Trauma cleaners know how difficult it can be to completely eliminate the smell of death from a crime scene. Thus, when they have to perform an unattended death cleanup Providence RI, they know the challenge of removing the smell would be even more difficult.
Even with the increased level of difficulty however, these professionals manage to completely rid the place of the putrid smell. They are all satisfied with a job well done, only for the homeowner to return and make complaints about the smell still there. Some companies might be confused, but the professionals would understand what is going on.
Phantosmia can be defined as a condition where a person smells something that isn’t there. This condition is admittedly rare but exists nonetheless. To help a client with a case of phantosmia, even before you know he/she has one, here are a few things you could do.
- Keep Homeowner Away from the Crime Scene as Much as Possible
In most cases of unattended death cleanup, the dead person usually stayed alone. This means that whoever eventually discovered the body has a place he/she stays. Thus, you can always encourage friends and family members to stay away from the crime scene as much as they can. This way, no one is exposed to the smell much and the chances of anyone developing phantosmia are greatly reduced.
- Do A Speedy Thorough Job
Family members might want to speed up post-death activities, so they can focus on grieving and move on with their lives. This means they would want to come into the crime scene as soon as possible to sort the deceased’s belongings. You must do a thorough cleaning job in the least possible time, so you can move on to deodorizing the scene, thoroughly as well.
- Have A Conversation With them
At one point or another, you are going to have to sympathize with the bereaved family. You can also have talks with them to find out which smell they find offensive. You should know that what one person considers a good smell can be considered a horrible one by another person. So maybe if you know what smell they consider terrible, you can be better suited to help them get over their phantosmia.
- Treat Them with Patience and Kindness
You might be confused or even annoyed when your client tells you that there is still an offensive smell in their home when you know there isn’t. Patience however is key to understanding what they are going through and possibly helping them overcome it.
- Communication Is Key
It all basically boils down to communication. Whether or not there is a bad smell involved in the cleanup, whether the crime scene is ghastly or not, whether or not it is just a hoarding situation, you must learn to keep communication lines open between you and your client. Keep them in the loop at all times. You gain their trust and faith by doing so, and if you have those, it would be easier for them to believe that you’ve done a thorough job and that there are no more bad smell lingering around. Thus, no phantosmia.
