Not many people know that biohazard cleanup companies like Bio-One exist. Clients turn to us during moments of crisis in their lives, and hence, don’t usually discover who we are until they require a service. This lack of awareness is understandable. People don’t expect awful tragedies like homicide and suicide to affect their families. But the resulting unfamiliarity can generate mystique around our role here at Bio-One. It’s true that we specialize in crime scene cleanup and decontamination services. We also remove clutter in hoarding situations, eradicate stubborn odors and disinfect property tarnished by animal waste. But in our view, the role of Bio-One is more involved than that. We are here to help you during your time of greatest need. So we treat our jobs like first responders do, prioritizing the people in our communities when they need us most.
That’s why we’re always on stand-by. If you need to reach out to us, our phone lines are always open, no matter what time of the day it is. When you give us a call, we’ll immediately connect your request to the nearest team of cleanup technicians so that they can proceed in assisting you. Why does our perpetual availability matter to us? Because we never want someone to feel like they must confront a painful and daunting situation by themselves. We’re always ready to step in so you can focus on healing.
But consistency is not enough. For our clients, the road to recovery requires a rapid response on our part. We share your sense of urgency and understand that you need your property restored promptly. Our teams strive to arrive on site within an hour. In most situations, we don't collect payment until after a job has been completed. It’s the least we can do to ensure your needs are met first and foremost. That’s why our company motto is “help first, business second.” We prioritize your well-being over our bottom-line. When prices are discussed, you’ll notice that 95 percent of the work we do is covered by insurers. This coverage makes us one of the most affordable cleanup crews in town.
We also pride ourselves on being the most compassionate company in the industry. When you contact Bio-One, we are duty-bound to protect your privacy and provide you with superior customer service. We’ll arrive on site in unmarked vans to keep the job discrete. Moreover, our decontamination teams are trained to help you through a difficult situation. Not only will the service we provide be efficient and effective, it will be conducted in a manner that’s respectful of you, your family and your home. Your satisfaction is our guarantee.
Bio-One is also here to keep you safe. Biohazardous materials that are not properly disinfected create significant health risks. They are also dangerous to clean up, requiring specialized equipment designed to protect the user from unwanted viruses, noxious fumes and physical hazards. Proper sanitation requires an exhaustive process that only the professionals are qualified to handle. We dispose of biohazardous materials in accordance with state law to protect people and the environment from harmful toxins. You also don’t want to clean up the aftermath of a suicide or homicide yourself. Doing so will surely intensify your emotional trauma, making it more difficult to recover. Our disinfection process eliminates tenacious viruses safely and comprehensively, restoring both your property and your peace of mind.
We consider ourselves part of the communities we serve, so please reach out with any questions about biohazard safety, suicide prevention and more. We are here to help in every way that we can.
When a loved one dies by suicide, it’s fair to assume that first responders will decontaminate the scene. But they don’t, creating yet another dilemma for families who are freshly traumatized by a sudden and devastating loss. Driven to remove the memory from your home as quickly as possible, your first impulse may be to clean the space yourself. But there are several reasons why you shouldn’t take on this burden.
For one, suicide cleanup is a traumatic and overwhelming experience of its own. Although you may think you can push through this task by suppressing your emotions, you’re at risk of developing PTSD and prolonging your grief. It's best to avoid the scene and leave this process to the professionals.
Additionally, you may be subject to harmful diseases if you don’t clean up the scene properly. Over-the-counter cleaning supplies are not always strong enough to kill some of these viruses. Pathogens linger long after a surface has been scrubbed, leaving you and your family at risk of developing bloodborne infections like Hepatitis C and HIV if your cleaning process has not been thorough enough.
Certified specialists in biohazard remediation are the only people qualified to perform this intensive work. They know the commonly missed areas, and how to keep themselves safe while making the home safe again for the family. Let them restore your home with the assurance that it will be sanitary.
Bio-One is here to help in this regard. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance. We’re on standby 24/7, every day of the year, and are always available to answer any questions you might have.
Blood spills are more dangerous than you may realize. Depending on the size of the spill, they can carry hundreds of trillions of viruses, some of which may be infectious. Spread through open wounds, sores and other orifices (i.e. eyes, nose, mouth), these disease-carrying microorganisms—or pathogens—can cause severe illness or death if left untreated. Though the risk of infection depends on the volume of blood involved and the pervasiveness of the virus, it is prudent to consider how to protect yourself against different types of bloodborne viruses. Although they are easily preventable, contracting one demands urgency. As their name suggests, these pathogens travel through the bloodstream infecting host cells and disrupting the body’s biological machinery. As the virus multiplies, cells will die or function improperly, leading to distressing side effects. Here are some of the most common bloodborne infection you should be aware of:
Hepatitis A—Hepatitis A infects the liver. Though the virus commonly comes from food and water contaminated by feces, it can be transmitted through blood and other bodily fluids, such as semen, breast milk and saliva. It is extremely contagious, but given the availability of effective vaccines, most people are able to make a full recovery.
