Biohazard Cleaning
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Biohazard Cleaning in Maine, Handled Quietly
A biohazard cleanup usually follows something upsetting: a sewer line that backed up into the basement, an injury or death in the home, a property neglected for years, or a break-in that left a mess. Most people in that position have never had to arrange this kind of work and don’t want to learn the details of it. They want the area made safe and usable again by people who will handle it calmly and discreetly.
- 24/7/365 emergency service
- Over 40 years in business
- Family-owned and operated
- Works with all insurance carriers
Bouchard Cleaning & Restoration DKI does that work for homeowners, landlords, property managers and business owners across Maine. Our crews work out of Hampden and Westbrook, and the emergency line, 1-800-479-6676, is answered every hour of the year.
Why These Jobs Are Not for Household Cleaners
Blood, sewage and animal waste can carry bacteria and viruses, and they soak in further than most people expect. Carpet, pad, drywall and upholstery draw liquid below the surface, out of reach of a mop or a spray bottle. Odor is usually the sign that something is still there. A surface that looks clean can still hold contamination, and a poorly cleaned area can leave the next person who walks through it exposed.
The work therefore follows a sequence. Technicians wear protective gear and keep the affected area separated from the rest of the building. Visible contamination is removed first, and materials that cannot be cleaned are taken out and bagged for disposal. Surfaces that stay are then cleaned and treated with a disinfecting system. Deodorization comes last, so the smell is dealt with after its source is gone.
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The Jobs We Take On
Sewage backups
Sewage is the most common call. A blocked main line or a flooded floor drain can push wastewater into a basement or a ground-floor unit within minutes. Anything that wastewater touches is treated as contaminated, and porous materials it soaked usually cannot be saved. If the backup also left the building wet, our water damage team dries the structure once the contamination has been removed.
Bodily fluids
Bloodborne pathogens are the concern after an injury, an accident or an unattended death. These jobs are handled with privacy in mind: we keep the scene confidential and limit who comes and goes, so family members do not have to see or deal with the cleanup.
Animal waste
Droppings from rodents, birds or bats can build up in attics, crawl spaces and vacant buildings, and dried waste turns to dust that is easy to breathe in. We remove it with protective equipment, clean the surfaces beneath and treat the area. Contaminated insulation is often the largest part of the job.
Vandalism
After a break-in or deliberate damage, the mess can include spilled liquids, graffiti and fouled surfaces as well as broken glass. Our emergency services include board-up and tarping, so a damaged opening can be secured while the cleanup is planned. Property managers often call us because we can clean and secure in the same visit.
Hoarding Cleanup and Emotional Restoration
A hoarding situation is a house where belongings have filled the rooms past the point where the people living there can manage them. Paths narrow, doors stop opening, and the floors underneath may be hidden for years. Spoiled food and pest droppings often sit among the belongings, which is why the work belongs with biohazard cleaning.
These jobs involve people as much as property, and we recognize that they have an emotional side. A homeowner may be embarrassed, frightened of losing something that matters or relieved that help has finally come, sometimes all in the same hour. Our technicians go at a pace the household can follow, and they listen to what needs to be kept before anything leaves the building. Our aim is a cleanup that treats the owner with respect, whatever condition the home is in.
We also work with the other people who often have a stake in the outcome. A property manager may need a unit cleared before an inspection, a realtor may have a listing that cannot show, and a family member may be arranging the work for a relative who lives elsewhere. Our technicians coordinate with homeowners, property managers and realtors so that everyone hears the same plan and the same schedule. Because the rooms are usually full, the first visit is often a walk-through to decide what must be removed, what can be cleaned and what the owner wants to keep.
Disinfection After the Cleanup
Once the contamination has been removed, treated surfaces are disinfected with the TOMI SteraMist system, an ionized hydrogen peroxide applied as fine particles that can reach into seams, textured surfaces and tight spaces that cannot be wiped by hand. Because it needs no rinsing, it suits an occupied building where surfaces must come back into use quickly. The full description, including its labeled efficacy, is on our cleaning and sanitizing page.
Working With Insurers and Property Managers
Coverage for a biohazard loss varies with the cause. A sewer backup often depends on an endorsement for it in the policy, while vandalism and some accidental losses are more often covered. We work with all insurance carriers and can explain what your adjuster will want to see. If a claim does not apply, financing is available through the block further down this page.
For multi-unit buildings and commercial space, we plan around tenants, shared air handling and the places where people need to keep working. Tell us who lives or works in the building, and we will set up containment so the cleanup stays out of sight and out of the way. We can also report what was found and what was done, in a form you can pass to an owner, a board or an insurer.
What to Do Until We Arrive
Keep people and pets out of the affected area, and keep the doors to it closed. Do not try to scrub up sewage or blood with towels or a household vacuum, which spreads contamination and can blow particles into the air. If anything is still dripping, take a few photos for the insurer before anything is moved, and wash your hands well if you have touched any of it.
If you are not sure whether a situation counts as a biohazard, call and describe it. We would rather answer the question than have you work around it. For an urgent situation, call 1-800-479-6676. If the situation is stable and you want a plan, request an estimate, and our team will contact you.
Biohazard Cleaning Across Maine
We serve all 16 counties, including the islands off the coast. Our Locations page lists the area near you, including Penobscot County, Cumberland County, Androscoggin County, Kennebec County and Aroostook County. For emergencies of any kind, see our emergency cleaning service page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a biohazard job?
Our biohazard services include bodily fluid cleanup, sewage cleanup, animal feces cleanup, and hoarding cleanup and removal. We also restore property after vandalism. The work involves cleaning and sanitizing, and deodorization is offered with it, for residential and commercial properties.
How do you disinfect after a biohazard cleanup?
We use the TOMI SteraMist Environmental System, which uses Binary Ionization Technology, an ionized hydrogen peroxide. It kills on contact, with a 5-second application time, and it reaches particles as small as 0.05 microns, which lets it treat surfaces that are hard to wipe by hand.
Is anything left on the surfaces afterward?
The treatment leaves no residue. It is non-corrosive, a certified green product and OMRI certified. That is the reason we use it for biohazard work where the surfaces have to be usable again.
Can you clean up a sewage backup?
Yes. Sewage cleanup is one of our biohazard services, with cleaning, sanitizing and deodorization. If the backup came with flooding, we also handle the water damage and drying, so one company can take the whole job from the first call through the rebuild.
Can you help with a hoarding situation?
Yes. Hoarding cleanup and removal is one of our services. We recognize that it has an emotional side, so our technicians work with homeowners, property managers and realtors to get the property cleaned and back in use. Call us and we will talk through what the job involves.
Do you clean up after vandalism?
Yes. Vandalism restoration is part of our biohazard services, and our emergency services include board-up and tarping of damaged areas. We work on residential and commercial properties and plan the cleanup around what was damaged, and we are available around the clock for emergencies.
Can I call at night for a biohazard cleanup?
Yes. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. After hours, a local answering service pages your information to our on-call staff, who call you within 15 minutes of your call to evaluate your emergency needs.
Financing Available
Not covered by insurance? Apply for financing through our partner Enhancify.
Areas We Serve
We serve all 16 counties in Maine from our offices in Hampden and Westbrook. Find your county for local phone numbers and the towns we cover.
Get to Know Bouchard
Watch these short videos to see who we are and how we help Maine homes and businesses recover.
