Who Cleans Up a Crime Scene in Oklahoma? (It's Not the Police)

Who Is Responsible for Cleaning Up After a Crime?

The property owner is responsible. That means the homeowner, the landlord for a rental, or the business owner for a commercial property. If the person who died owned the home, responsibility passes to the family or the estate.

Here is the usual order of events after a violent crime or homicide:

1. Police secure the scene and call investigators.
2. Investigators and the medical examiner collect evidence and remove the deceased if there was a death.
3. Police release the scene back to the owner. Cleanup cannot start before this.
4. The owner hires a cleanup company to remove blood, bodily fluids and contaminated materials.
5. The property is cleaned, disinfected and deodorized so people can safely return.

What Police and OSBI Do (and Don't Do)

Their job is evidence, not restoration. According to OSBI victim services guidance on crime scene cleanup, the bureau does not clean crime scenes or pay for cleanup, and it cannot recommend a specific company.

Who Pays for Crime Scene Cleanup in Oklahoma?

There are three common ways the bill gets paid.

Homeowner's or Renter's Insurance

Many homeowner's policies cover crime scene cleanup as sudden, accidental damage, and the OSBI notes that insurance often covers it. Call your insurer, ask about biohazard remediation coverage, and keep every receipt and photo.

Oklahoma Crime Victims Compensation

The Oklahoma Crime Victims Compensation program can reimburse crime scene cleanup up to $2,000. It pays only after other sources such as insurance. To qualify:

• The crime must have happened in Oklahoma.
• It must be reported to law enforcement within 72 hours (exceptions exist for good cause).
• The claim must be filed within one year.
• The claimant cannot be the offender or an accomplice.

Your county district attorney's victim-witness coordinator can help you file the claim.

Landlords and Businesses

If the crime happened in a rental, the landlord usually arranges and pays for cleanup, then works through their own property insurance. Businesses typically use commercial property coverage.

What Crime Scene Cleaners Actually Do

Crime scene cleanup is far more than scrubbing, and it overlaps closely with blood and bodily fluid cleanup. A professional crew follows a set process:

1. Assessment: finding every area blood or fluids reached, including under flooring and behind baseboards.
2. Containment: sealing the area so contamination does not spread to the rest of the home.
3. Protective equipment: suits, gloves, respirators and eye protection.
4. Removal: cutting out carpet, pad, drywall or subfloor that fluids soaked into.
5. Cleaning and disinfection: hospital-grade disinfectants left on surfaces for their full contact time.
6. Odor removal: air scrubbers, and ozone or hydroxyl treatment when needed.
7. Waste disposal: biohazard waste packed and transported to a licensed facility.
8. Final check: confirming the area is clean before the family returns.

Why Families Shouldn't Clean It Themselves

Blood can carry bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard requires workers who handle blood to use protective equipment and follow strict procedures for good reason. Fluids also travel much farther than they appear to, soaking into materials that look clean on the surface, which is why a bodily fluid cleanup kit is not enough for a crime scene.

There is also the emotional cost. Cleaning the place where a loved one was hurt can stay with a person for years. Handing it to a crew lets the family focus on each other.

How Long Crime Scene Cleanup Takes

Most residential scenes take a few hours to two days, depending on how far contamination spread and how much material must be removed. Odor treatment can add time. You can usually return once disinfection and odor control are complete.

Crime Scene Cleanup Across the Tulsa Area

We serve families, landlords and businesses in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby, Jenks, Sand Springs, Sapulpa and nearby communities. Along with crime scenes, our crew handles homicide cleanup and accident scene cleanup. If the death happened at home without a crime involved, our guide on who cleans up after someone dies at home explains the steps.

Frequently Asked Questions