Steps to Meth Lab Cleaning

Picture Credits : Flickr

Meth (methamphetamine) labs, used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine, turn up in houses, apartments, motel rooms, sheds, trailers and even motor vehicles. Any house that has been used to cook meth can still have the harmful chemicals present in the vicinity even though the cooking has stopped. Thorough cleaning is required before you can start to live in the house or an apartment which has been previously used as meth labs.

Cleaning of meth labs is essential as the fumes contain harmful chemicals that give rise to a number of health problems like headaches, nausea, dizziness, breathing problems or respiratory irritation and, skin and eye irritation

Here are some tips for meth property cleaning:

1. First and foremost, determine if the property was used for meth lab cooking. And if so, to what extent?
2. After being seized, the property is aired out, decontaminated and closed for security reasons by the professionals. This short term airing-out is not enough for the area. Therefore it is necessary to air out the area before and during the cleaning process. Air out the property for at least 3 to 5 days.
3. Before starting any cleaning process, wear certified protective gear like gloves, goggles, and protective clothing. Respirators that offer protection against fumes are recommended.
4. Get rid of all the unnecessary items and dispose them properly.
5. Get rid of all the visibly contaminated objects or items that have odour. Most of the area in the vicinity of the cooking kit will be full of stains. Its best to get rid of it.
6. All the surfaces need to be properly cleaned with adequate cleaning methods, keeping personal healthcare in mind.
7. The ventilation system carries the air around in the house and particularly has most of the fumes sediment. Cleaning the ventilation is very important before starting to reside in the premises again.
8. Leave the plumbing and any additional odour removal to the professionals.

Meth lab cleaning is a complicated process involving the use of many counter chemicals in order to neutralize the effect of the existing chemicals used to cook meth.  It is highly advisable to hire expert professionals for meth lab cleaning.

We, Bio Cleanse Services, cover all aspects such as assessing the property, devising a solution, removal and disposal of hazardous chemicals, property cleanup, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVACs), High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuuming, decontamination of property, sanitisation of property and post sampling to ensure that it is chemical free and safe to occupy. Our service areas are Goulburn, Canberra, Batemans Bay and surrounding areas of NSW. Visit our website to know more about our services or call on 0427 411 789.

An overview of steps in meth lab cleaning

If you ever find your property contaminated with meth, it is advisable to get the area cleaned by professional cleaners who are equipped with right resources, knowledge, and experience to do a thorough clean up. Meth lab cleaning is an intricate and a risky process, that is why it is best to outsource it.

Below is a brief of the steps followed in meth lab cleaning.

1) Conducting a survey

Firstly, a survey is done on the property to assess the level of contamination and risks associated with cleaning. This is done in a very precise manner by the experts as it creates the basis for devising a suitable plan.

2) Formulating a plan

Next, a plan is designed to define the course of action. The plan consists of strategies and tasks to be carried out along with the time duration ascertained for each task. A good plan acts as a guide and ensures timely execution and completion of the cleaning process.

3) Collecting resources

The cleaners arrange for all the necessary cleaning solutions, equipment, and protective gear before commencing the cleaning task. They also arrange for tools and containers to safely remove contaminated items.

4) Ventilating the property

Before the cleaning begins, the cleaners ventilate the entire property using blowers or other air filtration methods in order to get rid of strong odours and fumes.

5)Removal of contaminated items

All assets that are contaminated are safely removed from the property. Items that are beyond salvage are safely discarded.

6) Cleaning with the right resources

The entire property is washed and cleaned using right chemical solutions and tools. The cleaning is done repeatedly for a few times to ensure best results.

7) Deodorising and Sanitising the area

Once the area is well cleaned, the place is deodorised using safe chemicals. The area is also sanitised and restored to a risk-free environment.

For Meth lab cleaning service, you can count on our expertise.

Health Hazards of Meth Labs

Methamphetamine or Meth is a man-made drug that significantly affects the central nervous system. Health hazards resulting from meth labs can be a thief in the night as meth is often concocted or “cooked” in secret locations to avoid the long arm of the law. More often than not, these labs operate in rural areas, posing a severe risk to surrounding environment, as well as humans.

An operating meth lab can be highly flammable capable of generating harmful fumes and residue. A shut-down laboratory is also a potential store-house of health hazards as the property may remain contaminated with hazardous residues. 

The health hazards of a meth lab depend on the amount and length of the chemical used. It also depends on the medium of infection/exposure of these chemicals. The severity of the health hazards varies proportionally with the proximity of the chemicals. The more closer the exposure to these harmful substances, the severe the infection. 

Those who are directly involved in the concocting of these chemicals are most vulnerable. The cooker’s family and persons in direct contact are also at high risk. Such individuals are prone to lung infections, chemical burns and also death. It also causes shortness of breath, chest pain, irritation, disorientation, giddiness and coughing. Less severe symptoms include nausea, fatigue and headache. These less severe symptoms are likely to be felt by new occupants of a non-active meth lab site. If the chemical is present in the form of solvents, the effects can affect the central nervous system. 

