Cars, trucks and vans
Cleaning blood from a car, truck or van
A car is a small closed space with fabric seats, carpet and air vents, so blood and fluids spread into places you cannot see. A biohazard cleanup company can remove and treat them, and tell you honestly if a part has to be replaced.
Reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
If police were involved
After a crime or a fatal incident, police may hold the vehicle. Ask the officer or the agency when and where it will be released, and keep the case number.
Who pays
Auto insurance
Comprehensive coverage sometimes pays for cleanup. Call your insurer before work starts and ask what it needs from you.
The state crime victim fund
Tennessee's Criminal Injuries Compensation lists crime scene cleanup for a home. A vehicle is not named there, so ask the program before you count on it.
What to ask
- Can you do the work where the vehicle is, or does it need to be moved?
- Will seats or carpet have to come out?
- Do you treat the vents and the air system?
- Will you give me something in writing for my insurer?
Questions people ask
Can a detailer handle it?
Most detailers are not set up for blood. A biohazard company uses protective gear, disinfects properly and disposes of the waste as medical waste.
Is it ever better to replace the seat?
Sometimes. If fluid has gone through the cushion, replacing it can be the safer choice. The company should tell you.
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
- Suicide cleanupQuiet, careful cleanup so the family does not have to face the room.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.