Right now

Call 911 first. Nothing else happens until the scene is released

A death at home must be reported, and the body and the scene may not be moved or cleaned until the medical examiner or coroner releases them.

Call 911 now. Do not move the person, and do not clean anything.

What is probably happening

Any sudden, unexpected, unattended or violent death at home is reported to the medical examiner or coroner. That is routine and does not mean anyone is suspected of anything.
Police or EMS will come, then an investigator. They decide when the home is released back to you.
Cleanup only starts after that release. A cleanup company that offers to start before it is a red flag.

Do this in the next five minutes

Call 911. Say that you have found someone who has died and that you do not know how long ago.
Step out of the room. Close the door if you can do so without touching anything else.
Keep children and pets out of the home.
Do not touch, move or cover the person, and do not tidy or wash anything in the room.
Write down the names of the officers and the investigator, and the case number, before they leave.
Ask the investigator when the home will be released and whether you may call a cleanup company now to schedule.

Do not

Do not move the body or their belongings. In Indiana, for example, moving a body before the coroner arrives is a felony, and other states have similar laws.
Do not start cleaning. Blood and body fluids can carry hepatitis B, which stays infectious on surfaces for at least seven days, and you have no protective equipment.
Do not let anyone who is not police, EMS or the investigator into the room, including a cleanup company that turns up uninvited.

Who to call

A trauma scene cleanup company, after the scene is released

A regular cleaner or restoration firm is not set up for blood and body fluids; trauma cleanup crews work under OSHA bloodborne pathogen rules and have a permitted route to dispose of the waste.

Get a free shortlist The seven questions for this trade

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What it should cost

$200 to $300 per hour, or up to $10,000 for an unattended death

Fixr hourly rate for unattended death cleanup; HomeGuide upper figure for unattended death

Source: Fixr, biohazard cleanup cost, 2025. View source

National published range, not a quote for your job. The full cost table for this trade is on the biohazard page.

Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out

Tap each one as you ask it.

Do you wait for the medical examiner's release before you start, and do you need a copy of it?
Who does the work, and are they trained under OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030?
Who is your permitted medical waste transporter, and will the disposal manifest be in my file?
Will you put the scope in writing before anyone starts, including what is not included?
Will you deal with my insurer directly, and what happens if the claim is denied?

End the call if

A company that offers to begin before the scene is released, or that turned up without being called.
No named waste transporter. Medical waste is regulated by state environmental and health departments, and a firm that cannot name its disposal route has no lawful one.
Cash only, or full payment before a written scope.

Insurance. Many homeowners policies can cover trauma cleanup when the loss falls under a covered peril, but it depends on the cause and the policy, so call your insurer before you sign anything (National Crime Scene Cleanup Association).

Where this comes from

Not my problem, tap through instead Every biohazard answer