Arlington and nearby Tarrant County cities
Biohazard and crime scene cleanup in Arlington, Texas
After a death, a violent crime or a serious injury at home, the cleanup does not have to fall to you or your family. Call this number to talk with an independent biohazard cleanup company that works in Arlington.
Answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year
- Homes, apartments and vehicles
- An independent company does the work
- You decide whether to hire them
If it has only just happened
Call 911
If someone may be hurt or has died, dial 911 before anything else. Do not clean, move or throw away anything.
Wait for the release
Police and, after a death, the medical examiner's office work the scene first. Ask the officer when the home or car will be handed back to you.
Then call this number
Once it is yours again, call. The company you reach can explain what it would do and when it could start.
Situations
What happened?
Each page explains what the cleanup involves and what to ask before anyone starts.
- Crime scene cleanupAfter an assault, a shooting or a homicide, once the police have finished with the home.Read more
- Unattended death cleanupWhen someone died alone and was found days or weeks later.Read more
- Suicide cleanupCareful work, so the family does not have to go into the room first.Read more
- Blood and bodily fluidsA fall, an injury or an illness that left blood on floors, walls or furniture.Read more
- Hoarding with biohazardsA crowded home where animal or human waste or spoiled food has built up.Read more
- Disinfection after illnessCleaning a room or a home after someone was sick there.Read more
- Car and truck cleanupBlood or bodily fluids inside a car, truck or van.Read more
What the work involves
What a cleanup company does that a family should not
Blood and other body fluids can carry germs such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV (OSHA). A cleanup company wears protective suits and respirators, seals off the room and takes out anything that cannot be cleaned, including carpet, pad and sometimes drywall.
Fluids often travel further than they look. In a house built on a concrete slab, they can run under flooring to the slab itself. Ask the company how it checks for that before it calls the job finished.
Bio hazard waste from a home is bagged, boxed and taken away for disposal. Ask how the company handles that part, and ask for the price in writing before work starts.
Arlington contacts
Numbers you may need this week
These offices are separate from the cleanup. They are here so you know who to ask.
- Police, non-emergency
- Arlington Police: (817) 274-4444. Ask when the home will be released and for the case number.
- Medical examiner
- The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office in Fort Worth investigates sudden, violent and unattended deaths in Arlington. Phone 817-920-5700. Office page.
- Funeral home release
- The medical examiner releases to funeral homes on weekdays only, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and not on weekends or holidays. A death on a Friday night may mean waiting until Monday.
- Victim help
- Arlington Police has a victim services unit that helps with crime victims' compensation claims. Main number 817-459-5339 (city police contacts).
- Crisis support
- Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, at any hour. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Paying for it
Who pays for crime scene cleanup in Texas
Texas Crime Victims' Compensation, run by the Attorney General's office, lists crime scene clean-up among the costs it may help pay. What the program says about clean-up. Professional cleaning services and cleaning supplies are the examples it gives.
The program pays only after other sources, so homeowners or renters insurance comes first. Keep every receipt and the company's itemized bill.
The who pays guide covers insurance, landlords and estates in more detail.
Guides
Plain answers for the days after
- After a death at homePolice, the medical examiner, the funeral home and the room, in the order they come.Read more
- Who pays for the cleanupTexas victim compensation, insurance in general terms, landlords and estates.Read more
- For landlords and managersA tenant's death or a biohazard in a unit you own or manage.Read more
Nearby
Cities around Arlington
Each page covers who to call there. For everything else, see the service areas page.
Grand PrairieWhich medical examiner has the case depends on the county the death was in.
MansfieldThree counties meet here, and that changes who you speak to after a death.
KennedaleKennedale's own police, and the dispatch number to ask when a home is released.
HurstHurst police, and a victim services program shared across three cities.
EulessEuless police run a victim services program that helps with compensation claims.Questions
Before you call
Is this number answered at night?
Yes. It is answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Do I have to be there when the work is done?
Usually not for the whole job. Someone has to let the company in and agree the work in writing. Many families prefer not to see the room until it is finished, and that is fine to ask for.
Can I clean it myself?
You can, but blood can carry infections, and the Texas compensation program reimburses only supplies if you clean it yourself. Read the blood cleanup page before deciding.
What if I rent?
Tell your landlord or manager early. The landlord page explains what Texas law says when a tenant dies.
When you are ready, one call
There is no rush on your side. Call when the police have released the place and you want to know what the cleanup involves.
Talk it through with a cleanup company
You will speak with an independent company that works around Arlington. Ask how they would handle your situation and how they set the price. Nothing is booked until you agree.
Call (817) 803-8687Answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year
Calls may be recorded. How referrals work: referral disclosure. Your information: privacy policy.