For families in Knoxville and nearby towns
Cleanup after a suicide
We are sorry for your loss. Nobody in the family should have to clean the room where it happened. A biohazard cleanup company can do it quietly, with unmarked vehicles if you ask.
Reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
What happens before cleanup
Police attend, and the death is reported to the county medical examiner, as Tennessee requires for violent and unnatural deaths. Around Knoxville that is the Knox County Regional Forensic Center. The home is handed back once their work is done.
If the person is to be cremated, the medical examiner is also involved, because Tennessee requires the county medical examiner to be told of every cremation.
How the call can go
You do not need to describe details you do not want to. Say it was a suicide, which room, and whether the police have released the home. The company will ask the rest gently.
Ask whether they can arrive in an unmarked vehicle, and whether they will set aside personal items, letters or photographs for you instead of discarding them.
Questions people ask
Can a friend or relative make the call for us?
Yes. Anyone can call. The company will need the agreement of the owner or the person responsible for the home before it starts.
Does Tennessee's victim compensation fund cover this?
The fund is for victims of violent crime, so it does not usually apply after a suicide. Homeowner's or renter's insurance sometimes covers cleanup; call the insurer and ask.
Will the room be usable again?
In most homes, yes. Some flooring or drywall may have to be replaced after the cleanup is finished.
Other situations
- Crime scene cleanupAfter a homicide, an assault or another violent crime, once police hand the home back.Read more
- Unattended death cleanupWhen a person died alone and days passed before anyone knew.Read more
- Blood and bodily fluid cleanupAfter an injury, a fall or a sudden illness at home.Read more
Call whenever you feel ready
You do not need to know the right words or have a plan. Say what happened, where it is, and whether the police or the medical examiner have finished. The company takes it from there, and the decision to hire stays with you.
Speak with a cleanup company
An independent company that works around Knoxville answers. Tell them what happened and where, then ask how they would handle it and how they price the job. The choice to go ahead is yours alone.
Call (865) 276-0393Reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded; see the referral disclosure and privacy policy for details.