Category: Blog

This month at The BIOClean Team we’re focusing on the crime scene cleanup part of our business. It’s not the one we talk about the most often, but it is a service we are proud to offer. This time on the blog we’ll talk about what exactly a crime scene cleanup job entails, how they come about, and more.

The What, Who, When, and How of Crime Scene Cleanup

What is Crime Scene Cleanup

Crime scene cleanup is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the cleaning and remediation of a location that has been the setting for a crime. In the course of these crimes occuring there is the potential for harmful contaminants like blood, bodily fluids getting into the surfaces of the space such as the walls, floors, subfloors, etc. The blood and fluid can be home to bloodborne pathogens. Those pathogens can make whoever lives in that space sick, even months later so getting it professionally cleaned and remediated right away is of the utmost importance for safety.

Who Needs Crime Scene Cleanup

The usual clients who call for crime scene cleanup are the home/property owners of the place where a crime has been committed. It’s important to remember that it isn’t the magnitude of the crime that denotes needing a crime scene cleaner, it doesn’t have to be a particularly ‘bad’ crime to need our services. 

It just needs to have created an environment that is hazardous, without biohazardous material being left behind. Even something as relatively “low stakes” as a breaking and entering could necessitate a professional to come out if the burglar cut their hand on a glass window or something. That could feasibly leave a puddle of blood or smears around the home. If the home was unoccupied at the time and found later the blood could have made for a more hazardous environment as the material was allowed to seep into the materials.

When to Call for Crime Scene Cleanup

Anytime you’re the victim of a crime and there’s a mess left behind! You can never be too careful when it comes to things like potential biohazards! 

How Do We Tackle Crime Scene Cleanups

After Law Enforcement, EMS and the Coroner leaves the crime scene, family members, property managers and business owners are faced with the daunting task of cleaning up after the traumatic event. Having a compassionate, discreet and locally available company to clean the scene helps grieving family or affected businesses move forward safely and efficiently.

Our highly trained BIOClean Team technicians will arrive in discreet vehicles and provide comprehensive cleaning services, out of sight of neighbors and onlookers. If the crime scene is in plain sight, we do have the ability to set up large containment partitions and will do our best to be as discreet as the scene allows. BIOClean Team technicians will never speak with the media.

From there, there are two key pieces of the cleanup process:  Containment and then Cleaning/Removal

The contaminated area is framed off  to control where the contamination might spread. If the blood, bodily fluids, etc. can be kept from contaminating surfaces further that is the first step in a solid cleanup plan. 

When the situation has been contained, it’s time to start the cleanup. First, any obvious debris, objects that can’t be cleaned, dirt, and biohazardous waste (blood, fluids) are removed and safely disposed of. Then it’s time for disinfecting! Using the proper cleaners, disinfectants, and other tools, we clear away any remnants of the contamination. Afterward we can use deodorizers to ensure there’s no lasting smell.

After a crime, the last thing the victims and family need to worry about is who is going to clean up. Call The BIOClean Team – We’re Here to Help

 

• Most Crime Scene Cleanups are Covered by Insurance
• No Out-of-Pocket Costs in Most Cases
• We offer FAST 24/7/365 Service
• We are Locally Owned & Operated
• We are Licensed by CA Dept. of Public Health

The BIOClean Team also provides services for the following tragic events, such as:

• Suicides
• Homicides
• Traumatic Accidents
• Accidental Death
• Undiscovered or Unattended Death
• Fatal Accidents

 

Call Today

This time on the BIOClean Team blog we’re taking it back to basics and addressing one of the most common aspects of our work. How to clean up blood. Whether it’s a little or a lot, blood requires specific attention lest it become a much worse problem down the line. So if you have a blood splatter on your shirt or a larger stain on the floor – BIOClean has your back!

How to Clean Up Blood

Cleaning up blood is crucial for health and safety. Blood is infectious, which means it’s a vector for pathogens such as Hepatitis, HIV, and other pathogens to transmit through. Blood-borne viruses can live in blood for multiple days. For instance, Hepatitis B virus can live in the blood for up to one week. These and other viruses can remain active and present on surfaces long after visible blood or bio is gone. Surfaces contaminated with blood or other body fluids should be thoroughly disinfected and tested by a qualified biohazard company. 

