Facing a biohazard situation—such as an unattended death, suicide, homicide, medical emergency, or hoarding issue—is overwhelming.

Costs of a biohazard cleanup due to a death or accident can vary widely based on the severity of contamination, time elapsed, size of the area, and materials affected. It also depends on the company you call. Information from our clients would tell you that some large National companies like “Aftermath” may charge more than 5 times (or more) what we here at Exit Cleanup charge. Meaning that we have done some jobs for 3-5 thousand dollars when big national companies gave an estimate of 26- 50 thousand dollars. Yes, you read that right! We have had many conversations with clients and other Biohazard cleanup companies that have stated similar outrageous estimates which seem to come from mostly from the large national corporate and franchise type companies. So please do your homework on the company you choose when you need a biohazard remediation company.

From this point of this post we will ignore the very high National estimates and stick to the general range of costs we have heard of from our experience, other Biohazard companies, insurance adjustors and information from insurance companies. Biohazard cleanup is typically expensive compared to a maid service or typical cleaning. It is a very specialized and carries the weight of serious health risks due to the handling of unknown blood and bodily fluids. The typical range might be $1,000 to $7,000+, but everything depends on the details and damages on site, and how prolific the scene may be. Some cleanups can go past $10,000 if there is a lot of damages and time required to clean and disinfect the property and make it safe. A simple blood spill on the counter from a small cut is much less work than a death where the body was not discovered from several weeks. So each job is different.

In general Crime scene or biohazard remediation can cost anywhere from $500 to $1000+ per hour but that isn't the exact way that biohazard remediation companies like Exit Cleanup estimate our services. Like any service, there are multiple costs which add up to the total, such as Biohazard technician hourly rates which can be $150 to $300 per hour per technician. For Example: if the technician hourly rate is $250 per hour per technician, and you have 4 technicians the total technician rate is $1000 per hour just for the labor. (These should be highly trained technicians like we have at Exit Cleanup - OSHA, FEMA, IICRC, CDC Trained). 

Another cost is PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for each technician. It can fluctuate from company to company which can increase the cost quite a bit. 

At Exit Cleanup we charge a flat rate per technician for the day (with exceptions), whereas some companies charge that same rate many times a day, per technician which can add hundreds if not thousands to a total biohazard cleanup cost. 

Another major cost for a biohazard / crime scene cleanup situation is the medical waste/ biohazard waste. Anything that is contaminated that can't easily be cleaned and disinfected such as clothing, carpets, bedding, flooring, mattresses or other property is typically put into "Bio boxes" or medical waste containers to be removed from the property and transported to a medical waste disposal company where the contents can be rendered biologically safe and destroyed. Things like mattresses can be cut up to remove the contaminated areas that go into the bio boxes and the rest (uncontaminated) will go to regular trash. By doing this, the areas containing the blood and bodily fluids (biologically contaminated) which could contain bloodborne pathogens (germs and viruses) as well as most of the odor causing materials, can be safely removed from the property. The cost of this can generally be anywhere from $200 to $1600 added to the overall cost. The more materials that are contaminated, the more Bio boxes may be needed. 

Those are the bulk of the costs of a biohazard, crime scene or death cleanup. The other costs would be things like chemicals and disinfectants used, disposables, travel fees, and administration and reports costs. It adds up and can be very expensive since this is never an expected cost. Insurance often covers these costs but not everyone has insurance so its best to call in the local family owned experts, Exit Cleanup to help make these tragic situations a bit easier.   

What Drives the Cost of Biohazard Cleanup

The primary factors influencing price include:

1. Man Hours: Scenes that span multiple rooms or require deconstruction take longer and need more technicians.Man hours is possibly the highest cost of biohazard cleanup
2. Contaminated Waste: Items that cannot be disinfected must be safely removed and sent to a medical waste processing facility. Anything contaminated goes into bio boxes.
3. Scene Complexity: Violent events, hoarding, or prolonged unattended deaths spread biohazards in ways only professionals can detect.
4. Time Since Incident: Older incidents often mean decomposition, hidden contamination, and more extensive cleanup.
5. Odor Remediation: Even after removing contaminated materials, specialized treatments like ozone machines may run for 12–24 hours to eliminate odors.

Insurance Coverage

In our experience, most insurance policies cover biohazard cleanup from crimes, accidents, or deaths, including suicides. Exceptions typically include:

• Ongoing hoarding issues
• Repeated animal problems or long-term neglect

Deductibles often impact the out-of-pocket cost more than coverage approval.

Why Professional Cleanup Matters

Attempting DIY cleanup or hiring a cheap service can create serious problems:

• Hidden biohazards may be missed, leading to lingering odors and contamination.
• Improper handling of bloodborne pathogens (HIV, Hepatitis) is a health risk.
• DIY mistakes can make the situation worse, requiring a professional team to redo the work.

Exit Cleanup ensures safety, thoroughness, and discretion, preventing additional emotional and financial stress.

Regulations & Compliance

Professional biohazard cleanup is highly regulated:

• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standards
• Full PPE usage for technicians
• Medical waste handling, transport, and disposal
• Coordination with law enforcement and coroners
• Documentation and photographs for insurance or client records

Compliance protects both our team and clients.

How to Choose a Biohazard Cleanup Company

1. Hire local and reputable: Look for family-owned or veteran-owned companies with strong local reviews and BBB ratings. Nationwide corporate companies generally cost much more and may not be local.
2. Check training and certifications: Verify OSHA, IICRC, and other relevant credentials.
3. Avoid national corporations that overcharge: Large out-of-state companies may bid 10x more for the same job.
4. Ask about insurance experience: Make sure they can work with your insurance for a smooth process.

Final Thoughts

Biohazard cleanup is specialized, technical, and emotional work. Costs vary based on contamination, time, scene complexity, and manpower, but hiring trained professionals ensures safety, thorough cleaning, and peace of mind.

Exit Cleanup is proud to serve New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and surrounding areas, offering compassionate, professional, and affordable biohazard cleanup. Let us handle the cleanup so you can focus on what matters most.