When a loved one dies by suicide, you may feel utterly devastated. You have a lot of grief to contend with, and you may also have physical tasks you need to complete. For instance, you may have to clean up your home, vehicle, or other property.
Suicide cleanup can be physically dangerous and emotional. This is what you need to do before you make any attempt to clean up after your loved one's death.
Always Wear Protective Gear
It is crucial for you to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when you clean up any hazardous materials. Crime scenes, deaths, and suicides can all leave behind hazardous materials. In order to protect yourself, you should always be wearing disposable gloves, shoe booties, goggles, and coveralls. A respirator is important, too.
Of course, it is likely that you do not simply have all of these things readily available to you. You may need to buy these items, which often makes it seem easier to hire a professional cleaning service to handle the cleanup.
Always Use Biohazard Bags
Biohazard bags are important. Any blood or other bodily fluids must be disposed of inside these bags. They are clearly marked as hazardous and protect others from accidentally coming into contact with the material. You should never simply throw these items or objects used to clean in the trash can. They can contain a number of harmful contaminants.
Know the Right Cleaner to Use
Disinfectants must meet specific requirements in order to completely clean the area. Not just any cleaner will do. Additionally, you must also ensure that you effectively disinfect any items that are reusable. These include things like buckets and mops. Nothing should be left dirty, as it can be dangerous to come into contact with these items later.
Understand the Emotional Risk
Finally, make sure that you are emotionally prepared for this task. Cleaning up after a loved one's death can be difficult no matter the situation, but cleaning up after a suicide can be especially difficult. You may learn that you are not prepared for this job, and that is completely fine.
Help Is Available
Remember that help is available. You do not have to clean up after your loved one passes away. You have other options, including calling somebody in to help you. A professional suicide cleanup service provides help cleaning hazardous materials and allows you the time you need to grieve. Call a cleanup company like Bio One Chicago North to handle the task.
If your home was being appraised today, would you be alright with the condition of the property? Oftentimes, people don't think too seriously about how much they need to do to the space until problems start to occur with their home, which is why it is so important to stay up-to-date with cleaning.
Check out great tips and tricks about cleaning, and learn when it might be time to contact a professional cleaning company instead of taking care of things on your own. By making the right choices now, you could keep your property in great condition, which could save you money down the road.