Blood Cleanup on Hard Floor Surfaces

Why you need professional blood cleanup

When blood spills onto a hard floor, the liquid follows the pull of gravity, finding the tiniest cracks and holes as it flows down through the layers. What is visible on the surface is nearly always just part of the problem. In our experience, we nearly always find a pool of blood below the floorboards as we clean through the layers. In the case of hardwoods and vinyl floors, it seeps into the porous wood as well as finds its way through seams into the layers below. The blood can then even soak through the subfloor onto the floor joists underneath the house or into the connection points with walls and doors. In the case of tiles, blood will flow through the grout onto the surfaces below whether that is a subfloor or a waterproof layer underneath a shower. Even if a pool of blood may seem small on the surface, the fluids have likely soaked through and spread out where you can’t see it.

Without proper remediation addressing all layers of infected materials, the blood poses a health risk, can damage the building’s structure, and emits a lasting odor. Improper cleanup also leaves the property owner legally liable for all future damages due to the blood spill. To protect both yourself and others, make sure the blood cleanup is professionally handled only by those with the required legal licenses and permits.

Bio SoCal provides critical support

At Bio SoCal, we are available 24/7 with an emergency response time of typically 60-90 minutes. A biohazard technician answers every call, providing critical support and guidance, answering your questions, and addressing any concerns. Then a biohazard team is quickly dispatched to your location to clean and disinfect the property. To know exactly what kind of help you need, Alan will ask a couple of questions:

• Has the scene been cleared by the police?
• Did the coroner put a coroner seal on the door?
• What is the relationship between the caller and the deceased?
  Property manager or family?
• Is the scene in an apartment, house, common area, backyard/deck, etc.?
• What type of incident was this (suicide, crime, unattended death, crime)?
• What type of instrument was used (gun, knife, rope, physical fight)?
• How long was it before the person was discovered?
• Is there an odor in the unit? How about flies, dead or alive?
• Who is the onsite contact person upon arrival?

The hard floor cleanup process

Upon arrival, our blood cleanup team establishes a meticulous protocol, including full personal protective equipment (PPE) and OSHA setup and breakdown procedures. We then remediate the scene layer by layer, conducting a thorough inspection to identify and address all biohazards. With hard floors, this may involve removing impacted materials such as floorboards and personal items. For insurance purposes, we also take photographs before, during, and after cleanup to document the process and justify the work done.

Examining each layer of flooring, we work our way through until we are sure all blood has been removed and all surfaces are disinfected. This can include floorboards, tile, grout, subfloors, as well as treating any affected floor joists. Once the cleanup is complete, a final inspection is conducted to ensure all biohazards have been addressed. An inventory of items removed is documented, and assistance with insurance claims is provided if the scene is extensive.

If flooring layers have been removed, you will then need to hire floor installers to replace the materials we removed. Depending on your specific insurance policy, property insurance will pay to have a company replace any materials that could not be salvaged and had to be disposed of as biohazardous waste.

Adherence to Regulations and Safety Protocols

Any individual or company undertaking the task of cleaning a trauma scene must hold a Trauma Scene Waste Management Practitioners License issued by the California Department of Public Health. This certification signifies their legal authorization to collect, transport, and dispose of regulated biohazard waste, relieving the property owner of liability for illegal disposal and potential fines.

Moreover, strict adherence to Cal/OSHA mandates for personal protective equipment (PPE), exposure control, decontamination procedures, and proper disposal of regulated medical waste is paramount. Given the unknown medical history of the deceased, including the potential presence of infectious diseases, the cleanup team faces inherent physical risks. Blood and bodily fluids can harbor various pathogens, with hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among the most common concerns.

Hard floor remediation in hoarded homes

Often, these cleanup scenarios are further complicated by hoarded environments, requiring a meticulous, layer-by-layer approach to ensure thorough remediation. Only professional biohazard cleaners such as Bio SoCal are properly equipped and experienced to deal with cleaning blood from hard floors in a hoarded home. In addition to working through the flooring layers, we also need to remove all infected personal belongings to access the areas needing disinfection and treatment. If you need hoarded home cleanup while we’re at the property, we also handle cleaning the hoarded property.

Bio SoCal is here for all biohazard incidents

When it comes to biohazard cleanup for blood on hard floor surfaces, count on us for a swift and efficient resolution in the event of a biohazard incident. We’ll help you navigate these challenging situations with confidence and ensure the well-being of everyone involved.

We Work With Your Homeowners and Auto Insurance Carriers