Undiscovered Death Clean Up - Bio-One is Here to Help

When violence or an unattended casualty occurs, recovery is the first and only thing family and friends should be concentrating on. The grieving process will take a lot out of a person and will affect a person’s judgment when attempting to handle other matters.

Unfortunately, when there’s a death in a home there are other matters that need to be addressed, such as the crime scene cleanup, the insurance coverage, what payments needs to be made and, in many cases, how those payments are going to be made.

Bio-One has worked with a number of families to get them the support they need, not only financially but emotionally as well.

Recently Bio-One was called to an unattended death cleanup in the Raleigh/Durham area. Not unlike every situation that involves a death, it was an emotional time for the family.

The Bio-One team moved quickly and was able to remediate and disinfect the area, but as the grieving process began for the family there were still issues that needed to be dealt with including insurance and payments. The family contacted their home insurance but unfortunately it wasn’t going to cover the entire cost of the unattended death cleanup. However, Bio-One helped the family contact area victim advocacy groups to offset the financial impact.

There are a number of victim advocacy groups in North Carolina that offer victim services, not only financial support but emotional support, such as counseling, support groups and case workers. Families need someone helping, supporting and offering guidance during this time.

Bio-One maintains close relationships with these groups and has contacted the advocacy groups on behalf of the victim’s family.

In the above case, Bio-One was able to contact a victim’s advocacy group who helped the family by paying a portion of what was owed for the cleanup.

For those areas that don’t have an area advocacy group available, there are national advocacy groups including the National Organization for Victim Assistance and the National Center for Victims of Crime.

If you need help, contact Bio-One today. We will assist you every step of the way. To discuss resources or our services, call today, 919.800.9435.

Jason Widen is the owner of Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding. We offer trauma, mold and hoarding cleanup services including biohazard, blood cleanup, suicide/homicide, feces & bodily fluid, animal waste, undiscovered death, and mold testing & remediation.

We proudly serve North Carolina’s Triangle and surrounding areas including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, Clayton, Carrboro, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Hillsborough, Mebane, Morrisville, Wake Forest, and Wendell; as well as the following counties; Wake County, Durham County, Cumberland County, Guilford County, Orange County, Chatham County, Harnett County, Johnston County, Nash County, Franklin County and Pill County. We also provide services to Greensboro and other areas throughout North Carolina.

Bio-One Inc. is the world's first crime scene cleaning franchise. Nationally respected and locally owned, Bio-One has earned its reputation through being trusted to handle the Mandalay Bay mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016, and consulted on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. In 2019, Bio-One was once again included in the best and most comprehensive franchise ranking list – Entrepreneur Magazine

We often forget about the people left behind in the wake of a homicide. News stories reveal who died but often fail to identify how their death impacts their loved ones. When someone is murdered, their family, friends and significant others endure one of the most traumatic experiences that anyone can face. These survivors are some of the least researched crime victims in America, and they are everywhere. According to the most recent FBI data, 16,214 Americans were murdered in 2018. For every one of those individuals an average of 7 to 10 relatives were severely impacted, according to an estimate by Lu Redmond, a homicide grief expert.

If the murder rate remains consistent, Redmond’s estimate means between 113,000 and 162,000 Americans will become homicide survivors each year. That’s in addition to the pool of survivors who already lost loved ones in previous years. Though the lack of research makes it impossible to quantify how many total homicide survivors there are in America, the number is high enough to warrant concern for how they are treated by health professionals.

For survivors, the grieving process is almost impossible to endure. Though loved ones will grieve in different ways depending on their relationship with the victim, the loss is shocking, unimaginable and absolute. They never had a chance to say goodbye to their loved one, and the plans they both shared will never come to fruition. This realization may be sudden. In some cases, it may take years. Some survivors find it difficult to accept a loved one’s death at first, resulting in a delayed reaction that is triggered by a situation that reminds them of the victim. According to the National Center of Victims of Crime, grief symptoms include shock, disbelief, numbness, changes in appetite and sleeping patterns, difficulty concentrating, anger, confusion, increased anxiety and fear. Financial loss, depression and family conflict are also common symptoms.

