Getting rid of a lasting odor after a death, a hoarding situation or a sewage backup in Lacey means having a cleanup company find and remove the source, then deodorize the space and check the result. Biohazard Network can connect you with an independent local company that does this work; we do not clean or do the work ourselves, and you hire the company directly.
This page explains what the work involves, what happens first, how long it can take and what to ask before you hire anyone. For other situations, start with biohazard and trauma cleanup in Lacey.
What odor remediation involves
Odor remediation means removing the cause of an odor and treating the space so it does not return; remediation simply means fixing a problem at its source. The cause might be an unattended death, animal waste, smoke, a sewage backup, or a home where a person who hoards has kept many belongings. If that last situation is yours, hoarding cleanup in Lacey explains that process.
Why sprays and household cleaners fall short
Air fresheners and ordinary cleaners cover an odor for a while, but the source stays and the odor returns. The Washington State Department of Health1 (DOH) warns against painting or caulking over mold, and the same logic applies to odor: covering a problem does not remove it.
Why some materials may have to come out
Porous materials are materials that absorb liquid, such as carpet, carpet pad, drywall, upholstered furniture and wooden subfloor. Once fluids or sewage soak in, surface cleaning cannot reach the source, so the company may recommend removing and replacing them. Take photos before anything leaves the home. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) tells renters not to throw damaged things away yet, because the insurer may want to inspect them.
What happens first
If someone died in the home
A coroner is an official whose office investigates certain deaths; in Thurston County the coroner is elected. The Thurston County Coroner’s Office2 investigates sudden, violent, unexpected and suspicious deaths in the county, and its public line is (360) 867-2140. Police or the coroner control the home until they release it, and that scene release is the point when cleanup can begin. Deputy Coroners are in frequent contact with families and can help with questions about the death and next steps toward final arrangements. The Coroner’s Resources page also lists companies under the heading “Bio-Hazard Clean-Up Services.” More on this situation is on the unattended death cleanup in Lacey page.
What you do not need to do
You do not need to clean, scrub or air out the room yourself. Leave soaked items where they are and close the door if you can. If you see rodent droppings, DOH3 says not to vacuum or sweep, because people can be exposed to hantavirus by breathing dust stirred up from droppings. For a backup, see sewage and biohazard waste cleanup in Lacey; DOH says to hire a cleaning professional when mold has been contaminated by sewage.
What to expect from the company you hire
The crew should wear protective equipment such as gloves, eye protection and breathing protection. Ask how the company handles each step:
- Containment: sealing off the work area so contamination does not spread to other rooms.
- Removal: which materials it expects to take out, and why.
- Disinfection: treating surfaces with products that kill germs once affected material is gone.
- Deodorizing: odor treatment, done only after the source is removed.
- Checking: how it will confirm the odor is gone, and what happens if it returns.
- Records: photos and a written, itemized scope for your insurer.
Some removed material may be biomedical waste, which Washington law limits to listed types, such as discarded human blood, materials containing free-flowing blood, and sharps waste like used needles. Under Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission rules, a company that collects and hauls biomedical waste maintains an operating plan that must keep it separate from other solid waste until treatment or disposal. Ask who hauls the company’s biomedical waste, and ask about anything else that matters to you, such as discretion.
Before you hire
Ask each company whether its crew works under OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030 (bloodborne pathogens are germs carried in blood), and follows the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup from the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries. You can also look up a business yourself with 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
No company can give an honest timeline before it sees the property. These things add time:
- How long the source was there. The longer it went unnoticed, the deeper it may have reached.
- Porous materials. Odor held in a single rug is different from odor in pad, drywall and subfloor.
- Ventilation. A closed room holds odor longer. The Thurston County Public Health & Social Services Department4’s Mold & Ventilation page, part of its Healthy Homes program, offers information only.
- Restoration. Replacing drywall or subfloor is a separate stage; see how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration.
- Insurance. The OIC says you can ask whether a loss is covered without filing a claim, and that when a policy requires protecting the property from further damage, insurers have five business days to approve a mitigation scope.
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
Odor remediation in Lacey
Lacey is an incorporated city, home to Saint Martin’s University and to Huntamer Park on Woodland Square Loop SE downtown. If rebuilding follows cleanup, any permits go through the City of Lacey’s Community and Economic Development Department, which handles land use and construction permitting. Landlords with code questions can look to the city’s Code Enforcement Division, which performs general City code enforcement. Thurston County’s transportation system has more than 1,027 miles of roadway and 150 bridges, so ask any company where its crew is based and how it will reach you. For public health questions, the Thurston County Public Health & Social Services Department4’s line is 360-867-2500. County-wide information is on the Thurston 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.
- Thurston County Coroner (opens in a new tab)After a sudden or unexpected death, cleanup waits until this office is done.
- Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (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.