Start Your Own Business in Crime Scene Cleanup

Crime scene cleanup is a business that few have heard of.  Even fewer know that these companies charge between $125 to $400 per hour for their services.  And, nearly all of the work is paid for by insurance companies!

Crime scene cleanup is a niche market within the janitorial or cleaning industry. Although sometimes referred to as “CTS Decon” (crime and trauma scene decontamination) it’s more widely referred to as “Crime Scene Cleanup”.   For the past twenty years, companies involved with the crime scene cleanup industry have been helping families who have been traumatized by the loss of a loved one or a dear friend.

Although the name “crime scene cleanup” implies the cleanup of scenes affiliated with a criminal act, a good majority of the work is not crime related. A crime scene cleanup company can be thought of as the janitorial crew that cleans up after the fire department or police department leaves the scene.  If you think of all the different types of calls received by either department, especially those involving blood and bodily fluids, these are the same type of calls received by crime scene cleanup companies.  Some of these calls for service may involve:

• Homicide
• Suicide
• Accidents
• Natural Death
• Decomposition
• Meth Labs
• Mold
• Odor

Of the partial list above, only two of the possible cleanup scenes involve an actual crime.

Crime scene cleanup technicians clean the remains of a body after it has been removed by the authorities or after the person is taken to a hospital.  Over 25% of all deaths in the United States requires some type of assistance to clean the scene once the body is removed.  The work is considered dangerous, since bodily fluids can be affected with HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis or several other types of disease or illness causing organisms.

When a death or injury resulting in the loss of blood or bodily fluids occurs, the home owner or responsible party will contact a crime scene cleanup company to remove the biohazards and to restore the scene to pre-incident condition.  Crime scene cleanup technicians must have the proper training to properly locate and dispose of, in an approved manner, all contaminated materials.  Proper training will ensure that technicians realize a small amount of surface contamination typically means a much larger area of contamination underneath.  For example, a baseball size puddle of blood on a carpet usually means there is at least a tire size puddle of blood on the padding and underlayment.  Furthermore, additional investigation often reveals blood has reached the floor joists and has run underneath a nearby wall.

Crime scene cleanup technicians should have some construction knowledge and should be able to replace flooring and drywall.  They are able to remain emotionally detached from the scene and the events precluding their arrival.  Crime scene cleanup technicians must be emotionally stable, have a strong stomach and the ability to communicate effectively with grieving family members.

The crime scene cleanup industry is not for everyone.  If you think you may be interested in this type of work, please take time to visit www.keybusinessideas.com/crime-scene-cleanup.html.  Their eBook “Crime & Trauma Scene Cleanup for Business Owners” is a great reference for anyone looking to get into this industry.