Published · 5 min read
After a death, families searching for help often find two kinds of companies: estate cleanout services and after-death (or biohazard) cleanup services. The names sound alike, but the work is completely different, and choosing the wrong one wastes time at a moment when you have little to spare.
This guide explains the difference, how to tell which you need, and what order to do them in if you need both.
If you’d rather hand the work to a team, see our estate cleanouts in Sarasota.
What an estate cleanout is
An estate cleanout deals with a person's belongings and home. It means sorting the contents, setting aside keepsakes and important papers for the family, donating what can be donated, and removing the rest so the house can be sold, rented, or returned. It's the right service in most situations, including when someone died in hospital, in hospice, or peacefully at home and was found promptly.
What after-death cleanup is
After-death cleanup, sometimes called trauma, crime-scene, or biohazard cleaning, is specialist decontamination. It's needed when a death went undiscovered for some time, or when blood or other bodily fluids are present. These companies use protective equipment, remove contaminated materials such as flooring or drywall, and treat the area so it's safe to enter.
It is not a job for a family member, a general cleaner, or a cleanout company. If you're unsure whether the situation calls for it, ask the medical examiner's office, the funeral home, or your insurer for guidance.
How to tell which one you need
- The death was attended or discovered quickly, and there's no contamination: an estate cleanout
- The death went undiscovered, there are strong odors, or there are bodily fluids: after-death cleanup first
- The home is extremely cluttered or unsanitary but there was no death in it: a cleanout, sometimes with specialist cleaning for affected areas
- You aren't sure: ask before anyone goes in to sort belongings
If you need both, the order matters
When both are needed, the specialist cleanup comes first and should be finished and cleared before anyone sorts belongings. After that, the estate cleanout can proceed as normal: keepsakes first, then donation and removal, then cleaning and repairs if the home is going to market. Ask your homeowner's insurer early whether the policy covers specialist cleanup, since the answer can affect who you call.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. For decisions about an estate, consult the estate’s attorney or a qualified professional.