After an assault, shooting or homicide
Crime scene cleanup in Minneapolis
Once the police have finished, the home or car is yours again, and so is the cleanup. An independent crime scene cleanup company can take it on so the family does not have to.
Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Wait for the release
Nothing should be cleaned while the police are still working. In Minneapolis, if you are not sure whether they are done, call 311 or the precinct that responded. The precinct numbers are on the Hennepin County Attorney's police contacts page.
If someone died, the medical examiner may also have ordered that the scene is left alone (Minn. Stat. 390.221). Ask the officer or the investigator before you go back in. Write down their name and the case number.
What the company usually does
Looks first
Someone walks the space and checks how far blood and fluids reached, including under carpet and into baseboards.
Removes what cannot be cleaned
Soaked carpet, pad, drywall or furniture is cut out, bagged and taken away as regulated waste.
Cleans and disinfects
Hard surfaces are cleaned, then treated with a disinfectant left on for the time its label requires.
Leaves it ready for repairs
Replacing floors or drywall is usually a separate job. Ask whether the company does it or refers it.
Reimbursement after a violent crime
The Minnesota Crime Victims Reimbursement Board can reimburse crime scene clean-up. The crime must have been reported to police within 30 days and the claim filed within three years. Insurance is used first. The board's number is 651-201-7300.
Ask the company for an itemized invoice that names the address and the date. The board and any insurer will want it.
Other situations
- Unattended deathA death at home that went unnoticed for days.Read more
- After a suicideCleanup handled by people outside the family, at a pace you set.Read more
- Blood and bodily fluidsInjuries, falls and accidents that left blood on floors or furniture.Read more
- Hoarding with biohazardsHomes where waste, spoiled food or animal mess has built up.Read more
- Infection and disinfectionDisinfecting a room after illness, with the product and contact time explained.Read more
- Vehicle cleanupBlood or bodily fluids in a car, truck or van.Read more
Questions about crime scene cleanup
Will the police clean up?
No. Police and medical examiners collect evidence and leave. Cleaning is the property owner's job, which is why families call a company.
Can I take belongings out first?
Ask the police first. Some items may be held as evidence. Once the scene is released, the company can set aside things you want to keep.
What if it happened in a rented apartment?
Tell the landlord or manager. The landlord page explains what Minnesota law says about leases after a death.
When you are ready, call
You will speak with an independent cleanup company that works in and around Minneapolis. Describe what happened in your own words and ask what they would do. You decide whether to go ahead.
Talk to a cleanup company
Call (612) 493-4397Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded. More in the referral disclosure and privacy policy.