I’m a crime scene cleaner – jobs involving poo are the worst but Mrs Hinch inspires me

STACEY Foyster, 34, lives in Aylesford, Kent, with her daughter Jocelyn, nine.

“Walking into the flat’s hallway in my hazmat suit and protective mask, I saw blood splattered up the walls and bloody hand prints all over the lounge.

“There had been a stabbing at the property, and it was obvious the victim had moved around before collapsing, leaving a gory trail to be cleaned in almost every room. It was like something you’d see in a horror movie – but all in a day’s work for me in my job as a crime scene cleaner.

“On that job, in February 2020, after checking my two colleagues’ hepatitis B vaccinations were up to date, so they weren’t at risk of catching it from blood at the scene, we worked as a team, tackling the contaminated areas with industrial-strength sanitiser sprayed through a fogging machine.

“Sticky blood was on the carpet, kitchen cupboards and in every crack. After sanitising the flat, we got to work removing bio-hazardous waste, including cutting away part of the carpet, before disposing of it in a yellow waste bag, ready to be incinerated.

“Twelve hours later, we were finished. I left, exhausted but satisfied knowing the flat had no trace left of the horror that had unfolded there.

“My career used to be very different from this one. For 10 years, I worked as a risk analyst for a bank, but after suffering with anxiety and wanting to spend more time with my daughter Jocelyn, I knew something had to change.

“I’d always enjoyed cleaning – it soothed my anxiety and calmed me – and after being inspired by Mrs Hinch, in February 2019 I began cleaning my friend’s office for some extra money. 

“I enjoyed it so much, I decided to quit my job and start my own cleaning business, Cleansed Ltd, soon building up a list of 30 clients.

“Then one evening I remembered a fascinating programme I’d watched years earlier about crime scene cleaners. Before seeing the TV show, I’d always assumed the police cleaned up a crime scene, and hadn’t realised it was a job that specialists did.

“Even though I had a phobia of blood and death in general, I felt drawn to it, and after doing extensive research, decided it was an area I wanted to go into. I knew it would be tough seeing the dark side of society, but it would also make me tackle my own fears head on.

“I completed a biohazard and decontamination course, and my business was accredited by the National Academy of Crime Scene Cleaners. I was listed on its website, used by police and councils to source cleaners. One of my first scenes was a crack den, filthy and littered with used syringes, where a child had died of neglect.

“Looking at the little bed with a doll on it was heartbreaking. In the last two years, I’ve cleaned up horrific murder scenes, tragic suicides, more drug dens, plus homes involving instances of neglect and chronic mental illness, such as those of hoarders or where people have died from natural causes and lain undiscovered for weeks or months. I’ve found, though, you do become hardened to it. 

“A clean involving poo is my least favourite to tackle, like the job I did in July 2021, in a flat where the toilet hadn’t been flushed for three months. The stench was indescribable. I was sick while wearing all my protective gear and had to go outside to gather myself. 

“I always try to remember that the scene I’m cleaning was once a person’s home, loved by them – it reminds me to be respectful and do the best job I can. Generally, I prefer not to know the crime, as that can make it more upsetting, but often I can tell.

“If there’s a gun involved, blood will be splattered everywhere. And if a body hasn’t been discovered for weeks and has decomposed, there will be maggots and flies to deal with. After a particularly nasty case, I spend time with my daughter, having fun and refocusing on the good things in life.

“Sometimes there will be furniture, clothes or tins of food that nobody wants, which are still usable, and I donate those to charity and food banks because it means something positive can come out of a sad situation. 

“It’s not a job for everyone, but I’m proud of overcoming my fears and running a successful business.“