Cleaning up after blood is critical, and it’s not something you can do without the proper tools which means using PPE, correct disinfectants, and safety precautions. That means:

• disinfectant 
• personal protective equipment such as gloves
• red biohazard bags
• biohazard labels
• brush and dustpan or tongs
• disinfectant wipes
• towels/cloth

You might potentially need a sharps container as well, depending on the nature of the mess.

With those at the ready, here’s how you clean up blood spills.

First – Get set up with your PPE.

Second – Clear away any debris around the blood. If there’s broken glass or shards, use the dustpan or tongs to remove them.

Third – Cover the blood with an absorbent towel or cloth and allow it to soak up as much of the excess blood. Discard the towel in the biohazard bags

Fourth – Apply the disinfectant as indicated. Allow it to dwell for the required length of time.

Fifth – Scrub, working the area with wipes or towels working from the outside of the spill inward.

Afterward dispose of any waste and used products, disinfectant and clean any of the reusable equipment (such as the dustpan or tongs) and wash your hands.

If this spill occurred at work, you’re likely required to report the incident so do so.

How to Clean Blood Stain

If the blood in question has already hit fabric and started to stain it’s time to act fast! 

Two Big Ideas to Follow

• Act Fast
• Don’t Use Warm Water

The sooner you attend to it the easier it will be to clean and using warm water or heat of any kind is strictly a no-no – the heat will cause the stain to set. With those two principles in mind, here’s how you can remove blood stains from fabric with a product you already have in your medicine cabinet!

You’ll Need

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Paper towel or clean cloth

First – Test the hydrogen peroxide in a small spot to ensure it won’t discolor your fabric. 

Second – Splash the hydrogen peroxide on the stain and let it sit. 

Third – Let the peroxide sit and work it’s magic. Dwell time!

Fourth – Dab with the clean cloth, starting on the outside of the stain and moving inward.

Repeat as necessary.

Once the stain has been removed you can wash the clothing/fabric as normal.

Hydrogen peroxide is a great first step in cleaning the stains because its a very light form of bleach. If the stain doesn’t come out with it, you can test a few other cleaners including dishwashing liquid, ammonia, baking soda, or use a cleaner made specifically for that purpose, in which case you want to follow the manufacturer’s instructions by the letter for best results and safety.

 

How to Clean Up Blood Poolside

It’s the summer and pool parties are everywhere! The rough housing, horseplay, slippery surfaces, and, let’s face it, the likelihood for alcohol to be involved makes for a recipe for a tumble and potential injury. If your have to clean up some blood from around your pool here’s what to do!

First, make a simple bleach solution using 9 parts water to 1 part bleach. If you are using some other specific disinfectants, always follow the information and instructions on the label!

Clean-up Procedure Using Bleach Solution 

1. Block off the area to prevent anybody from making a mess or getting infected.
2. Put on disposable gloves to protect yourself.
3. Use paper towels, or other absorbent material to wipe up the blood. Place these directly into a garbage bag.
4. Pour the bleach onto the contaminated areas.
5. Let it work! Dwell time is the most critical piece of disinfecting!
6. Wipe up the bleach solution.
7. Remove gloves and place them, along with all other disposable soiled cleaning materials into the garbage bags.
8. Any non-disposable tools such as mops or brushes should be saturated in the bleach solution and left to air dry.
9. Double-bag and secure the garbage bags and throw them away.

 

The other option? Calling in the experts with the skills, equipment, and confidence to clean and disinfect the area. If you have a blood clean-up job that needs taking care of, just make one quick call. Available 24/7 The BIOClean Team is here to help!

Call Today!

Lately, we have been talking at length about the dangers of hoarding, the work required to remediate and clean a hoarding situation, and took a look at the psychology behind hoarding to try and answer ‘Why do people hoard?’ This time it’s time to look at the other side of it all, what happens when your home has been cleared of clutter and waste, and how you can reclaim your home!

Your Home – A Mental and Physical Space

Homes are symbolic. The physical space representative of our mental space, whether we know it or not. They are expressions and extensions of ourselves, again, whether we know it or not. And that link flows both ways! Our identity informs our spaces, and our spaces inform our identities. Or if you prefer, the external(home) informs the internal (mind). With that in mind, you can see how hoarding can be a vicious cycle to your mental wellbeing. 

Once your home has been cleared and cleaned from hoarding, you are effectively getting a blank slate to start with so follow these tips to start off right!

