material is affected. More removal means more time before deodorizing can start.
- Ventilation. Closed rooms with little airflow hold odor longer, and wet materials need time to dry.
- Whether restoration follows. Removed drywall or subfloor has to be rebuilt. In Everett, Permit Services (City of Everett Public Works) processes all required permits for construction in the city, so ask whether the repair needs one. Our guide to how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration explains that handoff.
- Decisions about belongings. In a hoarding situation, the person living in the home decides what to keep and what to let go, and that takes the time it takes. See hoarding cleanup in Everett.
Insurance can also shape the schedule. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner says you can ask your agent whether a loss is covered without filing a claim, and it warns that signing a contractor’s assignment of benefit form could affect your rights.
Odor remediation in Everett and Snohomish County
Everett is a first-class charter city with its own departments. If a problem at a nearby or rental property affects you, City of Everett Code Enforcement enforces parts of the Everett Municipal Code that address public health and safety issues, including nuisances. For mold or air questions, the Snohomish County Health Department4 has a Mold & Air Quality information page, but it does not test mold and has no indoor air quality program. Its Everett main office is at 425-339-5200.
If the family also has a property along the Mountain Loop Highway between Granite Falls and Darrington, that road has an annual winter closure, normally early November until the end of May, which can affect when a company can reach it. More on county resources is on the Snohomish County page, and city details are on the Everett 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.
- Snohomish County Medical Examiner (opens in a new tab)After a sudden or unexpected death, cleanup waits until this office is done.
- Snohomish 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.