Hepatitis B—Hepatitis B is another highly contagious and severe liver infection that can be spread through blood and bodily fluids. Young people—particularly infants—are more at risk of developing a chronic infection than adults, which can lead to long-term side effects, liver failure and cancer. People infected with acute—or short-termed—hepatitis B are most likely to make a full recovery.
Hepatitis C— This viral liver infection is transmitted blood-to-blood and usually results in a chronic illness. Though hepatitis C is curable today, more than half of those infected are unaware that they have the disease. Unlike hepatitis A and B, there is no vaccine. Treatment involves 12 weeks of oral medication.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)—HIV destroys cells that combat infections. If untreated, it will progress until the infected person contracts AIDS—the final stage of the disease. Spread through unprotected sex, exposure to blood and shared hygiene instruments, HIV affects 1.1 million people today. An effective cure has yet to be developed.
How to protect yourself—The safest way to protect yourself from bloodborne pathogens is by avoiding blood spills and practicing safe, protected sex. Refrain from sharing razors, needles and toothbrushes as well, which may carry traces of blood from someone else. Smaller blood spills—such as those caused by nose bleeds or minor head injuries—can generally be disinfectd safely at home through tight gloves and protective eyewear.
But you’re going to want to contact the professionals for anything larger. Allowing trained specialists to do the work protects you from accidental blood exposure and ensures that your property is thoroughly disinfected. Bio-One hires certified technicians to comprehensively and efficiently clean biohazardous blood spills. Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions or concerns. We’re always available to assist you.
When a loved one commits suicide it’s fair to assume that first responders will decontaminate the scene. But they don’t, creating yet another dilemma for families who are freshly traumatized by a sudden and devastating loss. Driven to remove the memory from your home as quickly as possible, your first impulse may be to clean the space yourself. But there are several reasons why you shouldn’t take on this burden.
For one, suicide cleanup is a traumatic and overwhelming experience of its own. Although you may think you can push through this task by suppressing your emotions, you’re at risk of developing PTSD and prolonging your grief. It's best to avoid the scene and leave this process to the professionals.
Additionally, you may be subject to harmful diseases if you don’t clean up the scene properly. Pathogens linger long after a surface has been scrubbed, leaving you and your family at risk of developing bloodborne infections like Hepatitis C and HIV if your cleaning process has not been thorough enough. Certified specialists in biohazard remediation are the only people qualified to perform this intensive work. Let them restore your home with the assurance that it will be sanitary.
Bio-One is here to help in this regard. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance. We’re on standby 24/7, every day of the year, and are always available to answer any questions you might have.
One of the things I love about being a Bio-One franchise owner is that this is a values-driven company with a Help First. Business Second motto. We always try to be as active in the community as possible by continuously supporting and sponsoring positive events and organizations. We have an especially soft spot in our hearts for events that support first responders and survivors. Most recently we have sponsored the Trauma Intervention Program 2nd Annual T.I.P. Tow Fire Truck Pull, as well as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Annual Forget Me Not ceremony hosted by Cloverdale Funeral Home.
This was the second year that we provided lunch for the 60+ attendees of the MADD Forget Me Not. It’s hard not to get choked up watching the memorial video realizing that the list gets longer every year. On the other hand, the T.I.P. Tow was an upbeat event held at the Eagle Fun Days with some good-natured competition among first responders to see who could pull a fire truck the fastest. We sponsored the Ada County Coroner’s team, which improved on their time last year by 5 seconds! In the end T.I.P. was able to raise several thousand dollars for victims and survivors of trauma. Check out the link below for a video of our practice pull!
We are always looking for more events to sponsor and positive organizations to join. If you know of any events or good causes that align with our business in the Treasure Valley that could use another sponsor, let us know. We want to hear from you! Contact Travis Nichols at 208.505.8731 or info@bio-oneboise.com with your ideas or suggestions. And be sure to follow us on Facebook for more event information and photos!
We tend to see an uptick in some of our services during the summer months prompted by the odors that develop in hot weather. One of those is hoarding, which the Mayo Clinic defines as “a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them.” Hoarding has been on the rise in recent years, currently affecting 1 in 5 people. The American Psychiatric Association officially registered Hoarding Disorder (HD) as an official mental disorder in 2013.