Discovering a murdered loved one in the home can trigger post traumatic stress disorder. After the first responders leave the scene, some survivors may feel compelled to clean up the aftermath themselves. Confused that the paramedics don’t complete this work, they may think the cleanup process is their responsibility and act immediately. After all, they want to restore the scene as quickly as possible. Operating in a state of shock, they’ll remove the blood stains, body tissue and contaminated materials from the home without recognizing the threat to their physical and mental health. In addition to exposing their body to dangerous bloodborne pathogens, survivors may experience traumatic flashbacks of the experience in the future and suffer from heightened anxiety and emotional numbness. These PTSD symptoms prolong the recovery process, making it even more difficult for survivors to cope with their new lives.

Bio-One works with communities across the nation to avoid this outcome. We employ certified technicians that respond to scenes of violent crime and clean up dangerous biohazards that pose a threat to you and your family. When we receive a request for our services, we’ll send a team to the job site within an hour to assess your situation and perform a comprehensive cleaning solution that restores the property. Our powerful, environmentally friendly chemicals eradicate harmful pathogens that spread Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV, giving you assurance that you will be safe long after the area is decontaminated. We’ll dispose of the infected materials that cannot be salvaged and replace flooring and other furnishings if we need to. Once the area is thoroughly cleaned, we’ll return it to its pre-incident state so you can focus on recovering.

We conduct this work because we want to help people who have been left to deal with a difficult, painful task. That’s why our company motto is “Help first, business second.” We don’t ask for payment until after the job is complete because we want to remove the safety threat from your home as quickly as you do. Every person on our team will arrive on-site with an understanding of the trauma you are going through and a respect for your privacy and personal needs. Contact your local Bio-One office today and we’ll immediately connect you with a representative that can assist you. We are available 24/7/365.

Blood Cleanups - we aren't talking about a child's scraped knee or a bloody noise, but situations where there is a crime scene, such as a homicide or assault, undiscovered death or suicide. Once you have taken care of the victim and impacted family, it is time to turn to securely clean your property and remove any reminders left behind.

There are very specific and highly regulated laws for blood cleanup and the disposal of impacted items.

Blood Transmits Disease

You may not know a completed medical history and, for this reason, you might not know if someone has hepatitis or HIV. These and other viruses can remain active and present on surfaces long after visible blood or bio is gone. For instance, certain strains of E coli can survive, under certain conditions, anywhere from four days to four months. MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant virus can live outside the body for weeks. Norovirus can be transmitted by simply touching a contaminated surface.

Also, remember that rubber gloves and bleach might not fully protect you during cleanup. Our Bio-One Raleigh technicians use hospital-grade chemicals.

Not wearing proper protective gear or following protocols puts you at risk, as well as anyone who enters the space.

Maid And Housekeeping Service Can't Help

These services are a great option for getting out tough stains and general cleaning, however, cleaning up blood is not safe for anyone without proper training. In addition, sometimes cleaning blood out of carpet or other materials is not possible. And a wood floor may appear clean on the surface but if you don't test to see if blood has seeped through the wood to the sub floor, the disinfecting and odor remediation is not complete. Attempts to improperly clean may just spread pathogens to other areas of the property.

Still Think You Want To Give Blood Cleanup A Try

You can throw out a bloody bandage or tissue without a problem, however, a large blood cleanup project will require specialized disposal. You have to have the specific training and knowledge, plus the right equipment and permission, to safely dispose of biohazards such as blood and bodily fluids. Biohazard companies such as Bio-One Raleigh maintain the proper licenses and our process reflect the highest standards in rules and regulations.

