Canton and Stark County, Ohio
Unattended death cleanup in Canton
When someone dies alone and is not found for days or weeks, the room needs more than cleaning. Fluids reach the subfloor, and odor settles into walls and fabric. An independent cleanup company can take it from here.
Lines answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
First
What usually happens before cleanup
When a death is sudden, unattended or unexplained, the coroner is notified. Ohio law (ORC 313.12) requires police, emergency crews and health care workers to notify the coroner's office when a person dies suddenly while in apparent good health, or by violence, suicide or in any suspicious or unusual way.
In Stark County that is the Stark County Coroner's Office, which investigates cause and manner of death in the cases reported to it. Its phone is (330) 451-1366; after hours the line forwards to the Sheriff's Office, and an investigator is on call 24 hours a day.
Sources: ORC 313.12, Stark County Coroner's Office
The work
Why this cleanup is different
It goes deeper
Fluids often pass through carpet and pad into the subfloor. Those layers are cut out and removed.
Odor has a source
Air fresheners do not fix it. The odor stops when the affected material is gone and the area is treated.
Belongings
Tell the company what you want to keep, such as photographs and papers, before they start.
Before you go in
If you have to enter the home
Keep the visit short. Open windows if it is safe to. Don't run fans or the furnace blower, which can carry odor through the house.
Take only what you need right away: keys, documents, medication, a pet. Everything else can wait for the cleanup.
Questions
Common questions
Who is responsible for cleaning after an unattended death?
The property owner or the estate, in most cases. In a rental, talk to the landlord early.
Will the smell go away?
When the affected materials are removed and the area is treated, the source of the odor is gone. Ask the company how they will confirm it.
Can I get the person's belongings first?
Yes, in most cases. Tell the company which items matter so they can set them aside.
Does homeowner insurance pay for this?
Some policies do and some don't. Call your insurer and ask before work begins. See who pays.
Stark County
Canton and nearby towns
The line takes calls from Canton and these towns. Each page lists the ZIP codes covered.
When you are ready
One call, no pressure to decide on the spot
Some people call within the hour. Others wait until the funeral is over. Either is fine. Keep the affected room closed until then and leave the cleanup to people with the right equipment.
Talk it through with someone now
You reach an independent cleanup company that covers your ZIP code. Ask what they would do, how they price it and when they could start. You decide whether to go ahead.
Call (330) 555-0163Lines answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
The call-routing service may record calls. How that works: referral disclosure, privacy policy.