Losing a loved one is always hard. But when someone passes away alone, it brings extra challenges. Families must handle their grief and difficult decisions about what comes next.
An unattended death—when someone dies without anyone around—can go unnoticed for days or even weeks. This guide will help you understand the risks, the cleanup process, and the emotional steps after such a loss.
Why Unattended Deaths Are So Difficult
When someone passes away alone, several things can happen:
The Hidden Dangers of Unattended Death
When a body decomposes, it releases fluids, bacteria, and gases that can spread disease and damage property. Here’s what families should know:
These risks make professional cleanup a must.
Why You Should Never Attempt Cleanup Yourself
Many people think they can clean up an unattended death themselves. But this is not only dangerous—it can make the situation worse.
The Role of Bio-One’s Professional Cleanup Services
Hiring a professional Bio-One team helps protect your health, your home, and your well-being. Here’s what they do:
What to Do Immediately After Discovering an Unattended Death
Coping with Grief After an Unattended Death
Grief after an unattended death is different. You may feel shock, guilt, or regret. Healing takes time, but these steps can help:
An unattended death can be devastating, but families don’t have to face it alone. Bio-One can restore the space, while grief counselors and support groups can help with emotional healing.
With time, care, and the proper support, families can begin to heal and move forward while honoring their loved one’s memory.
FAQ
What is an unattended death?
An unattended death is when someone dies without anyone around—it can go unnoticed for days or even weeks.
Why is professional cleanup necessary after an unattended death?
Professional cleanup is essential due to the health risks posed by biohazards, such as bodily fluids and decomposition, which can carry harmful pathogens and contaminate the environment.
What are the health risks associated with an unattended death?
Health risks include exposure to bacteria, bodily fluids, gases, and airborne pathogens, which can lead to infections and other serious health issues if improperly handled.
What property damage can result from an unattended death?
Property damage may include stains and corrosion from bodily fluids, mold, mildew growth, structural damage to floors and walls, and contamination of personal belongings.
Can families attempt to clean up after an unattended death themselves?
It is strongly discouraged. Decomposing bodies poses biohazard risks, and improper cleanup can lead to further contamination and health issues. Certified professionals use their training to handle such situations safely and legally.
How do professional cleanup services handle the biohazards after an unattended death?
Cleanup services use specialized equipment, EPA-approved disinfectants, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to safely remove biohazardous materials and sanitize the affected area.
What steps should families take immediately after discovering an unattended death?
Families should contact local authorities, avoid attempting to clean the area themselves and seek assistance from professional biohazard cleanup services.
How can families cope with the emotional trauma of an unattended death?
Families can seek grief counseling, join support groups, and memorialize their loved one through tributes and ceremonies to help process the loss and begin healing.
How does the cleanup process help families move forward?
By handling the physical cleanup, professionals relieve families of the emotional burden of dealing with biohazards, allowing them to focus on emotional healing and recovery.
What additional support do professional cleanup services provide after an unattended death?
In addition to cleanup, many services offer assistance with insurance claims, provide grief counseling referrals, and help guide families through the emotional and practical challenges of the situation.
Bio-One teams across the U.S. answer calls to help their communities and remediate a variety of scenes. In our new blog series, we'd like to bring you into the Bio-One world by sharing stories of the unique and important work we do for local communities.
Here is Week 1 of our Bio-One Weekly Wrap-Up.
Homeless Encampment Clean-Up - Temecula, CA
On the west coat, the Bio-One team was called by the Hemet San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce to safely decontaminate an area outside their office. With homelessness on the rise, there is in increase of biohazardous waste that is sadly starting to accumulate in zones of our cities.
While Bio-One teams have been actively remediating homeless encampments for decades, we just refreshed this information on our Bio-One website. View it here.
"We are actively looking for partnerships to help keep our cities clean and safe for children and families." - Jason and William, Bio-One Owners
COVID-19 Disinfection to Raise Money for Local Police Sgt. - Asheville, NC
In the fall of 2020, it was announced that Jax, the 3 year-old son of Sgt. Jordan Warren at the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Sgt. Warren has served the community in Henderson County for 10 years, and the community has rallied on his behalf by donating thousands of dollars for the family in their time of need.
To help raise money, the Bio-One team in Asheville raffled off a COVID-19 disinfection, up to 5,000 sqft for any home or business. The raffle ran through January 2021 and raised over $600. This week, the team happily treated the winner, Strong Hand Fitness, to the disinfection.
"Police officers and their families make big sacrifices to serve their community, most of which go unseen. So, when first responder families are in need, we want to help anyway we can. We wish the entire Warren family the best as Jax continues his fight." - Matt Gregg, Bio-One Owner
Cat Rescue - Flagstaff, Arizona
In January, the Bio-One team in Flagstaff answered the call to remediate an unattended death. They learned from the next of kin that a husband had passed away in the home while his wife, at the time, was fighting for her life at the local hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Once the team arrived, it was clear this would be a multi-day job. Not only was there a biohazard to remediate, but the home was hoarded and restoring the home to a safe environment was an urgent need. While working, the Bio-One crew identified three cats lingering in and around the home. Initially, it was assumed one cat was owned by the family, and the other two were part of the neighborhood. The first cat, nicknamed Hunter, was given to the Ark Cat Sanctuary for a checkup and to eventually find a new home. In the spirit of kindness, the team also provided food and water for the other two neighborhood cats when working onsite.
Several weeks passed, and the Bio-One team received word that the wife had sadly lost her life due to complications from COVID-19. The next of kin asked the team to revisit the home and remove remaining items. Shortly after work began, the two neighborhood cats were found. It was then revealed that the two animals were owned by the deceased couple. After living off the land for months, they were rescued by the Bio-One team and turned over to the Ark Cat Sanctuary for care. We hope each animal finds a loving home.
"We are very fortunate that our staff and owners have a heart for animals and will do whatever they can to help the pets like we do our clients." - Rebecca Wallace, Bio-One Owner
First stage of human decomposition:
The body will take on rigor mortis, begin cell death, and attract insects. This will be the first few days.
Bloating:
The body will become discolored and expanding gases can create a messy explosion.
Decay:
Liquid leaves the body, skin becomes black, organs and bones break down.
Body decomposition is an extremely pungent, messy, and germ-infested process. Even after a body is taken away, there is a lot of cleaning and santizing that should be handled by trained professionals with proper chemicals and equipment. Please contact us immediately and we will remedy the situation.
Discovering an unattended death usually happens between loved ones or friends/neighbors. When this happens, it's both shocking and overwhelming. You may feel like you need to move the body or cleanup the area. Coming into contact with decomposition is not a safe option if you're not properly trained to do so.
Don't ever feel like you need to be the one to clean a death of a loved one. This can be an emotionally taxing endeavour as well as dangerous if done incorrectly. Bio-One is trained to come in and take care of this for you. We are discreet, thorough, and compassionate. All of our technicians are trained to make sure everything is both cleaned and disinfected so you don't have to think about it.
We are always available 24/7/365