Many serious health hazards are invisible to the naked eye. An area may be free of stains and other signs, but this doesn't mean that all biohazards have been removed. Hire a professional trauma cleaning company to be completely confident the area is clean and disinfectd. Companies like Bio-One Raleigh utilize specialized testing techniques to ensure the highest standards.

Contact us for more information or to schedule a free consultation. Call Bio-One Raleigh today, 24/7/365, and you will speak with one of the owners directly.

Karen & Rick Jacobs are the owners of Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding. We offer trauma, mold and hoarding cleanup services including biohazard, blood cleanup, suicide/homicide, feces & bodily fluid, animal waste, undiscovered death, and mold testing & remediation.

Although eight years have passed since the world’s top mental health experts classified hoarding as a unique compulsive disorder, the problem persists throughout the country. Researchers say that up to 20 million Americans suffer from this illness, which is described as an obsessive tendency to accumulate troves of objects with no practical value.Because hoarding is historically stigmatized and underdiagnosed, this number is likely a conservative estimate. Even more troubling, hoarding is expected to increase as the population ages and mortality rates rise. But the studies that dole out these numbers understandably focus on hoarders over other stakeholders in the community. Hoarders’ actions impact far more people than reflected in the data. Fires and collapsing structures caused by unstable hoarding situations jeopardize the safety of neighbors and government workers. Even animals suffer. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a quarter of a million animals are hoarded each year. But the people afflicted by the disorder’s worst consequences often live in the same household as the hoarder.

Families deteriorate as high levels of dysfunction, increased conflict and financial uncertainty hinder intimacy and devastate the emotional wellbeing of everyone in the home. Objects overwhelm the space and are guarded zealously by hoarders who are pathologically unable to discard anything they deem valuable. Hoarded items commonly include old newspapers, rotting food, cardboard boxes, pets, excessive piles of clothes and furniture that dominates the home. Space becomes constricted and practically unlivable, prompting hoarders to carve narrow passageways out of the clutter to navigate between rooms.

But despite the extreme measures’ hoarders take to endure these living conditions, the situation cannot be controlled. There is no space for shared activities among the family and no room to use necessary facilities like ovens, showers and beds. In fact, the concept of “space” alters entirely. Children may have to sleep on couches in the living room or in bed with parents to circumvent the clutter. Activities like eating, reading and sleeping are subject to the limitations of space and the normalcy of disorder.

The effect of living like this leads to feelings of isolation, depression and vulnerability. Confounded by the fact that the hoarding family member is usually controlling, stubborn and sensitive to criticism, other people in the home often feel undervalued and powerless. Any attempts to remove the clutter are met with fierce opposition and outrage by the hoarder, who suffers from severe distress when confronted with the notion of losing their valuables. Aware of these consequences, the family usually lives in isolation, refusing to invite friends and relatives over to the home out of embarrassment. These claustrophobic conditions extend to the mind, which is overwhelmed by feelings of frustration, helplessness and anxiety. Financial strains ensue as the hoarder spends money on items that have no discernable value to other family members. As the acquisition of objects greatly outweighs the removal of other objects, credit limits are reached and space disappears, leading to home maintenance fees, financial debt and increasingly frequent family altercations.

Onlooking children often find themselves torn between parents in these situations. Child protective services may be invoked at some point, breaking up the family and degrading the bond between child and parent even further. This possibility weighs heavily on the minds of older children, who often feel compelled to silence for fear that they will be relocated by the authorities. Child protective services are often justified in removing them from the home. Households governed by an extreme hoarder are vulnerable to disease, air pollutants, pests and fires. Children in these homes also face stunted social and cognitive growth as they endure harsh living conditions and parental strife. Moreover, research indicates that hoarding behaviors are learned and adopted by the children of hoarders, who may subsequently pass these tendencies down to their own kids.

The strains that hoarding places on families illustrates why reaching out for help is so important. If you or a loved one are affected by this destructive disorder, please contact Bio-One for assistance. We remediate homes affected by hoarding on a daily basis and can connect you with tools that can help. We are on standby 24/7/365.