There is significant variety in how HD affects people from the causes, to things hoarded, and severity. There are various risk factors for hoarding including personality, family history, and stress levels. What we have found is that there is typically a historical disposition towards clutter when what we call a “trigger” event occurs that the affected person(s) is unable to cope with effectively. This could be losing a job, the death of a family member, a health issue or some other traumatic event, and drugs. We have assisted clients that hoard animals, urine, mail, clothing, or simply everything that makes its way into the home. The hoarding is exacerbated by isolation. It may be a depression or debilitating illness/injury that prevents the hoarder from keeping up with their home, but as the situation worsens, embarrassment causes them to withdraw further and try to hide the situation from friends, family and neighbors.
Hoarding can cause significant damage to a home. The National Study Group on Compulsive Disorganization created a clutter hoarding scale with five levels of hoarding ranging from clutter to total inaccessibility of areas of the home and interruptions to the utilities. It can also lead to other issues such as rodent infestations and mold. The sooner it is addressed the better it is for the person’s quality of life, health, property, and pocket book.
We suggest property managers do preventative maintenance checks on a regular basis to protect their owners’ assets. If the hoarder is the homeowner though, it can be more challenging, because their cooperation will be required if they are still living. (We receive many calls from family members who have inherited properties from a hoarder). We love receiving calls from people with the disorder that recognize they need help and are ready to make a change! Often times though, the call comes from a concerned friend or family member, and what we’ve found is that some sort of leverage may be required to motivate the property owner. This could be a red tag from code compliance, a visit from the sheriff’s office or an eviction notice from their landlord.
All of Bio-One’s hoarding jobs are custom-designed to meet the needs of the client because every situation is different. It usually starts with a free phone consultation followed by a free on-site estimate when the family is ready. We walk the property with the client(s) to empathize with their challenges and define our scope. We will put together a proposal for their review and adjust with feedback if necessary. We encourage a 1-page “Recovery List” from the family that we will ensure our crew is on the lookout for. This includes items of obvious value like money, jewelry, or important documents, as well as items of sentimental value like pictures and family keepsakes. These will be stored in a safe zone for the family’s review. Besides decluttering a home, Bio-One can remove soiled carpets, recover feces or dead animals, disinfect & deep clean, perform mold remediation, and connect the clients to other reputable trades.
We understand that hoarding is very stressful for all parties involved, and our team approaches every situation with sensitivity and respect. We would be honored to help you navigate this challenging experience with our years of experience. Call anytime with questions.
We’re here to meet your needs, wherever you are. From the parched land of Southern Nevada to the aquamarine beaches of West Florida, Bio-One has over 80 offices located across the nation—and we continue to grow. You can find us in areas as metropolitan as Philadelphia and as pastoral as Colorado Springs. But even if you don’t live in one of these cities, our offices service multiple counties nearby. Please visit our “locations” tab on our website to find your neighborhood, and we’ll be available to assist you.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, compulsive hoarding disorder affects an estimated 2 to 6 percent of the population. That’s between 6.5 and 20 million people respectively—if you consider the latest figures from the United States Census Bureau. While inadvertently mythologized through reality television, hoarding is a serious problem that can diminish one’s quality of life and create significant safety hazards. As opposed to collectors, who invariably organize their material in a clean and organized manner, hoarders obsessively and haphazardly accumulate a myriad of items that often have no practical value. They face severe distress when confronted with the prospect of discarding these items, leading to a dangerous and unsanitary aggregation of clothes, trash, broken appliances and more.
In addition to generating mold, harboring disease and creating fire hazards, hoarding—according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America—often causes distress within the family and threatens the social development of children. While the nation’s leading psychiatrists didn’t classify hoarding as a distinct mental disorder until 2013, it’s a significant problem that many Americans face within our local communities. That’s why you shouldn’t feel ashamed if you’re thinking about contacting Bio-One to assist you or a loved one with hoarding cleanup. We will work with you to address your individual situation, especially if that includes removing extreme piles of clutter, searching for sentimental valuables, and restoring your home’s sense of safety and comfort. Don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. It can be the first step towards recovery.
Sudden and inexplicable tragedies like suicide and homicide are emotionally devastating experiences that leave trauma, property damage and unanswered questions in their wake. Our certified technicians conduct their work in a manner that is sensitive to your needs, considerate of your privacy and empathetic towards your grief. That’s why we strive to be on-site, at your side, an hour after you give us a call. We don't require payment or insurance authorization before a service because our primary concern is restoring your home quickly and courteously. Staying true to this prerogative is what makes us the most compassionate organization in the industry. Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions or concerns. We’re happy to help—day and night.
Needles and sharps can be dangerous and carry infectous fluids. If you want to know how to properly dispose of your sharps, please visit https://safeneedledisposal.org.
You SHOULD NOT be throwing needles and sharps directly into the trash. They need to be handled carefully and by a trained professional. Did you know Bio-One will pick up these items for you?
If you are a part of the medical field, dental industry, or a tattoo shop, these are all places we can pick up from! If you think you might need this, take a look at our locations page to find a Bio-One franchise close to you.
