Grand Rapids and Kent County
Blood and bodily fluid cleanup
A fall, an injury or a medical emergency can leave more blood behind than anyone expects. When it has soaked into floors or furniture, it is a job for people with the right equipment.
Phones answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Why blood is treated as a biohazard
At home, that means a small, wiped-up spill on a sealed floor is one thing, and blood that has run into carpet, grout, mattress or the gaps in a wood floor is another. The second kind needs materials removed, the area disinfected and the waste bagged as a biohazard.
Places where blood cleanup is often needed
- Bathrooms and stairs after a fall.
- Bedrooms after a medical emergency or a death.
- Shops, offices and common areas after an injury on the job or an assault.
- Cars and trucks, covered on the vehicle page.
Questions
Common questions
Can bleach take care of it?
On hard, sealed surfaces, a disinfectant can work for small amounts. Porous materials hold fluids below the surface, which is why they are usually removed instead.
Does the business owner have obligations?
Employers whose staff could be exposed to blood are covered by OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). OSHA's page explains it.
Will the stain come out of the carpet?
Often the visible stain is the smaller problem. The pad and subfloor below are what the company will check.
Other situations
- Crime scene and trauma cleanupAfter a homicide, assault or other violent event, once police have released the home.Read more
- Unattended death cleanupWhen someone died at home and was not found for days or weeks.Read more
- Cleanup after a suicideSo that no family member has to clean the room themselves.Read more
- Hoarding with biohazardsHomes where clutter hides animal or human waste, rodents, spoiled food or used needles.Read more
- Disinfection after illness or rodentsRooms contaminated by rodent droppings, sewage-soaked materials or a sick person's fluids.Read more
- Vehicle biohazard cleanupBlood or bodily fluids in a car, truck or van after an injury, crime or death.Read more
Whenever you are ready
One call to find out what the cleanup involves
Nothing has to be decided tonight. Keep the room closed, keep children and pets out, and call when you want to hear the options from someone who does this work.
Speak with a cleanup company
Your call goes to an independent company that works in your ZIP code. Describe what happened, ask how they would handle it and how they set the price, then decide in your own time.
Call (616) 616-9979Phones answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded for quality. Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.