Bellingham and Whatcom County, Washington

Biohazard and crime scene cleanup in Bellingham, Washington

When someone has died, been hurt or a crime has happened in a home or car, the cleanup shouldn't fall to you. One call puts you in touch with an independent biohazard cleanup company that works around Bellingham.

Call (360) 685-7670

Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Homes, rentals, businesses and vehicles
An independent company does the work
Whether to hire them is your decision

Craftsman houses with deep porches under tall firs on a wet Bellingham-style street. — Illustration only

Situations

What has happened?

Each page explains what the cleanup involves and what to ask before anyone starts.

What a cleanup company does, and what it doesn't

A biohazard cleanup company removes blood, bodily fluids and anything they have soaked into, then cleans and disinfects what is left. Carpet, pad, drywall or subfloor may have to come out. The waste is bagged, boxed and taken away for disposal.

It does not investigate, and it does not decide when the home is released. That is the job of the police and the medical examiner. It also won't touch personal papers or valuables without asking you first; say if there is anything you want set aside.

You don't need to be in the home while the work is done. Many families hand over a key and wait to hear back.

Two cleanup workers in white suits and respirators carrying sealed red boxes down mossy front steps.

Whatcom County

Three things worth knowing here

The medical examiner

Deaths in Whatcom County that need investigating go to the Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s Office, 360-738-4557. Ask it, or the funeral home, about release of your loved one and their belongings.

The state won’t pay for cleanup

Washington’s crime victims program, run by Labor & Industries, says plainly that crime scene cleanup is not something it pays for. It may help with counseling, funeral costs and medical bills. Insurance is usually the place to ask.

Asking if the scene is released

Bellingham police take non-emergency requests on (360) 676-6911. Have the case or report number ready if you were given one.

How a call goes

What happens when you call

You say what happened
In your own words. Where it is, roughly what rooms or surfaces, and whether the home has been released.
The company explains its approach
What it would remove, how long it may take, and whether it needs to see the place first.
You get a written quote
Read it and ask about anything unclear, including how insurance might fit.
You decide
If you go ahead, agree a time and how they'll get in. If not, that's the end of it.

Around Bellingham

Nearby towns

Each page covers who to call there and what is different.

A small-town main street with a brick civic building and autumn maples on a wet day.

FerndaleFerndale police ask you to dial 911 even for questions that aren't emergencies.

A straight country road past a red barn and berry rows, with a snow-capped mountain behind.

LyndenLynden has its own police department; deaths go to the county medical examiner.

Beach cottages behind a driftwood shore on a calm grey bay, with madrona trees.

Birch Bay and BlaineBirch Bay is answered by the Sheriff's Office, Blaine by its own police.

A car ferry at a wooden dock below a hillside town and marina.

AnacortesIn Skagit County, so the Skagit County Coroner handles deaths here, not Whatcom's office.

A few quick answers

Who answers when I call?

Your call goes to an independent biohazard cleanup company that works in the area. It is not a government office and not the police. The phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Do I have to hire the company I speak to?

No. You can ask questions, ask for a written quote and take time to decide. Nothing is agreed until you agree it.

Is bio hazard cleanup the same as crime scene cleanup?

Mostly, yes. Crime scene cleanup is one kind of biohazard cleanup. The same companies handle unattended deaths, suicides, injuries, illness and some hoarding work.

Whenever you are ready

There is no rush and no obligation. Call to ask questions, get a quote, or simply understand what would happen next.

Talk it through first

Call when you are ready. Say what happened, where, and whether police or the medical examiner have released the place. An independent cleanup company can then explain what it would do.