 

First, Fix What’s Broken and Finish Projects

Further evidence of the connection between home and health – UCLA conducted a study that found families who lived in a home that had things in need of repair, unfinished home improvement projects, etc. were more likely to have weaker cortisol recovery rates than those without. Even if they don’t know they’re thinking about it, their bodies are holding on to that stress of an unfinished thing. So that’s the first step! Repair what needs fixing, finish lingering projects and you’ll have a good base to work from.

Create a Vibe with Color and Light

Color therapy is a pretty popular idea that suggests that certain colors equate with certain feelings. To put it at its most basic (we are a cleaning company not a chromotherapist after all!) it goes like this. The color of something can affect moods through the wavelength of light they reflect. For instance, red has the longest wavelength of light, that’s just science, but the next step is looking at that long wavelength and how it would require the eye to adjust more to capture it, thus stimulating the mind and energy. On the opposite side of the (color) spectrum are blues, a shorter wavelength that makes for a calmer vibe. 

You can use lights to a similar effect! Natural light is great and does great things for our health when we’re able to soak up some Vitamin D. But too much can be a problem too! Use window coverings like shades to soften the light when there’s too much. You can even buy lightbulbs that mimic the exact type of light you’re looking for. Each lightbulb should have a kelvin rating from 1-10,000. The lower the rating, the softer the light will appear, allowing you to choose which rooms have a cozier feel and which are made to mimic the bright light of day.

Putting color and lighting to purposeful work for you might be just what the doctor ordered.

 

Furniture for Functions

After a hoarding situation, it’s likely you need new furniture entirely, so why not pick some pieces that will build and encourage something nurturing? For many people their living rooms are furnished with chairs and couches that are positioned around the TV. When you sit on the couch, the focus is placed on that, and without realizing it that becomes the sole purpose of that room. People can sit in the same room and never engage with each other. Sometimes that’s fine, but socialization, emotional connection, and bonding are hugely important (something we’ve all probably learned over the past year!) 

With that in might, why not select and place furniture in a way that encourages what you want and love in life! If you enjoy chit chat over coffee, place couches facing each other with a table in the middle to hold your cup of Joe. Set up chairs on the patio to encourage sitting and talking. Figure out what you enjoy and what would make you happier, and how having the right set up of furniture could encourage that.

 

Not quite at this stage yet? Still have rooms of clutter that need to be tossed first? The BIOClean Team is here to help clear those spaces and give you a fresh start.

Call today!

Last time we took a look at answering why people hoard in depth. This time on the BIOClean Team blog we’re going to be doing a rapid-fire response FAQ, to answer any lingering questions you may have about hoarding. 

Note: It’s important for us to disclaim – The BIOClean Team provides information but it is never a replacement or substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment from a professional. We do not intend it as such, and it is not implied to be a replacement for professional help.

How to Stop Hoarding?

Hoarding disorder is a real condition that can’t just be switched off like a light. Like other mental health disorders it requires professional treatment and assistance in diagnosing, identifying, and managing the triggers and symptoms.

How Many Animals is Considered Hoarding?

Some places may put a number on animals that  considered hoarding, such as over a dozen, but the simplest and clearest way to define animal hoarding is this:

• A person owning more than the normal number of animals
• The person being unable to provide the minimal standards of care for the animals (including nutrition, shelter, sanitation, and vet care)
• The person is in denial of their inability to provide this care and the impact it has on the animals, themselves, and the home.

To understand animal hoarding more in-depth, check out this article put together by the ASPCA.

How to Treat Hoarding?

So far, cognitive behavioral therapy seems to be the most effective treatment for those who suffer from hoarding disorder. It isn’t as effective as it can be in treating other disorders, but it’s something.

The American Psychological Association has an article for more information on treating hoarding disorder.

How to Deal with Hoarding Parents (or Grandparents, Uncles, Children, Siblings, etc.)?

When it comes to interacting with someone you worry suffers from hoarding disorder, it’s best to approach it from a place of compassion. Many of those who have hoarding disorder are aware that there is a problem, but feel ashamed and unable to break the cycle. Raise your concerns, avoid passing judgment, and offer help. Keep in mind they may be unwilling to change. Do your best to offer and suggest help, including treatment, but it is a difficult disorder to break free of.

How Does Hoarding Start?

