I need some advise on the most effective cleaning products to remove the residue left behind by a human corpse.
Read post #3 in "Going to Grand Bend" here in the Ontario Chapter. One correction, now that I've been permitted to go upstairs, Jake passed away on linolium (sp) not hardwood.
My heavy duty mix of bleach, Mr. Clean and Spray 9 hasn't done very much to remove the odor, nor did it pull up the dead skin that's "glued" to the floor.
Another problem is the hardwood floor in the living room has heaved from being repeatedly soaked with beer and possibly urine. Any suggestions on how to dehydrate the wood & possibly save the 60 year old floor?
Better yet!!!, anybody want to take my place for the duration of the clean-up?
Good grief!!!! The room just went silent!!!!!!!!!
Where's my buddy Matt?
AL.

 

I think the hardwood is permanently damaged. It would probably be easier (and cheaper?) just to pull up the linoleum and dispose of it and replace it than to clean it.

Did the landlord die of natural causes or other? I think I'm missing part of the story.

Hang in there Al, only 19 more days of July to put up with.

 

Where am I? You posted at 3:45 AM! I was sleeping!

The linoleum should maybe just be replaced. Not sure about the hardwood.

-Matt

P.S. Why are you cleaning it up though?

 

Call a diaster relief company.

Maybe >>>>Servpro ?

 

I just went through answering all the questions in detail & when I clicked "Submit Reply", the server can not be found came up & I lost everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Short version............This is my home. Jake was my friend. Jake was a very heavy drinker most of his 48 years. His widow Sue deserves all the help I can give her. Although I had arranged everything to move out, I will not bail on Sue. Period.
No, I do not enjoy the position I'm in right now, but even with all the Italian family members involved, I am the one person that Jake trusted without question. He had made this perfectly clear to Sue and low & behold, Jake was exactly right about other people. I have seen it with my own eyes, Sue is out numbered & does need my help.
So what about the smell, pig poo is alot worse. I believe that it is nothing compared to the future suffering I would go through if I bailed now.
AL.

 

Oh ok. I see. You are such a nice guy Al. Well at least to other people!

-Matt

 

I think you may be best to call one of those Crime scene clean up crews...

As for the Hardwood, I hate to say this, but it is probably a lost cause. Any attempt to dry it out will only cause it to warp and crack more, unless you could keep the temperature change very controlled and do it slowly over a long period of time...

Best of Luck.

MK

 

Everybody has heard the expression, "What goes around comes around."
Last night it came around. Sue said that she would not accept my rent money because of all the help I've given her.
I intend to do plenty of work/cleanup around here anyways.
My problem now is how else do I "repay" the $600 gift? She has a girl friend that has been by her side all along. Do you think it might be inappropriate for me to invite them both out to lunch? I doubt that I'd get away with passing an envelope to her friend with rent money in it. Italian folk are easily insulted & the envelope seems tacky and taking a new widow to lunch might be even more taboo.
Maybe I should just stick to dealing with the house & pray she doesn't try jamming cash in my pocket again.
AL.

 

I would ask her what you can do to get her to accept the rent cheque.

If she's adamant about you keeping it, then either accept it or still hand it to her and tell her to take care of it in case she needs it some day.
If she doesn't cash it in 6 months,she really wants to thank you for what you have done.

 

You can give me the $600. I have a mortgage to pay!

Sometimes people want to give me stuff and I don't want to take it. But, if they are really pushing it to me I would take it. Ask her about 15 times "are you sure you don't want me to pay?" If she says NO everytime then don't pay.

Good luck!

-Matt

 

Thank you both.
Helping with out of pocket costs is plan A. Petty expenses can mess up your cash flow quickly. I keep track of most expenses as a matter of habit. Plan B...She has a $400 bill due for one of the kids braces. This is an immediate need, so it may be more acceptable. Plan C...Helping to get a tennant in the upstairs (top floor, not Jakes quarters) apartment.
Plan A will work for some of the rent. Plan B is still iffy. Plan C has a future.
Just flat out giving her the rent money will probably work better next week as things will be more settled. If I have to use some tactics that a stubborn Italian family member would get away with (about the braces), then I should be able to get her to accept the money & still keep her dignity.
.
Just in case one of you guys might know somebody.......We need a second potential buyer for a least 500 used transmissions. Time is really short. They have to be disposed of by the end of next week, no later! At an average selling price of $8.00 each, the only offer on the table right now, Sue will loose way too much money.
So, if anyone knows someone who would be willing to step forward and assist a widow, please call my cell @ 416-518-1031. There is a message centre on the phone in case I'm not able to answer right away.
Thanks to all that have helped.
AL.

 

He had FIVE HUNDRED used transmissions? What?!?! How?!?! WOW!

-Matt

 

There's a fortune in used trannies if you get right into it like Jake did.
PRODUCT UPDATE.
Under the headding of "Cleaning Compounds" in the yellow pages is where I found an outfit at 44 Howden.
I explained the odor problem and the dirt problem. For $30 I walked out with a gallon jug of deodorizer and a gallon of orange base, bio-degradeable cleaner.
I did a little test of the cleaner with a bunch of coffee shop buddies. We're going back to Jestlyn to fetch 2 more gallons today. The product worked so well at full strength that my boss wants a gallon for himself!!!!!
The deodorizer does almost as well. I just put in on the floor full strength & pushed it around with a mop. I can breath normally this morning.
Got to go.
AL.

 

The next generation of flies have hatched, so the filth in the livingroom must be dealt with ASAP!
There's so much beer soaked into the floor, dirty clothes, bed and general refuse that the room has taken on a powerful odor. Jakes' wallet has yet to be found any where else, so the livingroom must be done next. This is going to be really nasty.
Different Subject.....
I am not sure if I actually smell as bad as the house or not. I taste and smell the odor all day while I'm at work. A few days ago I went into a heath food store and explained my problem to the lady behind the counter. I asked if garlic or citrus something would work. She said they don't work nearly as good as chlorophyll. The product she gave me is chlorophyll derived from alfalfa. It has spearmint oil added to it for a better flavour. It is a very dark green liquid concentrate. Dark green vegetables are supposed to be better for you than light green. I have not been taking it 3 times a day as recommended, just once in the morning and once late in the evening, so.....
My brain tells me that I still smell. I'll have to wait until the nasty work is done tomorrow and the house airs out some before I come to a final conclusion about the chlorophyll.
The rent issue is going to be solved tomorrow. I told Sue that only once will I insist that she does what I ask of her. The rent is in an envelope in cash and I'm going to put it in with all the pages of the printable version of the "Not Just Blond Jokes" thread. With any luck, she'll feel better after she opens the big envelope.
AL.

 

I used 1 part bleach, 1 part orange soap, 1/2 part deodorizer and 10 parts water in 3 bucket loads to clean the living room floor. Aside from the damage done to the hardwood, the room smells great! Next is the walls & windows.
Unfortunately, the rest of the main floor still smells bad. I need 2 new mops to do the rest of the main floor. I'm just glad that the products I bought work so well.
The rent thing went OK. Sue insists on giving me free rent at some point, so I told her to wait untill she gets everything back on track before she does that. She is very, very pleased with the living room & is looking forward to seeing how the rest comes out.
AL.