Six percent of Americans suffer from compulsive hoarding. That means 19 million people are incapable of controlling the clutter that they compile in their homes, and face distress when their valuables—often trash and rotting food—are thrown out. This figure is a conservative estimate. Although the problem is referenced repeatedly throughout history, hoarding is underdiagnosed and misunderstood. Indeed, famed poet Dante Alighieri described hoarding as a sin in his Divine Comedy during the 14th century. In 1947, wealthy New Yorkers Homer and Langley Collyer gained national attention when they were found dead beneath mounds of trash in their Harlem apartment. After years of studying the problem as a type of obsessive compulsion disorder, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders finally classified hoarding as a distinct mental illness in 2013. Research on treating hoarders is still in development, but experts agree that cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective solution. But despite growing awareness, many Americans still think hoarding is a symptom of laziness. If hoarders would just take the initiative to clean up after themselves, the argument goes, they wouldn’t run into problems in the first place. These assumptions neglect the fact that hoarding is a cognitive impairment. Because hoarders resist outside efforts to assist them, finding a solution is extremely challenging. This situation should not be taken lightly. The prevalence of the disorder across the country poses a serious public health hazard. Hoarders threaten both themselves and the neighborhoods they live in because of the dangerous conditions that arise when their homes are overflowing with trash—and in some cases—live animals. Sadly, they are often unaware of the precariousness of their lifestyle. Though researchers have yet to comprehensively study the frequency of hoarding-related deaths, the potential for a tragic outcome is clear.

Fire hazards are perhaps the most immediate threats to life and the surrounding community. Combustible items like books, clothes and newspapers are often stacked in enormous piles throughout the home, making it difficult for people to move around. When space becomes limited, hoarders convert heating appliances like stoves, microwaves and fireplaces into storage vessels, increasing the likelihood of an outbreak significantly. If a fire ignites, whether from a cigarette end or an electrical malfunction, it will spread rapidly, feeding off the copious amounts of clutter scattered throughout the home. Hoarders caught in the crisis will not be able to reach an exit without navigating the mounds of trash that line their walls and floors. If unsuccessful, first responders will need to find them in the blaze—a task that may be impossible. Exits and entrances are often blocked off, slowing the efforts of firefighters trying to enter the building. When they make it inside, they will have to navigate heaps of trash amid flames and smoke to rescue the homeowner. The odds of reaching them in time are low.

Because these homes are nearly impossible to maneuver, hoarders create narrow trails, known as “goat paths,” to help them cross into other rooms . In addition to slowing down movement during a fire, these paths are susceptible to deadly tripping hazards—especially for the elderly, who disproportionately suffer from compulsive hoarding. Objects stacked on mounds of garbage are unstable. If something drops to the floor and obstructs the walking path, an unsuspecting homeowner may fall and hurt themselves. Older individuals are more likely to become trapped in these passageways. But because hoarding is associated with loneliness and depression, they’re likely to be by themselves and unable to call for help. Heavy objects can also fall from these heaps of garbage and strike someone on the head, causing serious injuries.

Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding helps prevent hoarding tragedies before they happen. Please contact us if you know a loved one suffering from hoarding and we can connect you with the resources to assist them. We are on standby day and night, every day of the year

When should you call a Crime Scene Cleanup company?

Because a violent crime and serious accidents are mainly out of the ordinary, most people are not prepared or have plans in place. At times, the services of a skilled remediation and biohazard company, like Bio-One Raleigh, may be needed. In general, the answer is “if you do not feel comfortable or safe cleaning it up yourself, you should call a professional cleanup company.” In so many instances, family members and friends cannot emotionally handle cleaning up after a traumatic event.

