When someone was not found for some time

Unattended death cleanup in Lexington

When a person dies alone, days can pass before anyone knows. By then the room needs more than cleaning. It is a hard thing to face, and it is work for people with the right equipment.

An empty, clean bedroom with bare hardwood floor and a tall window letting in soft light

First, the coroner

Call 911. In Kentucky the coroner must order a post-mortem examination when decomposition means an outside examination cannot rule out injury, when a death is sudden and unexplained, and when the person was not under a doctor’s care and there is no medical history to explain the death (KRS 72.025). In Lexington the Fayette County Coroner’s Office handles this.

Once the coroner has taken the person into care and police are finished, the home goes back to the family or the owner. That is when cleanup can be arranged.

Until the cleanup company arrives

Keep the door to the room closed. Do not try to air it out by running fans or the heating and air system.
Do not use household cleaners or air fresheners on the area; they do not reach what is underneath.
Keep children and pets out of that part of the home.
Collect valuables or papers you need from other rooms only.
Make a note of the coroner’s case details; the funeral home and insurer may ask for them.

Why the smell stays

Odor comes from fluids that have soaked into flooring, subfloor, mattresses and sometimes the wall framing. Masking it does not work for long. The usual approach is to remove the affected materials, clean and disinfect what remains, seal porous surfaces where needed and treat the air.

Ask the company how it will confirm the odor is gone before it leaves, and what it will need to remove. Replacing flooring or drywall afterwards is usually a separate job.

A doorway sealed with plastic sheeting and an air machine beside it — Sealing the room keeps odor and dust out of the rest of the house. Photo: illustration.

Questions families ask

Is it safe to go into the room?

It is safer to wait. Body fluids can carry disease, and the air in a closed room can be unpleasant and irritating. Let the cleanup company assess it first.

Can personal belongings be saved?

Often, if they were not in contact with fluids. Tell the company which items matter to you, such as photographs, papers or jewelry, so they can set them aside.

What if the home is a rental?

The landlord or property manager usually arranges and pays for cleanup of the unit. See the landlord guide.