When police release the scene, the cleanup is left to the owner or family. Our crew works to OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards, handles the whole job quietly, and can work with your insurer and provide the documentation they need.
The police do not clean the scene. Here is who is responsible, and when the work can begin.
Once SAPD or the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office releases the scene, it passes back to the property owner or next of kin, and so does the cleanup.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office removes the body but does not clean the scene. Its official brochure sets out what the office does. Nobody from the city or county comes back to clean. That job falls to you, or to a crew you choose.
Cleanup can only start after law enforcement releases the property. That can take a few hours or several days, depending on the case. Call us early; we can stand by and aim to mobilise once you have clearance.
The Medical Examiner’s role ends with the body. Responsibility for the room, the furniture and the flooring moves to the owner, not the city.
Even after release, the area can hold bloodborne pathogens and tissue fragments you cannot see. OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.1030 covers occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials for exactly this reason.
As crime scene cleaners in San Antonio, we take on every kind of violent or traumatic scene, from a single room to a whole property. If yours is not listed, call and ask.
Our homicide cleaners remove blood, tissue and bodily fluids from every affected surface. Murder scene cleanup often means cutting out flooring, carpet or drywall, not just wiping it down.
Handled quietly and without judgement, with the family kept away from the affected room until it is safe.
Suicide cleanup →Blood and fluid cleanup after stabbings, shootings and assaults in homes, vehicles and businesses.
Trauma cleanup →Broken glass, forced-entry residue and any blood left behind, cleared so the property is safe to use again.
Tear gas residue and fingerprint powder cling to fabrics, vents and walls. We remove both, so the space is usable again.
Decomposition fluids and odor often spread well beyond the room where someone passed.
Unattended death cleanup →Every job runs through the same five steps: assess and contain, remove contaminated materials, clean with EPA-registered disinfectants, treat odor, then a final walkthrough with documentation. Blood and bodily fluids are handled to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030, the federal bloodborne pathogens standard.
The crew arrives in PPE, maps how far contamination has spread and seals off the affected area. You hear what we found before work starts.
Blood, tissue and anything that cannot be saved, including soft furnishings, carpet or drywall, is bagged and disposed of under federal and state rules.
Every affected surface is cleaned, then treated with EPA-registered disinfectants. Hard surfaces that touched blood are decontaminated, not just wiped.
Biological odors soak into air, fabric and building materials. We treat the source and the space so the smell does not come back.
We walk the property with you and provide documentation of the work performed, for your insurer and your records.
A contained residential scene typically takes 4 to 8 hours. Complex scenes typically run 1 to 3 days. You get a realistic timeframe during the free estimate, before any work begins.
Neighbors do not need to know what happened inside your property. We work so they never have to.
A low-profile approach to the address
No signage, tape or equipment staging visible from the street
We speak only to you, never to bystanders
Work done efficiently, to keep time at the address short
What happened at your property stays between you and us.
Landlords, families and business owners ask the same thing on the first call: will anyone notice? We plan the job around that question.
Cost depends on how large the scene is and how far contamination has spread into carpet, subfloor and walls. Your insurer is the first place to look for help paying, then Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation. Below are typical industry ranges, not a quote.
Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation can reimburse up to $2,250 of crime scene clean-up costs for crimes after July 14, 2016. How it works is explained in the next section.
For a fuller breakdown of what drives price, see our guide to crime scene cleanup costs. Every job starts with a free estimate, so you know the number before you agree to anything.
Talk through your situation, (210) 864-1250According to the Texas Attorney General, Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation can reimburse up to $2,250 of crime scene clean-up costs for crimes after July 14, 2016. By law it is a last-resort program, so any homeowners’ or renters’ insurance is used first. Keep every receipt from the day of the incident onward.
The program is run by the Texas Attorney General. The rules below come from the AG’s crime scene clean-up reimbursement page. For filing deadlines and reporting conditions, check the CVC eligibility page.
Up to $2,250 for crimes after July 14, 2016, per the Texas Attorney General. Earlier crimes have different limits.
Homeowners’ or renters’ insurance pays first. CVC looks at what is left.
A receipt or bill from the cleaning company, itemised supplies, and your insurance declaration page or a statement that you have none.
Clean it yourself and only supplies are reimbursed. Use a company and the service cost may be reimbursed too.
We explain the program; we are not a CVC provider and cannot guarantee reimbursement.
The same standards apply across our full range of biohazard and trauma cleanup services across San Antonio.
Last reviewed: October 2, 2026 · Checked against Texas Attorney General CVC guidance and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030
The Bloodborne Pathogens standard covers occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. It calls for an exposure control plan, training at assignment and at least annually, PPE, and decontamination of contaminated surfaces. It is the standard professional crews work to.
Surfaces are treated with disinfectants from the EPA’s registered disinfectant lists, applied as the label directs.
A record of the work performed, what was removed and how it was disposed of, for your insurer and any legal file.
Tell us a little about your situation and we will call you back. A free, no-obligation estimate, and we aim to call back quickly.
Or call (210) 864-1250, 24/7
One 24/7 phone line for crime scene cleanup services across the whole metro.
Cleanup can begin only after law enforcement, either SAPD or the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, releases the scene. That can take a few hours or several days depending on the case. The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office removes the body but does not clean the scene, so the owner or next of kin arranges it. Call us when you need to; we can stand by and aim to start once you have clearance.
Often, but it depends on your policy. Homeowners', renters' and business policies commonly respond to biohazard cleanup, so ask your insurer before you pay anything. We can work with your insurer and provide the documentation they need, but we cannot promise coverage.
According to the Texas Attorney General, the CVC program can reimburse up to $2,250 of crime scene clean-up costs for crimes after July 14, 2016. It is a last-resort program, so homeowners' or renters' insurance is used first. You will need a receipt or bill, itemised costs, and your insurance declaration page or a statement that you have none. We explain the process but are not a CVC provider.
You can, but it is risky. Blood and other bodily fluids can carry bloodborne pathogens, which is why OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.1030 sets rules for professional crews on PPE, training and decontamination. Under CVC, a self-clean reimburses supplies only, while a company's service cost may also be reimbursed. Call us for a free estimate before you decide.
A contained residential scene typically takes several hours, while larger spaces, heavy contamination or decomposition can take a few days. We give you a realistic timeframe during the free estimate call, before any work begins.
Yes to all three scene types, each handled with the same care and without judgement, across San Antonio, Bexar County and nearby towns such as Alamo Heights, Stone Oak, Schertz, Boerne and New Braunfels. If you are unsure your situation qualifies, call and we will tell you honestly.
A free, no-obligation call, any hour of the day. Or send the form above and we will call you back.
Get my free estimate → Call (210) 864-1250