Death of an Isolated Man A True Story

Oct 23, 2021 | Crime Scene Cleaning

Death of an Isolated Man: A True Story

Harold was a quiet, 75-year-old gentleman whose only relative lived out of the country. He kept to himself now that his coffee and cards pals had all passed away or had been moved into assisted-living facilities near their children. He’d long since abandoned relationships with his neighbors when they moved away and young families took their places, with their loud kids and barking dogs. He’d nothing in common with them, and no energy to make new friends.

While out for a walk one day, one of those neighbors noticed a terrible smell coming from Harold’s house. The odor was strong and sickening. They knew an older gentleman resided there, but little else. No one answered when they knocked on the door, so they called 911 fearing something had died inside the house.

It was the firefighters who responded first, and they knew immediately what they were dealing with. They dawned their breathing apparatus before entering the home through an unlocked back door and found Harold lying on his bed where, they estimated, he’d passed away some three weeks prior and was actively decomposing

Unintended Death Story

Harold’s bodily fluids had saturated the bed, its linens, and the mattress. They seeped through the carpet to the cement floor, and the baseboards had absorbed a great deal of fluid. It was as if his body had melted. 

Restoring Harold’s house took monumental effort and time. The extensive damage led to the removal of furniture, flooring, and drywall. Even air ducts had to be cleaned to remove the stench and eliminate contaminants. 

The longer it takes to begin a cleanup, the harder it may be to salvage effected items and areas. In addition, when blood and other fluids contains bacteria, delays will worsen the consequences of exposure. Decaying bodies and decomposing blood become a breeding ground for micro-organisms that release toxins. Because of the serious threat of toxins and blood pathogens, cleaning it up goes far beyond the removal of a stain. You can learn more about what we do when it comes to Unattended Death Cleanup

Death of an Isolated Man: A True Story 

A pathogen is anything that can cause a disease. Because there are so many potential blood borne pathogens, the clean up of blood is fraught with danger. From the quite common Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections, to the highly communicable and deadly HIV and AIDS pathogens, the blood sanitization process requires the expertise of professional blood clean up companies. Wikipedia says this about Pathogens. The National Academies had this How Pathogens Make Us Sick 

The decomposition of biological remains, which begins immediately upon death, can present serious bio hazards. Harmful bacteria are released through blood and other bodily fluids and are easily absorbed into any material it touches. Normal cleaning and de-odorizing methods are ineffective. An exhaustive knowledge of how dangerous bacteria behaves and are eliminated is crucial to the biohazard extraction process. The longer you wait the harder it can be to redeem your home and belongings, so be sure to place a call to BioHelpers as soon as possible. 

Blood clean up is very different from traditional forms of cleaning. The proper sanitization process involves the use of industry-grade supplies and CDC-approved methods. Disinfecting and thorough cleaning services ensure that microorganisms ranging from fungi, bacteria and viruses don’t fester. Unsalvageable items at the scene are disposed of with the utmost precaution. 

Unintended Death Story

Professional biological cleaners will not only sanitize, they will handle the removal of unsalvageable materials including blankets, bedding, mattresses, carpet and rugs, flooring, furniture, and more as necessary. They have specialized equipment designed to clean the air, walls, floors, and more. They will enter your location dressed to protect them from hazardous material and ensure that neither you nor anyone are exposed to harm. 

BioHelpers are specially-trained decontamination cleaners, trained to know the requirements for proper de-odorizing and decontamination cleaning. On your worst day, confidently call BioHelpers, the experienced cleaners you can rely on to clean thoroughly and treat you with patience and compassion.

We blog on a regular bases with information on Biohazard issues that you might helpful that you can find here BioHelpers BlogA couple of articles of note would be Normal Cleaning verses Professional Cleaning and Biohazard Cleaning = Get Your Home Back