Saphir, the specialist cleaning expert

Specialized post-death cleaning

The Saphir team begins its cleaning operations as soon as we receive authorization from the authorities and the funeral home. Our mandate is to clean, sanitize, disinfect and deodorize the physical traces left on the site after the death. Nettoyage Saphir will begin by drawing up a cleaning protocol based on the desired inventory management. The post-mortem area will be off-limits to avoid health risks. Our specialists will be protected by PPE adapted to each specific after-death situation. Specialists will clean and disinfect surfaces and goods affected by the event, using enzymes and disinfectants. Ventilation systems will be cleaned as required. Odour treatment will be carried out using a steam, ozone or hydroxyl generator in the after-death zone, under positive pressure. These gases will break down the molecules of volatile organic compounds (VOCs, generated by bacteria) that impregnate fabric fibers and porous materials with odors.

In Quebec, the medical profession is obliged to declare the death of a person by completing a declaration of death form. The Directeur de l’état civil then draws up the death certificate and registers it in the civil register. When death occurs in these circumstances: violent, obscure, accidental, suicidal, homicidal, due to negligence, where the person cannot be identified, or where the cause of death cannot be established, reporting to a coroner is mandatory. The coroner will act according to the mandate dictated by Bill C-69.01. Once the file has been closed by the coroner, we can take over. Following these actions, we can move on to assessment, cleaning, disinfection, deodorization, inventory management and removal. Given the significant viral and bacterial health risks in the post-death area, it’s advisable to deal only with the professionals at Nettoyage Saphir?

According to the INSPQ, the deceased may have died from a contagious infection. After 48 to 72 hours, the body has begun the process of decomposition. These bodies may release bacterial or viral aerosols in living areas or in the presence of fluids. It is possible to contract a pathology by coming into contact with liquids or breathing in these aerosols. Touching liquids or contaminated surfaces can expose you to gastrointestinal infections. The post-death area presents risks of exposure to biological fluids: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), as well as biohazardous infectious materials such as bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Important fact: When selling a property, if this is the case, the seller is required to declare the suicide that took place in the building, or risk incurring monetary compensation. Buyers will feel more secure knowing that the premises and the air have been thoroughly cleaned, sanitized, disinfected and deodorized, following the decontamination of the death site. What’s more, you’ll be confident that you’re handing over a certified, odor-free property that no longer poses a health risk. It’s even possible to carry out a bacterial air test to validate the success of the work following this major clean-up.

For more information on the steps to follow following a death, please consult the provincial document: What to do in the event of death. For the rest, the Nettoyage Saphir team takes care of everything.

Cleaning up Diogenes syndrome or morbid insalubrity

Landlords and tenants who have a habit of cluttering up and accumulating objects of all kinds may be labelled with the term Diogenes syndrome.

It’s important to understand that this type of compulsive, accumulative and cluttered behavior puts tenants, neighbors and caregivers at risk. Diogenes syndrome, morbid unhealthiness, hoarding or syllogomania poses four categories of risk: biological, chemical, psychosocial and environmental.

Accumulating a large number of piled-up objects promotes insalubrity. Bacteria, molds, insects (fleas and bedbugs) and rodents can multiply and promote symptoms and illnesses (asthma, allergies, respiratory diseases or diseases carried by insects (scabies, bartonellosis, lyme, etc.). The problem is all the more serious because it affects not only the occupant, but also the physical and mental health of the neighborhood. Unfortunately, at this point, the owner becomes legally responsible for all the people affected by these problems, which could cost him dearly in many ways.

The accumulation of multiple chemicals and large quantities of flammable materials poses a fire hazard to occupants and neighbors alike.

Of course, it’s only a matter of time before the environmental and odour problems are felt. Loss of comfort, nuisance, sleep deprivation, anxiety, heightened emotional reactions and altered intellectual performance can affect not only the occupants, but also the neighborhood. The loss of enjoyment is often legally quantifiable.

To protect their residents, some cities have issued specific bylaws, but the province of Quebec’s Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) prevails. For its part, the Superior Court can: compel landlords to remedy the problem; allow the municipality to do so at the landlord’s expense; order evacuation or even demolition of the building. Quebec City, Montreal and several other municipalities in the Greater Montreal area are inspecting and legislating against Diogenes syndrome, morbid insalubrity, syllogomania or hoarding.

Now that you’re informed, don’t wait any longer!
Nettoyage Saphir can help you through this experience.Whether you’re the person living with the excessive build-up, or the owner of the property concerned, we’ll support you and help you get through this delicate event. Our quote is free of charge.We’ll take stock of the situation, define the appropriate protocol, get rid of what’s no longer useful, clean, disinfect, deodorize and purify the indoor air. It’s as simple as that. Our staff are friendly and well-trained for this highly specialized type of work. All products used are approved and certified.

Specialized odor removal: tobacco, cannabis, garbage, urine, mold…

In the presence of tobacco or cannabis smoke, or in unhealthy premises, odors can permeate porous materials (textiles, cardboard, etc.) and semi-porous materials (wood, concrete, gypsum, etc.). Even if the premises have been thoroughly cleaned, the odors present in the materials will continue to be released into the ambient air. Certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from feces, urine, mold, bacteria, fumes and chemicals can affect the well-being of occupants. The Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) states that exposure to VOCs can affect the physical and psychological health of occupants. Physical consequences vary according to the duration, concentration and nature of exposure. In particularly unfavorable environments, they can range from mild irritation of the respiratory mucosa to liver or kidney toxicity, and even the development of cancer.

Whether your home, property, apartment, condo or house is affected by odours from tobacco, cannabis, urine or organic contamination, Nettoyage Saphir knows how to resolve the situation. We’ll use inspection equipment and our experience to find and fix the source if possible. We will deodorize rooms and furnishings using a variety of solutions and technologies depending on the nature of the problem; degreasers, enzymes, ozone and hydroxyl generators as well as steam generators with approved products. We work with over a hundred products, depending on the needs and materials to be treated.

Nettoyage Saphir performs specialized cleaning, including the most severe decontamination. We’re the experts in the field. Get in touch with us! Our quote is free.