We talked about this a bit last time, but it seems that hoarding typically starts in younger adults and the severity of it increases with age. Sometimes it starts with a traumatic life event that the person is unable to cope with. The hoarding starts with the person buying or otherwise acquiring items they don’t have obvious use for. Maybe an extra kitchen appliance because ‘It’s a deal!’ or ‘You never know!’ Both of these statements show that there isn’t an obvious need or purpose for the item, but the person is getting them anyway.

Why Are People Hoarding Toilet Paper?

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a worry that as things shut down, there’d be shortages of some necessities. Toilet paper seems to be the one that got singled out the most, as such more people bought excessive quantities of toilet paper, just in case. Because so many did this at once, it created an artificial scarcity – there was plenty of toilet paper to go around, but a larger number of people were buying it bulk to keep themselves stocked, making it harder for others to find and when they did find it, they were more inclined to purchase more to avoid running out again. It was a circle of artificially inflated demand.

But it wasn’t hoarding in the way that we handle hoarding cleanup. This wasn’t based on the hoarding disorder to be sure.

How to Cure Hoarding?

As mentioned earlier, hoarding disorder isn’t fully understood and there doesn’t seem to be any cure for hoarding. The best hope is for treatment to help manage the behavior.

There’s one last thing to talk about when it comes to hoarding – the clean-up!

Hoarding creates dangerous environments to live in and to try and clean.  When it comes time to clear out the waste and clutter, seek the services of a professional and compassionate cleaning company. The BIOClean Team is just that. 

Need Help? Call The BIOClean Team Today

Last time on the BIOClean Team blog we talked about the dangers of a hoarding home, and how that behavior creates not just a cluttered environment but a hazardous one as well. For those who are searching out information about hoarding, a question that no doubt comes up as well is why. Why do people hoard? This time on the BIOClean Team blog we’re going to talk a bit about that.

Note: It’s important for us to disclaim – The BIOClean Team provides information but it is never a replacement or substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment from a professional. We do not intend it as such, and it is not implied.

Hoarding Disorder

Hoarding is a disorder that manifests as a difficulty in throwing away or parting with possessions due to a perceived need to save them. Someone with a hoarding disorder will experience real distress at the thought or suggestion of getting rid of the things they are hoarding.

The hoarding that takes place can range from mild to severe, from having little impact on daily life to completely changing the way the person lives. Those who have hoarding disorder frequently don’t see it as a problem, which makes treatment and support difficult. 

Causes of Hoarding Disorder

Hoarding is still not deeply understood. It’s not clear what is the cause of it, whether it’s genetic, stressful life events, or changes in brain functions – all of these are being studied as possible root causes for the disorder. 

While the cause of it is misunderstood there do seem to be some clear risk factors.

Risk Factors for Hoarding

Hoarding behavior can start to manifest as early as preteens, and generally will get worse with age. That said, hoarding is much more common in older adults than in young adults.

Risk Factors Include:

• Personality
• Family History
• Life Events
• Other Mental Health Disorders

Personality

Many people who have hoarding disorders seem to have an indecisive personality or temperament. Whether this is a symptom or a risk factor isn’t totally clear.

Family History

There seems to be a strong connection between hoarders having a family member who also has the disorder. This might point to a genetic cause for hoarding disorder or an environmental one. 

Life Events

Life events, particularly stressful ones can be the inciting incident for some people to develop hoarding disorders. Events such as divorce, death of a loved one, fire, evictions, all of these can cause someone to have problems coping and hoarding as a result.

Mental Health Disorders

Whether these are risk factors for developing a hoarding disorder or a byproduct thereof, other mental health disorders are frequently seen in those who suffer from a hoarding disorder. These include:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depressions
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorders

Can Hoarding Disorder Be Prevented?

Unfortunately, because the disorder is still yet not very understood, there isn’t any way to prevent it from developing. But, like all mental health problems, getting treatment early at the first sign can be a way to prevent the hoarding from getting to an uncontrollable state.

If you have to get help at the first sign of it, what should someone be on the lookout for?

Symptoms of Hoarding Disorder

Hoarding is a private behavior and as such, it can be difficult to spot until the clutter has reached a point where others see it. 

Signs and symptoms of hoarding may include:

• Excessively getting new items that aren’t needed and have no space to put them.
• Inability to throw out or part with items.
• Feeling a need to save items, getting upset at the thought of getting rid of them.
• A build up of items and clutter to the point where rooms aren’t able to be used.
• Indecisiveness, procrastination, problems in planning and organizing.

