For homes, apartments, businesses and vehicles
Biohazard and crime scene cleanup in Columbia, SC
After a death, a violent crime or a serious injury, the cleanup should not fall to you or your family. Call this number and you will reach an independent biohazard cleanup company that works in Columbia and nearby towns.
Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- An independent local company does the work
- The choice to hire is yours
- Columbia, Forest Acres, Cayce, West Columbia, Irmo and Lexington
What happened?
Each page explains what the cleanup involves and what to ask before you hire anyone.
- Crime scene cleanupAfter a homicide, an assault or another violent crime, once the police have released the home.What to know
- Unattended deathWhen someone died alone at home and was not found for some time.What to know
- Suicide cleanupQuiet, careful cleanup after a suicide at home or in a vehicle.What to know
- Blood and body fluidsAfter an injury, a fall or an accident that left blood on floors, walls or furniture.What to know
- Hoarding with biohazardsA hoarded home with animal or human waste, spoiled food or other health hazards.What to know
- Infectious disease cleanupCleaning and disinfecting a home or workplace after someone was seriously ill.What to know
- Vehicle cleanupBlood or other body fluids inside a car, truck or van.What to know
Why this is not a job for the family
Blood and other body fluids can carry hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Cleanup workers wear protective suits, respirators and gloves, remove what cannot be cleaned, and disinfect what is left (OSHA).
There is also what it asks of you. Many people cannot face walking back into the room, and nobody should feel they have to. Handing the work to a company is a reasonable choice.
In older houses with wood floors, fluids often reach the subfloor under carpet or between boards. A company looks under the surface before it calls a room clean.
Before you call
Wait for the release
Nothing should be cleaned until the police and the coroner have finished. Ask them to tell you when the home or vehicle is released.
Call your insurer
If you have homeowner, renter, auto or business insurance, ask whether it covers biohazard cleanup and what it wants before work starts.
Know who decides
The owner, the tenant, the landlord or the person handling an estate may be the one who agrees to the work. Sort that out early.
Columbia and nearby towns
The number works across most of Columbia and in these towns. Each page says who to call locally. See all service areas.
Forest AcresIts own police department, Richland County coroner.
CayceCayce police and dispatch, Lexington County coroner.
West ColumbiaWest Columbia police, Lexington County coroner.
IrmoIrmo police, and a coroner that depends on the county.
LexingtonTown police, and the county coroner's office in town.Common questions
Who pays for biohazard cleanup?
It depends on what happened and where. Homeowner, renter, auto and business insurance sometimes cover it. A landlord may arrange it for a rental unit. South Carolina's crime victim compensation program does not pay for crime scene clean-up. Our guide to who pays goes through each case.
Is bio hazard cleanup the same as crime scene cleanup?
Crime scene cleanup is one kind of biohazard cleanup. The same companies also handle unattended deaths, suicides, blood from injuries, hoarded homes and vehicles.
Does the coroner or the police clean up?
No. The coroner's office looks after the person who died and the police handle the investigation. Once they release the home, the cleanup is arranged by the family, the estate or the property owner.
Who will I be speaking to?
An independent biohazard cleanup company that works in the Columbia area, not this site. It sets its own price and does the work. Before you hire it, ask about its license and insurance.
When you are ready, one call is enough
Tell the company what happened, which room or vehicle it is in, and whether the police and coroner have finished. They will explain the work, when they can come and how they arrive at a price.
Talk to a cleanup company
The call puts you in touch with an independent biohazard cleanup company that works in the Columbia area. Say what happened and ask what you need to know. Whether you hire them is up to you.
Call (803) 637-8296Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded. Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.