If the exposure to meth labs is prolonged over a longer period of time, it can lead to severe cases such as cancer, brain damage, liver infection and kidney infection. Children can get affected easily as their brains and vital organs are in the developmental stage whereas in the case of a pregnant woman, it can lead to miscarriage. 

Residues are adept in finding their way into every nook and cranny of the property - be it carpet, walls, furniture or even the surrounding air. It also poses a risk for neighbouring inhabitants. Therefore, it is imperative that the new occupants of former lab meth labs get the site promptly cleaned-up. 

For prompt assistance, contact Bio Cleanse Pty Ltd, 

visit: http://bio-cleanse.com.au/ for more details.

Cleaning of Meth Labs

We at Bio Cleanse Pty Ltd are professionally trained & certified Meth lab clean-up technicians, trained to thoroughly decontaminate and remediate all types of Meth Lab locations in Goulburn, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra areas.

The production of Methamphetamine or Meth as well as its ingredients can cause severe lung and eye damage, chemical burns, tissue irritation and even death. It also poses the risk for fire or explosion. Childhood exposure to Meth lab chemicals can result in damage to kidneys, liver or spleen, and incur violent behavior.

Chemicals utilized in the “cooking” of Meth and dangerous chemical vapours and residue formed during the preparation process can contaminate not just the structure, but the Gyprock, A/C, carpet, heat system , plumbing well, furniture, upholstery, septic and yard.

We handle everything associated with the meth lab cleaning, including disposal of the hazardous materials. We also conduct post sampling to determine and certify that the meth lab site is now decontaminated to a level within all regulatory requirements.

Bear in mind, you can’t handle a meth lab clean-up on your own. From the heath perspective, a meth lab is simply one of the most hazardous places you could pace into. You’ll need an experienced meth lab clean-up and decontamination professional to ensure the procedure is done right.

To ensure a free clean zone, call us at Bio Cleanse Pty Ltd at 042 741 1789. We service Goulburn, Sydney and Canberra areas as well as the surrounding suburbs.

Give us a call to discuss your Methamphetamine contamination risks and training requirements to ensure a better living.

Visit us on http://www.bio-cleanse.com.au/services/meth-lab-cleaning/ or call us on 042 741 1789 for a free quote.

Cleaning a former Meth Lab

Meth labs are undoubtedly highly dangerous. Many of the meth labs that have been set up in the past leave behind many residues which can be highly dangerous to human health. 

So, first of all you need to find out whether your house, building or property was a meth lab previously. How do we find out? Here are some of the sicknesses that people living in a former meth lab suffer from:

• Shortness of breath 
• Liver or kidney damage 
• Dizziness or headache 
• Burns to eye, nose and mouth. 

Once any of the above signs are noticed in any person living in the property, a proper professional should be instantly hired to inspect the property.

After the necessary inspection is done and details are noted down, a report is generated. This report is very important for cleaners to know what the exact situation of the place is.

A certain procedure is followed to clean the affected property. To begin with, an on-site inspection of site is done, followed by checking the meth lab percentage before and after clean-up, contamination and removal and disposal, cleaning of plumbing systems, cleaning of HVAC’s, review of property and recovery report. 

Contact us at 042 741 1789 or visit us on www.bio-cleanse.com.au for a free quote.

Dangers of Meth lab

The risk from a chemical injury depends entirely on the chemical quantity, concentration and the length of chemical exposure. Anyone spending time in a formal meth lab may be at a huge health risk.

Acute exposure:

A chemical exposure which occurs for only a short period of time may result in health effects known as acute exposure. Slight exposure to this contamination can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, burns to the skin, eyes, nose and mouth, lack of coordination, cough, chemical irritation, chest pain and death, in severe cases. Other symptoms caused from meth lab exposure are nausea, fatigue and lethargy. These symptoms have been found in people who have entered a meth lab after the raid has occurred but before the lab has properly been cleaned or ventilated. Anyone spending a short time in such labs experiences these symptoms.

Corrosive effects:

Inhalation or skin exposure may cause severe injury to health from corrosive substances present in a meth lab. Such symptoms are chest pain, shortness of breath, burns to the skin and cough.

Solvents:

Exposure to meth lab solvents can cause irritation to the skin, mucous membranes, respiratory tract and cause central nervous system effects. They also cause severe skin burns.

Chronic exposure:

Chronic exposure appears over an extended period of time (weeks, months or years). Symptoms of Chronic exposure health effects are cancer, damage to the brain, liver and kidney, birth defects and reproductive disorders like miscarriages.

To know more about it, visit: http://www.bio-cleanse.com.au/services/meth-lab-cleaning/