While doctors can’t seem to answer why do people hoard, the disorder is understood enough to have clear signs, symptoms, risk factors, and other details that make treatment possible.

One piece of that is getting professional help in cleaning up. The BIOClean Team tackles hoarding homes efficiently, professionally, and compassionately. We understand the struggles the person is going through and we do our best to keep it as calm and easy as possible.

Need Help? Call The BIOClean Team Today

One of the more common situations The BIOClean Team handles are hoarding cases, and there are reasons anyone going up against a hoarding situation should call in the professionals, and the sooner the better.

And if you’re worried someone you love is a hoarder, it’s important to handle the matter delicately, but it does need to be addressed. Hoarding presents all sorts of dangers to the occupants of the home.

How to Know If Someone Is a Hoarder

If you’re concerned that someone you love is a hoarder, you likely already have a pretty good idea of the state of their home and what’s going on. Other signs and symptoms may include:

• Excessively acquiring unnecessary items.
• Difficulty throwing out or getting rid of things, regardless of value.
• A feeling of needing to save items.
• Being upset at the thought of getting rid of items.
• Clutter building to the point where rooms are uninhabitable, unusable.
• Any tendency towards perfectionism, indecisiveness, avoidance, problems planning and organizing

Some of those may seem counterintuitive at first, after all, if someone is a perfectionist why would they hoard garbage? The truth of the matter is all of those traits speak to an unhealthy compulsion of some sort which can manifest in hoarding tendencies.

If you want to know why they may hoard, the most commonly reported and understood beliefs are that:

• The hoarder believes the items are unique, valuable or needed in the future.
• The belongings have important emotional/sentimental value
• The hoarder may feel safer when surrounded by their things.
• A fear or desire not to waste

Dangers of Hoarding

Hoarding creates a number of problems – financial, familial, and yes, health related. Those health hazards are what we’re here to discuss. These increase the longer hoarding behavior is unchecked, especially if there are animals present.

Falling Objects

One of the most common and obvious dangers of hoarding is in having piles and piles of items stacked high. These stacks can get so high and heavy that they are imbalanced, falling on people and animals below, trapping them or worse.

Air Quality Suffers

Hoarding creates an environment where dust, messes, and odors will run rampant. Decaying waste can also be present. All of these create an environment that is hard to breathe in safely. Cleaning an environment like this requires us to use respiratory protection, so imagine what that does to the people and pets living in them!

Fungus & Mold Grow

Another contributor to air quality problems will be the fungus and mold that grows from saved food waste. Spoiled food in the refrigerator, pantries, on dishes in the sink, all of these will decay and allow mold to grow. Aside from the smell which will quickly fill the home, the fungus and mold particulates in the air are health risks.

Plumbing Trouble

In homes where extreme hoarding takes root, plumbing problems are common. Things can end up in drains and toilets that don’t belong, clogging pipes and leading to further unsanitary and dangerous situations.

Sanitary Issues

Speaking of unsanitary, the general condition of a hoarding home is likely to be unsanitary, especially if animal hoarding is a part of the problem. Animal waste can be left unfound, some pets can even pass their bodies being lost in stacks of trash, all of which will decay releasing gases into the air and creating an unhealthy environment.

Infestations

Many pests thrive on rotting food and waste. Rats, flies, cockroaches, and more will be drawn to the unsanitary conditions, making their homes in the hoarders homes. These pests will leave droppings and waste which will further reduce the air quality and create a hazardous environment. 

All of these things can create safety issues as well as health problems in the home. Walls may become home to pests, the excessive waste acts as fuel to fires, floors, walls, and windows can even break or crack from the weight and shifting garbage.

If you or someone you loved is experiencing a hoarding problem – get help today. Speak with a professional who can help the hoarder in processing through the mental troubles, and hire biohazardous cleaning professionals like the BIOClean Team to safely remediate a home back to livable conditions.

If you’re in the Southern California (San Diego, Orange County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County) or Las Vegas areas, The BIOClean Team is here to help!

This time on the BIOClean Team blog, we are going to talk about something a bit different. Usually, we’re here outlining the services we provide, the necessary things to know for potential customers, and the like. But what about the other side of the fence? The cleaner side? This time our blog is going to look at how to become a crime scene cleaner, what to know, and what to consider if this is the career path you’re looking for!