Equally important, employees, family members, and friends generally do not have the right tools—or experience–to ensure that blood and other biohazards are cleaned properly. If they are not cleaned properly, odors and diseases/bacteria can linger as unwanted reminders of the traumatic event. If proper protection is not used, individuals doing the clean-up, and others with whom they come into contact, can be in danger of being injured or becoming ill.

Homicide or Suicide

A homicide or suicide in your home is a traumatic event, blood and other bodily fluids can contaminate parts of the scene, including floors and walls, doors, and even personal possessions. The problem can be compounded by law enforcement and investigators after the event. Anything from tear gas to forensic chemicals might be present, and many of these substances can be hazardous. That’s why it’s important to have the area quickly cleaned and thoroughly disinfectd by professional trauma cleaners.

Unattended Death

At times, a death may occur without anyone discovering it. Days, weeks, or even months can pass. Decomposition of a corpse begins very quickly, and in some cases the presence of a body can start to affect a room within hours of the event. The results are often strong odors, stains, and dangerous bacteria, all of which are considered biohazards.

Communicable Diseases are a Risk

Diseases such as Hepatitis B, C. diff, and Salmonella are highly dangerous and potentially life threatening. If the incident involves a serious illness, typical household cleaning methods may possibly spread the contamination further. We make sure that when we step into your home, we are ready to protect your family as well as ensure that our employees remain safe while they do their jobs. Bio-One Raleigh technicians are trained to use specialized PPE to protect themselves from potential hazards on the job; they are also informed of local and federal rules that impact the cleaning and disposal of materials from the site of a biohazardous situation.

In Industrial Areas

The need for clean-up isn’t just restricted to the home. Accidents happen in workplaces too, and industrial accidents can lead to biohazards that put everyone at risk. A professional cleaning company will comply with regulatory standards such as lock out tag out, and will help get things running smoothly again.

Call Bio-One Raleigh today. Our Help First, Business Second motto is one we live by, especially in these sensitive situations. We are available 24/7/365 and you will always speak with one of the owners; not a call center.

If you hear fluttering, squeaking and other strange noises in the night, you likely have unwelcome guests living behind your walls. Bats are among the most troublesome. Because most species are endangered, federal law prevents you from harming or killing them. That means you cannot seal off entry points in your home while they are roosting inside. Doing so jeopardizes the safety of young bats who do not know how to fly. In lieu of starving to death, the adults will force themselves into your living space out of desperation, resulting in an unsettling experience for you and an often-fatal encounter for them. The complexities of removing them from your home make it easy to pass the problem off for another day. But you’ll want to act quickly. While bats are helpful to humans for controlling bug populations and stymieing the spread of the fatal mosquito borne Zika virus, they are dangerous. But not in the way you might think. Only about six percent of bats carry rabies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and they hardly ever attack people .The far greater risk to your health comes from guano—or bat excrement.

Guano are black, shiny pellets that crumble to the touch. You’ll find them directly underneath a roost and around entry points, and they’re usually accompanied by dark, muddy-looking urine stains. Because bats eat a third of their body weight in insects each day, they can produce voluminous heaps of excrement in just a couple of weeks. The size of the buildup depends on the number of bats in your home and the length of time they are unattended. In severe cases, these piles will grow several feet high. But if you have large masses of guano in your home, it will become apparent quickly. An overwhelming odor, distinct to bat guano, will emanate from the roost and attract other invasive pests, like cockroaches and beetles.

