Guide
What to Do After an Unattended Death
Reviewed October 2026 by the USA Biohazard Cleanup editorial team. General information, not legal or insurance advice.
Finding that someone has died alone is a shock, whether you are family, a neighbor, or a landlord. There is no need to work everything out at once. These are the steps that matter, in order.
Call 911 and step outside
If you have just found the person, call 911. Do not move anything. Police and the coroner or medical examiner need to see the home as it is.
Wait for the scene to be released
Authorities will examine the home and remove the deceased. They do not clean. Ask the officer or investigator to tell you when the home is released back to you.
Limit time inside
Decomposition creates real health risks. Avoid the affected room, and do not run fans or the central air system, which can spread odor through the home.
Take care of the urgent things
Pets, medication, identification, and keys can usually be collected quickly from unaffected rooms. If they are in the affected room, tell the cleanup crew and let them retrieve them.
Tell the insurer
Report the loss to the homeowners, renters, or landlord insurer and write down the claim number. Ask what documentation the adjuster will want.
Arrange professional cleanup
Trained and certified technicians remove affected materials, disinfect the structure, treat odor at its source, and dispose of waste under state rules.
Keep the paperwork
Save the scope of work, photos, invoice, and disposal records. Estates, insurers, and landlords all rely on them later.
What not to do
Do not try to clean the area with household products. Fluids travel into flooring, subfloors, and furniture where surface cleaning cannot reach, and the odor returns until the source is removed. Do not throw contaminated items in household trash: in every state this waste is regulated. Our guide to state waste rules lists the agency responsible where you live.
If you are a landlord or property manager
Keep the unit closed, tell neighboring tenants only what they need to know, and contact the next of kin or the estate before removing belongings. Your landlord policy may cover the cleanup, and the documentation from the crew supports both the claim and the deposit accounting.
If you are far away
Many families handle this from another state. Access can usually be arranged through a property manager, a locksmith, or a trusted local contact, and the crew can report back by phone with photos and a written summary.
Related reading: who pays for biohazard cleanup and our unattended death cleanup service page.