A sharps job and a blood job at once
Most heroin cleanups are really two jobs combined. Injection use leaves syringes in drawers, under mattresses, inside furniture and in trash, and those needles carry a risk of needlestick injury. Injection also leaves small amounts of blood on bedding, tissues, sinks and floors, which is treated as potentially infectious material.
Street heroin may contain other substances, including fentanyl, so we handle any powder or residue with the caution an unknown substance deserves.
Common call situations
- A rental unit after a tenant moves out or is evicted
- A family member's home after an overdose, hospital stay or death
- A business restroom, stairwell or storage room where use occurred
- A vehicle used by someone who injected drugs
- A vacant house where people have been staying
- A hotel or motel room after checkout
- A yard, shed or detached garage where people gathered to use
Searching the space methodically
Needles hide. We check the obvious places and the ones people do not think about: inside couch cushions and recliners, under and inside mattresses and box springs, behind toilets and inside tank lids, above ceiling tiles, inside heating vents, in coat pockets, and among piles of clothing or trash.
Every sharp is picked up with tools rather than hands and placed directly into a puncture-resistant, closable sharps container, consistent with OSHA's container requirements. Containers are kept upright, not overfilled, and handled for appropriate disposal. We describe these as searches of accessible areas; no sweep can promise that a building holds no needles at all.
Cleaning after the search
- Collect paraphernalia Spoons, cookers, cotton, filters, ties, baggies and foil are bagged for disposal.
- Remove soiled soft goods Bedding, mattresses, cushions and clothing with blood or residue are discussed with you and usually removed, which also takes away most of the odor.
- Clean hard surfaces Tables, sinks, counters, floors and bathroom fixtures are washed to remove residue and organic material.
- Disinfect Areas with blood are treated with an EPA-registered disinfectant that stays wet for its full label contact time.
- Final look We repeat the search in high-risk spots before handing the space back to you.
Materials that usually go, and those that can stay
Hard, nonporous items such as metal furniture, glass, sealed countertops, tile and plastic storage bins can generally be cleaned and disinfected. Items that absorb blood or are difficult to search for needles, including mattresses, box springs, upholstered chairs and piles of soiled clothing, are usually removed.
We discuss each category with the owner or family before removal. Personal papers, photographs, identification and keepsakes are set aside and cleaned where possible, even in a property that otherwise needs a full cleanout.
Do not handle needles yourself
If you find a syringe, leave it where it is and keep people and pets away. Do not recap it, bend it or put it loose in the trash or recycling. If you are stuck by a needle, wash the area with soap and water and contact a healthcare provider promptly, since evaluation after a needlestick is a medical matter.
If you must remove a single needle before we arrive, the FDA advises placing it immediately in a sharps container or a sturdy, puncture-resistant household container with a tight lid.
For property managers
Where needles keep turning up in common areas, a single cleanup may not be enough. Our needle sweeps service can be scheduled for recurring searches. For blood or fluids beyond injection sites, see blood spill cleanup.
Structural repairs, plumbing and HVAC work go to the appropriate trades. Our service area runs from Davidson County out to the edges of Middle Tennessee.