How To Clean Up After A COVID-19 Workplace Contamination

CHICAGO (CBS) -- As the number COVID-19 cases climbs, so does the number of businesses, schools and other meeting spots that now need to be deep cleaned.

CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey got a look at best practices for coronavirus clean up and just how much disinfecting is going to cost.

It takes a fully encapsulated suit, three pairs of gloves, knee pads, one-time use rags and a full-face respirator. To safely sanitize and disinfect a location with a known COVID-19 case using the universal precaution methods define by OSHA, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

"We're average 400-500 calls right now a day," said Aftermath CEO Doug Berto. Phones have been ringing off the hook at his nationwide company. Their bread and butter for the last two decades has been cleaning up crime scenes and removing bio hazards.

Now, a new battle.

"This is dangerous," Berto said.

Technical training manager Greg Moffett showed CBS 2 best practices for sanitizing, disinfecting and then wiping away residue in an office set up: cleaning every single surface, not just the receiver but the entire phone.

And, perhaps most importantly:

"Don't black bag it. Don't throw it in the dumpster, please," Moffett said.

The disposal of the the equipment which are sealed, marked, and shipped off for incineration. Aftermath is one of several companies offering remediation services in the Chicagoland area. And many caution against coronavirus deep cleaning adds for $1,500 or less.

A responsible job, especially for a workplace, will cost much more than that.

"Low thousands to tens of thousands. Really depends on the complexity of the size of the facility what kind of equipment they might have," said

Employers can be cited by OSHA for "failing to take reasonable steps to prevent a hazard." and disinfecting could fall under that category.