How to Become a Crime Scene Cleaner – Requirements

Crime scene cleaning is an incredibly specific and delicate line of work. To do it correctly, and be able to stick with it, any hopeful is going to need a few things.

Training

Of course, training is the absolute first thing needed. The job may not require a four year degree from a university, but it has its own highly specialized training. Cleaning crime scenes frequently means handling biohazardous waste and other dangerous chemicals. To do this job safely, a cleaner will need to complete training to do just that. There are all sorts of different courses that can instruct cleaners in different facets of the job. Here are just some of the courses and certifications BIOClean Team cleaners have:

• Bloodborne Pathogen Training in Accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1030
• Respiratory Protection Training in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134
• OSHA Certifications
• Hazard Communication Training in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1200
• Personal Protective Equipment Training in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.132
• Crime and Trauma Scene Decontamination Specialists (ABRA & IICRC Certified Technicians)
• Awareness-Level Fall Protection Training in accordance with 29 CFR 1910, 66 Appendix C
• Awareness-Level Permit- Required Confined Spaces Training in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.146
• 40 Hour HAZWOPER (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response)
• Awareness-Level Lock Out/Tag Out Training in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.147

These aren’t all necessary to become a crime scene cleaner, but working in biohazard cleaning requires with a wide range of skills. These certifications will teach would-be cleaners how to use protective equipment to work safely, the necessary skills to decontaminate crime and trauma scenes safely, and more. Many of these can be completed after gaining employment with a crime scene cleaning company, but that will vary place to place.

Hopeful crime scene cleaners can find local courses to begin getting their certifications and then find employment, or look for a potential employer who provides training. But it’s not just the training that the job needs. Crime scene cleaners need to have a few other things that can’t be taught.

What Does it Take To Become a Crime Scene Cleaner?

It Takes Integrity

Crime scene cleanup is a sensitive, delicate matter. For there to be a cleaning require, a crime needs to have taken place and customers who have to have endured a crime. They need to be able to trust the cleaners to come in and do the job right, without any extra stress or friction. Clients are trusting the crime scene cleaners to come into their private spaces and clean their homes, offices, vehicles, other spaces, and belongings. 

It Takes Compassion

All too often the crime scenes that need cleaning are the aftermath of traumatic events. The clients who have experienced them are going through some turbulent times. Crime scene cleaners cannot add to that stress. Compassionate crime scene cleaners make the process so much easier for clients, helping them through this difficult time to get them back to some semblance of normalcy. 

It Takes Care

Care means so much in this industry. It means compassion and sensitivity, but it also means attention to details. In biohazardous cleaning, a single error could result in a cleaning that isn’t complete, leaving the possibility of health complications down the line.

Something else that some don’t realize? It takes caring for yourself. Handling crime scene cleanups isn’t for everyone. Some cleaners may need to make sure they have a support system in place, or attend a support group or therapy session when it comes to cleaning up crime scenes, especially particularly grisly ones. Even seasoned pros may need to care for themselves from time to time so pay attention and take care.

With all that in mind, what do you think? Is becoming a crime scene cleaner the right job for you? 

Yeah, ok, we’ll admit that name sounds intense. Swedish Death Cleaning?  The BIOClean Team is here to help unpack this new trend sweeping the world, what it means and whether or not it might have something of value to you.

First, the name.

Swedish Death Cleaning takes its name from the 2018 book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family From a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson. The idea isn’t native to that book though, in Swedish it’s called döstädning, literally “death cleaning.”

So what is it?

Like Marie Kondo’s book and Netflix show, the idea behind Swedish Death Cleaning is decluttering your home, in a livable way. Based on the name alone you might have thought it was specifically for cleaning up following the passing of a family member or loved one but that’s not (always) the case. Anyone can do Swedish Death Cleaning, it might help the home from devolving into a hoarding situation, which in turn could be a huge help to those who might survive you. We’ve all had that experience of cleaning out a relative’s home and finding just how many forks they had! So, prevent that with some Swedish Death Cleaning.

How To Do It?