A few scattered pellets can be swept up without a problem. But when guano pile up, they become a culture medium for fungi. When unaware homeowners try to remove these crumbling heaps of feces, noxious spores that cause histoplasmosis—a life-threatening lung disease—are released into the air and inhaled. Fortunately, not everyone who contracts the disease will exhibit any symptoms. A strong immune system will usually kill the bacteria before a virus develops and the infected person will move on with their life not knowing that their body had been fighting a fungal disease. But people with weakened immune systems, like small children, the elderly and AIDS patients, are especially vulnerable. Early symptoms are closely associated with the flu. In two to three weeks, fever, chills, muscle pain and headaches will set in. But people who do not reach out for help may begin to exhibit alarming respiratory symptoms. Shortness of breath, fatigue and chest pain ensues, with the problem worsening until the lungs fail. Histoplasmosis can be treated effectively with prescribed anti-fungal medication if the infected person seeks a doctor quickly enough. But because of the health risk, homeowners are advised not to clean up guano themselves. Untrained and unwary cleaners will easily inhale spores while working in the narrow spaces that bats occupy. In some cases, they spread through the ventilation system and put everyone in the house at risk. Because of the size of the task, you’re better off hiring guano remediation specialists.

Bio-One Raleigh cover the entire Triangle and surrounding area and has the equipment, the experience and the expertise to get the job done right. Our technicians will remove guano, urination stains and odors from your home for the most affordable price in the industry. We’ll also comprehensively disinfect the property to eliminate lingering bacterial threats. Contact us today and we’ll get the job done within a 24-hour window. Our offices never close.

The Journal

Oct 19, 2019 by Gail Gilman

You may have seen reality TV shows about people who hoard mail, gadgets, cats, and even trash. Or, maybe for you, the reality is a little closer. It could be a neighbor or a family member.

When people aren’t able to throw things away, piles can grow to the ceiling. These piles can make it impossible to use bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens.

The piles may fall over, trap, and injure people. They can catch on fire. Cluttered homes and yards may attract pests. Neighbors may call the police. Parents may lose custody of children.

People don’t choose to be hoarders. And they aren’t being sloppy or lazy. “This is a very real mental disorder,” says hoarding disorder expert Dr. David F. Tolin of Hartford Hospital’s Institute of Living. “It is important to recognize that people with hoarding disorder have lost control of their decision-making abilities.”

Tolin’s research suggests why it’s hard for people with this disorder to part with items, even things with no real-world value. He found that brain activity was different between people with hoarding disorder and healthy people.

“We’re always puzzled by the fact that many people with hoarding disorder often don’t seem terribly bothered by their circumstance,” he says. “If they don’t have to make a decision, the parts of their brain that are largely in charge of becoming bothered are underactive.”

If they are forced to decide about whether to discard something, that part of the brain becomes overactive. “And so, the brain is essentially screaming that everything is important.”

Doctors don’t know what causes hoarding disorder. There’s no X-ray or blood test for a diagnosis. Instead, doctors assess how well people are functioning in their lives.

Hoarding disorder can start during a person’s teens or later. It may grow more severe over the decades.

Try not to start an argument. “If a person is not really motivated to do something about the problem, they can dig in their heels. Arguing can even make the problem worse,” Tolin warns.

There’s no effective medication for hoarding disorder, although studies are in progress. Tolin says, “Right now, cognitive behavioral therapy is the only evidence-based treatment we have for hoarding.” This is a type of talk therapy that teaches people how to change their thinking patterns and react differently to situations.

Tolin’s team hopes to improve cognitive behavioral therapy so that it’s even better at helping people to discard items. They’re analyzing the brain activities of people before and after they’re successfully treated for hoarding disorder. If the research team can identify the biological mechanisms of successful treatments, they may be able to develop treatments that are even better.

Some people with hoarding disorder are helped by joining a support group with others who have the disorder. There are also organizing professionals who specialize in helping people get rid of clutter.

How to Help a Person Who Hoards

Explain why you’re concerned:

“I’m worried that you could fall or become trapped.”

“I’m concerned that you may lose custody of your children.”

“I’m afraid your home will catch on fire.”

Then say how to get help:

“I can help you find a therapist who specializes in hoarding.”

“We can look for a self-help program on how to let things go.”

“We can find support groups for people who hoard.”

“We can ask the county for resources.”

Information adapted from article by National Institute of Mental Health, in the Caregiver Newsletter 2-8-18.

