Cars, trucks and vans

Biohazard cleanup in a vehicle

Blood or body fluids in a car after a crime, an injury or a death. Seats, carpet and the gaps around seat belts hold fluids that a car wash will not reach.

Call (707) 271-4587

Answered 24 hours a day, every day

Worker in white coveralls and gloves wiping the front seat of a grey SUV parked under redwood trees

Getting the vehicle back

If the police kept the vehicle, ask the investigating officer or the department's records staff when it will be released and where it is being held. Some cleanup companies can work at a tow yard or in a driveway; ask when you call.

Paying for it

What to know first

Victim compensation

The CalVCB can reimburse cleanup after a crime in a vehicle, if the work is done by a company registered with the California Department of Public Health.

Auto insurance

Some policies cover interior damage of this kind. Call your insurer before work starts. CalVCB expects insurance to be tried first.

What may come out

Seat covers, carpet and padding are sometimes removed and replaced. Ask for a list before work starts.

Keep the paperwork

The company's invoice and its description of the work are useful for an insurer, the compensation board or a later sale.

Talk to a cleanup company about your home

Describe what happened and which rooms are affected, and say whether the police or the coroner have finished. The company will explain the work and its price.

Ready to talk to a cleanup company?

You will speak with an independent biohazard cleanup company that works in Santa Rosa and nearby towns. Ask what it would do and what it would charge. Nothing is agreed until you say so.

Call (707) 271-4587

Answered 24 hours a day, every day

Calls may be recorded. The referral disclosure explains how this site is paid.