An unattended death is one where a person dies alone and isn't discovered for hours, days or sometimes weeks. In Fort Myers it's often a retiree living alone, a seasonal resident's condo, or a tenant nobody heard from. By the time a wellness check leads to discovery, decomposition has usually started. In Southwest Florida's heat, especially if the AC was off or failed, it progresses fast.
Why decomposition cleanup is different
As a body decomposes, fluids leave it and move downward. They go through mattresses and box springs, into carpet, pad, tack strip and subfloor, and in many Lee County homes into the porous concrete slab under tile or vinyl. The odor comes from compounds that bind to drywall, fabric, ceiling texture and HVAC ductwork. Cleaning the visible stain won't make a room livable again. The affected materials have to come out.
Our unattended death cleanup in Fort Myers follows a set sequence. We contain the area and protect the HVAC system, remove all contaminated furnishings and building materials, clean and seal the slab or framing where needed, disinfect, and remove odor with hydroxyl generators or thermal fogging. Insects are part of these scenes, and we treat for them as well.
For landlords, HOAs and property managers
We work with a lot of property managers in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Bonita Springs. We'll coordinate access, document the loss for your carrier and return the unit ready for repairs. When a condo death affects neighboring units through shared walls or ductwork, we assess those spaces too. Under Florida Statute 689.25, a death in a unit isn't a fact you're required to disclose when leasing or selling. A properly cleaned and deodorized unit keeps the question from coming up.
Handling belongings with care
Families usually want the estate's papers, photos and valuables before anything is thrown out. We go through the room carefully, set those aside, clean what can be salvaged and give you a list of what was disposed of. If the home also has heavy clutter, our hoarding cleanup crew can clear the rest of the house during the same project.
Related trauma services
If the death involved violence or self-harm, see our homicide & suicide cleanup and crime scene cleanup services. For smaller fluid spills without decomposition, blood cleanup is usually enough.
Technician insight
Don't turn on the AC in a decomposition scene before we arrive. Running the air handler pulls odor into ductwork throughout the house, which turns a one-room job into a whole-house job.
Unattended Death Cleanup Services We Offer
✓Decomposition Cleanup
Removal of body fluids and all affected materials down to the slab or framing, followed by sealing and disinfection.
✓Death Odor Removal
Source removal plus hydroxyl, thermal fogging and HVAC cleaning to eliminate decomposition odor for good.
✓Contaminated Furniture & Mattress Disposal
Safe packaging and disposal of bedding, upholstery and flooring that can't be saved.
✓Insect Remediation
Treatment for flies and other insects that come with a decomposition scene.
✓Estate & Belongings Recovery
Careful search and cleaning of photos, documents and valuables for the family.
Pricing
Unattended death cleanup cost depends mostly on how long the person was undiscovered and how far fluids reached. A written estimate follows the walkthrough, and many homeowner and landlord policies cover the work.