If you or your family member has progressed to the point that cleanup is a possibility, you may begin to feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin. Cleaning out a hoarder's home is difficult and, in some, cases it can even be dangerous.

It is best to hire professional help for a hoarding cleanup. Bio-One Raleigh and Raleigh Hoarding is a trusted Triangle hoarding cleanup specialist services Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, Cary, Apex, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Fayetteville and the entire surrounding areas.

Our compassionate, professional team has helped people reclaim their homes from this condition. We don't just show up with shovels and dumpsters and start emptying the home. We work closely with the homeowner and family. The Bio-One Raleigh team is committed to making our clients feel safe and comfortable throughout the process.

Trust the hoarding cleanup to professionals.

Contact Bio-One Raleigh today at 919.800.9435 or info@biooneraleigh.com.

Don’t let it ruin your Real Estate Sale.

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An unattended death occurs in solitude. It often takes several days before somebody suspects that something is wrong. Sometimes it takes weeks, months and even years. When phone calls, text messages and emails go unanswered, friends, family members and landlords check in on the person at home, only to find that they’ve passed. If you’ve been in this position, you’re not alone. It happens more often than you might think.

Discovering an unattended death can be an emotionally wrenching experience. It’s even more traumatic when the victim is a loved one. Although you may feel obligated to clean up the remains yourself, there are several reasons why you shouldn’t do that.

For one, it’s dangerous. Body fluids from corpses release dangerous pathogens into the immediate area, creating a hazard for anyone without personal protective gear. To understand why this happens, you need to know how the decomposition process of the human body works. When someone dies, bacteria in the body lose the nutrients that keep them sustained. They look for other food sources to nourish themselves, and end up settling on the organs. These organs, which include the liver, the pancreas and the intestinal tract, are broken down with remarkable speed. To put this feeding process into perspective, there are trillions of bacteria in our bodies. That averages to about four pounds of bacteria for a 200-pound adult. Operating all at once, bacteria remove all the organs from the body within a 48-hour window.

Depending on the temperature and humidity of the room, the skin will begin to tear within this timeframe, allowing biohazardous materials to seep from the body. Rising pressure from the body’s gasses will quicken the process, releasing a terrible odor that’s often referred to as the stench of death. Sometimes, these gases will even cause the body to explode. As harmful pathogens pool on the floor, they release noxious gasses into the air, which can be inhaled through the nose and mouth. People who haven’t been trained to deal with biohazard remediation should remove themselves from the scene to escape these fumes and other threats from the decomposing body. Although it may not be obvious, people who approach a body without safety equipment risk exposing themselves to disease. Proper precautions must be taken, which brings us to another reason you shouldn’t embark on this endeavor yourself.

You likely don’t have the training or equipment to safely dispose of human remains. Gloves, goggles, respirators and body suits are necessary to protect yourself against airborne and bloodborne pathogens. But they’re not enough to keep you safe. Biohazard remediation follows a regimented process to disinfect the area safely and effectively. The chemicals allotted to clean decomposing bodies are regulated by the state. Thus, over-the-counter solutions simply aren’t powerful enough to remove and decontaminate body fluids soaked into the floor. While a surface may look clean, harmful pathogens will linger behind and pose a threat to others if the proper chemicals haven’t been used. Bio-One Raleigh hires certified technicians that have the training and materials to thoroughly disinfect and disinfect an area contaminated by biohazardous waste. Moreover, they carry chemicals that can effectively deodorize the scene, which often proves difficult to do for death odors.

You also don’t want to clean up human remains if you’re connected to the deceased. If you do so, you will only exacerbate your trauma and prolong your grief. Asking professionals to take care of the task will not only spare you additional anguish, it will leave you assured that the job is done right.

Bio-One Raleigh is available 24/7/365 to speak with you about undiscovered death remediation. We complete this work across the nation with compassion and confidentiality. Give us a call if you have any questions and we will help you.