Why shooting scenes are hard to clean
A gunshot injury can spread fine droplets of blood across a much wider area than a cut or fall. They can land on ceilings, inside lamp shades, on fan blades, behind picture frames, in window tracks and on furniture several feet away. Many are small enough to miss in a quick look, especially on textured walls or patterned fabric.
That's why a shooting scene cleanup starts with a slow, deliberate search of the room, from the ceiling down, before any cleaning begins.
Ceilings in particular are often overlooked. Small stains can be hard to see against white paint or popcorn texture, and they sit above eye level. Popcorn or acoustic ceilings are porous and may need to be scraped in affected areas rather than cleaned. We'll talk with you before doing that.
Common elements of a shooting scene
- Blood and spatter on walls, ceilings, doors and trim
- Contamination on ceiling fans, light fixtures, vents and window coverings
- Saturated carpet, pad, upholstery or mattress
- Broken window glass, mirrors or picture frames
- Bullet holes in drywall, doors or furniture
- Fingerprint powder and other investigative residue
Our cleanup, ceiling to floor
- Confirm release We start only after police, and the medical examiner where a death occurred, have released the property.
- Search high and low We inspect ceilings, fixtures, fans and vents first, then walls, furniture and floors, marking every affected area.
- Remove glass safely Broken glass and sharp debris are collected and bagged before other work, so no one is cut during cleanup.
- Lift and remove fluids Blood is removed from hard surfaces, and porous items that absorbed it are cut out and bagged with your agreement.
- Clean and disinfect each surface Fixtures, walls and furniture are cleaned and then disinfected with EPA-registered products used per label.
- Prepare for repair We leave bullet holes and damaged materials clean and identify what a contractor will need to patch, replace or repaint.
Repairs and what we don't do
We clean and remove contaminated materials, but repairing bullet holes, replacing windows, patching drywall and repainting are jobs for a contractor or glazier. If a window or door needs to be secured right away, tell us when you call so we can discuss options or point you to someone who can do it.
We also don't handle firearms, shell casings or anything else connected to the investigation. If something like that is still at the scene, we'll stop and ask you to contact the investigating agency.
Businesses, venues and vehicles
Shootings in bars, music venues, stores and parking garages raise extra questions about reopening. We can work after hours, section off affected areas and explain to managers exactly what was cleaned. In rental homes and apartments, we can coordinate with the landlord or property manager. Vehicles involved in a shooting need release by police or the impound lot before cleanup; our vehicle biohazard cleanup page covers that process.
When the shooting was self-inflicted
Some of the gunshot scenes we clean follow a death by suicide. The physical work is similar, but the family's needs are different, and our suicide cleanup page speaks to them directly. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
Safety notes before we arrive
- Stay out of the affected room if you can
- Don't pick up broken glass by hand
- Don't wipe stains off walls with household cleaners; they can smear and spread
- Turn off ceiling fans if they're running