There’s a whole book on just this subject and if you’re like a more robust rundown of it we’d recommend looking there. The basics are this: Start with your closet, and work your way through your home. Get rid of excess belongings that you don’t use or need and that won’t be wanted after you pass. That’s one of the key components is knowing that you’re decluttering now to take the burden off your loved ones later. So look in your kitchen cabinets, how many plates and mugs do you need right now? The rest of those get rid of. Garage sale, donate, whatever you have to do. What you might hold on to now because maybe you’ll need can become a burden on your son or daughter who thinks ‘Mom held onto these plates for a reason, I should too.’

While you’re going through everything and decluttering, consider what items your loved ones might want to hold on to or treasure. Document it all. All of this will make the time after you pass less stressful and easier to handle – and that’s what this is all about: taking care of yourself as much as possible, and easing the burden on others.

Benefits of Swedish Death Cleaning 

So, aside from paring down your belongings what are the benefits of the process?

It Just Might Make You Happier!

Swedish Death Cleaning is another style of cleaning that works with the whole idea of minimalism. Minimalism, psychologically speaking is all about the idea that joy doesn’t from things but from experiences and relationships. For many people, those things are tied closely together this thing from that trip or this thing from this friend. As that jumbles the idea that things are what makes us happy spreads. But it’s not necessarily the case! When you cut down on the excessive clutter, you become better able to focus on the real things that bring you joy. That’s the idea anyway. Some people are drawn to this, they want to live in tiny houses, have their homes organized by color, that sort of thing. 

Paring down and streamlining can also decrease feelings of stress or being overwhelmed! For many people, we live complicated lives full of choices, and decisions, and products, and on and on and on it goes. That stress can be amplified when the home is full of stuff.  Studies have shown a link between increased cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and the perception of cluttered homes.

Is this going to be true for everyone? No, of course not. But if you’re looking up the topic of Scandinavian cleaning methods, you are probably bothered by the clutter, at least a little bit, so it may be worth the effort.

Reckon with Mortality

This seems to be one of the bigger components of the whole process. As you go through your home and declutter down to absolute essentials and what you’d like to pass on, you will naturally begin to come to grips with mortality. That you, as will all others, will pass on and leave behind a legacy. In Swedish Death Cleaning, the process is helping you prune that legacy into exactly what you’d like to leave behind.

If you have a situation that has passed the point of decluttering or need help in cleaning a hoarding situation give us at The BIOClean Team a call. Our professional, caring team is standing by to assist in any situation.

This last year has been tough on so many people, and with many stuck indoors, hoarding situations have only become worse. This time on the BIOClean Team blog, we wanted to give you some tips on how to approach a hoarding clean up situation, if you have to.

Hoarding Clean Up Quick Tip List

If you read nothing else in this article, read this list. It covers the big ideas of any hoarding clean up job and from here you will be able to start the job. But it’s best to have a complete picture of the scope of work before you start!

The List

• Have Your Tools and Supplies Ready
• Have a Team – This Isn’t A One Day Job
• Clean One Room at a Time
• STOP if You Find Mold, House Damage, or Other Biohazards

Have Your Tools and Supplies Ready

Hoarding clean ups are a different level of cleaning. You’ll need to be prepared with all sorts of supplies you might not consider ‘normal’ cleaning supplies. Without them the job won’t just be difficult, it can be hazardous to your health!

You’ll Need

• Boxes/Storage Containers
• Large, Strong Trash Bags
• Gloves, Masks
• Towels
• Dusters
• Cleaning Products
• Brooms, Mops, and Buckets
• Ladders
• Vacuums
• A Dumpster

Have a Team

As we said, this isn’t a one day job and it certainly isn’t for just one person. A hoarding situation is a massive about of garbage, clutter, and filth. You’ll need the extra manpower to help move out the accumulated stuff as well as heavy lifting. The more the merrier when it comes to clean up crews!

Clean One Room at a Time

Because of the nature of hoarding cleanups, you’ll need to focus on one room at a time to get the best results. Two reasons. These are huge undertakings and if you spread out your work you’ll likely feel overwhelmed as nothing appears to be getting clean. When you focus on one room at a time you’ll be able to see the impact your efforts are having. Clean from the top-down, meaning clear stacks of clutter and garbage that are higher up before starting with vacuuming the carpet. 

As you’re focusing on one room, sort everything into piles, the most common being Trash, Keep, Donate. When it comes to hoarding clean ups there will be a lot of stuff to go through. So the piles are going to be big. Move everything out of the room, sort it into the piles, and then with everything out, start cleaning.

STOP If You Find Damage, Mold, or Biohazardous Environments!

