Appleton, Wisconsin and the Fox Cities

Biohazard and crime scene cleanup in Appleton, Wisconsin

After a death, a violent crime or a serious injury at home, nobody should have to clean the room themselves. Call this number to reach an independent biohazard cleanup company that works in Appleton and nearby Fox Cities towns. They do the work. You decide whether to hire them.

Call (920) 555-0110

Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Homes, apartments, businesses and vehicles
An independent local company does the cleanup
You choose whether to go ahead

Two workers in white protective suits and respirators carrying sealed red boxes down the front steps of a house in autumn

What happened?

Each page explains what the cleanup involves and what to ask before you agree to anything.

What a cleanup company actually does

Most of the work is careful removal. Carpet, pad, mattresses, upholstery and sometimes sections of drywall or subfloor that took up blood or fluids are cut out, sealed in marked containers and taken away for disposal.

What is left is cleaned, treated with a disinfectant and checked again. Odor is dealt with at its source, not covered up.

Workers wear protective suits, gloves and respirators. Federal OSHA rules require employers whose staff may be exposed to blood to have a written exposure plan and protective equipment. That is one reason this bio hazard work is not the same as household cleaning.

A doorway in an older house sealed with clear plastic sheeting and blue tape, with an air cleaner on the floor

Who to call in the Appleton area

Appleton sits mostly in Outagamie County, with parts in Calumet and Winnebago counties.

Outagamie County Coroner

The Coroner’s Office investigates reportable deaths in Outagamie County. To reach the on-duty coroner, the county asks you to call the Sheriff's non-emergency number, 920-832-5000.

Calumet or Winnebago side of the city

A death in the Calumet or Winnebago County part of Appleton goes to that county's medical examiner. The officers on scene know which office to call. You do not have to work it out.

Appleton Police

The non-emergency number is 920-832-5500. Use it to ask when a scene will be released or how to get a copy of the report. The department also has a victim services program; ask about it on the same number.

Crime victim compensation

Wisconsin's Crime Victim Compensation Program, run by the Department of Justice, can help with the cost of securing and cleaning a crime scene when insurance or another source does not pay. The crime has to be reported to police within five days, and the claim filed within one year.

What happens when you call

You describe what happened
Where it is, which rooms, and whether police or the coroner are still involved.
You speak with an independent company
It explains what the cleanup would involve and how it works out cost.
You decide
There is no obligation. Ask questions, take time, talk to family or your insurer first.

Nearby towns

Independent cleanup companies also work in much of the Fox Cities.

Short answers

Do the police or the coroner clean up afterwards?

No. Their work ends when they release the home. The cleanup is arranged by the family, the owner or the landlord.

Does it have to be done right away?

Not once the home is released and the door is closed. Sooner is easier, because fluids and odor spread with time, but you can take a day to think.

Can I be there while the work is done?

Ask the company. Many people prefer not to be, and hand over a key. If there are things you want kept, say so before work starts.

Appleton and the Fox Cities

Talk it through before you decide

You do not need to know the right words. Describe the room and what happened, and ask what the company would do first.

When the home has been released

Call and say what happened, in your own words. An independent cleanup company will explain what the work involves. You decide whether to go ahead.