Hoarding homes are unfortunately the perfect environment for things to get gross. With boxes and trash left to stack, moisture can gather and let mold grow unchecked, cracks in windows or walls can go unnoticed, or, Heaven forbid, pets may pass. Any of these can create situations for you to be in, even if you’re gloved and masked up. Mold requires ventilator masks and a professional to remediate the home. Mold is a lot like cockroaches, if you see some on the wall or ceiling, there is a lot more hiding somewhere.

At this point, if you’ve come across any of these hazardous situations, it’s time to call in the professionals. People with the right tools and know how to clean and remediate the home safely. If you are in the Southern California or Las Vegas Area, give The BIOClean Team a call today!

The events of earlier this month in the capitol, and the potential concern of more such action around the country feels like we should look again to a topic we covered last year: cleaning up after protests, riots, and the damage and destruction that can follow.

Cleaning up after a protest or riot can be expensive, and more than you realize. When protests turn violent, police often deploy tear gas, spray mace, and other crowd dispersal chemicals.

Those chemicals can make for a difficult cleaning situation and if anyone is injured the potential for blood or other bodily fluids is also there. So, while neighbors and communities came together to help repair businesses and clean up, there are times where a licensed trauma scene clean up company like BIOClean should be called to take care of business. If the clean up process is mishandled or done by people who don’t understand the necessary requirements for cleaning biohazardous material, that danger can linger.

Cleaning Up Biohazards Post Riots and Protests

Handling biohazardous waste disposal is no easy feat. You need to a) know how to identify it, and b) how to clean it safely. What is a biohazard/a hazardous material?  We’ve talked about this plenty before but briefly:

Some examples of the most common biohazards are:

• Human blood and blood products 
• Human body fluids 
• Pathological waste
• Microbiological waste
• Animal Waste
• Sharps/Medical waste

When it comes to riots and looting, the more common biohazards will be blood and human body fluids, but hey it doesn’t hurt to be prepared!  These can’t be removed with simple soap and water.

Cleaning the Right Way

When it comes to cleaning up biohazardous material, you have to be incredibly detail oriented, because anything that’s missed makes the cleaning for naught. We are trained to look for the smallest traces of biohazardous material: from the ceiling and walls, to light fixtures, switches and electrical sockets, we check it all to ensure a total clean. If the event happened outside, we leave no stone unturned and cover the area to ensure privacy. 

Our EPA registered chemicals are fully compliant and kill Influenza A, H1N1 Influenza A, Influenza A Avian virus, Rhinovirus type 37 and HIV, as well as gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including: Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and E. coli.

The BIOClean Team is certified as a Trauma Scene Waste Management Practitioner and licensed by the California Department of Public Health to disinfect, clean, remove and dispose of all biohazards that are present. That means we’re following all the necessary safety protocols and procedures mandated by OSHA and the California Department of Public Health. Our technicians wear full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including biohazard protective suits, full-face respirators with organic vapor filters, and several layers of gloves.

The BIOClean Team is compassionate, discreet, and ready to help you clean up any hazardous materials left behind at the crime scene. 

We understand that it’s essential for commercial policyholders to return to “business as usual” as soon as possible. Our highly experienced teams work diligently to provide your commercial policyholders fast, effective BIOHazard restoration services helping to reduce business interruption.

 

• Most crime scene cleanups are covered by insurance

• No out-of-pocket costs in most cases

• We offer FAST 24/7/365 service

• We are locally owned and operated

• Our highly trained BIOClean Team technicians will arrive in discreet vehicles and provide comprehensive cleaning services, out of sight of neighbors and onlookers. We will never speak with the media.

 

Call the BIOClean Team today to get the help you need!

Note: Protecting Your Home or Business From COVID-19

Civil unrest isn’t the only thing we have to worry about these days. COVID-19 is still an incredibly pressing concern  and with protests comes people. If you opened your home or business to protestors, or they forced their way in, there is the risk of exposure.  If you’re worried about the spread of COVID-19 in your business or home due to ongoing protests, we can help. 

The BIOClean team offers professional fogging services. Fogging is easy to do, incredibly cheap and can be used to help disinfect huge spaces. Our service specifically is effective because we ensure the fog has enough time to “dwell” in the residence or place of business to be effective. This means that our team won’t be in and out in 5 minutes — we let the fog linger to properly coat and disinfect every surface in the room.