Lauren Baker, a trauma and crime scene cleaning expert, gave viewers of ITV’s This Morning a startling look into her unique and often harrowing profession on Tuesday, July 1. Appearing on the sofa in her white protective suit, Baker is one of the subjects of the new documentary series, Crime Scene Cleaners, which takes us into the unseen world of cleaning up after tragedies, from unattended deaths to violent crimes.
While hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard praised her glamorous appearance, Baker was quick to ground the conversation in the grim reality of her work. “Blood, brains, and biohazards are all in a day’s work,” she confirmed, detailing a job that is far from the routine of domestic cleaning. Her company handles everything from hoarder clean-ups and mental health crises to the aftermath of assaults and suicides.
When asked to describe the job, Baker was unflinchingly direct. “Dirt, grime, filth… anything that can cause harm to the human body is what we do,” she explained. In one particularly graphic example that left the hosts stunned, Baker described the biological processes that occur after death. “Did you say bowels had exploded?” an incredulous Shephard asked. Baker confirmed, “Yes. When you pass, your organs start to shut down. Sometimes, when we attend unattended deaths, their bowels have erupted before they’ve actually passed, and then they’ve made their way to a place where they’re going to be comfortable.”
This necessitates the extensive protective gear she brought to the studio, including a full hazmat suit, double-layered gloves, and a respiratory mask. “We have to make sure that we’re fully equipped,” she stressed, explaining the serious health risks posed by bodily fluids and other biohazards.
Beyond the physical challenges, the job carries an immense emotional weight. Deeley noted that Baker must become a detective of sorts, piecing together the final moments of a person’s life. Baker agreed, revealing a deeply spiritual and respectful side to her work. “You’ve got to open the windows and let them be free,” she said of entering a home where someone has passed. “Let the spirit go.” She often speaks to the deceased, saying, “Hello love, you alright? You can go and be free now,” a ritual that helps her, and her team, process the tragedy.
The job also involves strange and heartbreaking discoveries. Baker recounted a time they found a dead cat in a freezer. The owner, a hoarder, couldn’t bear to part with their beloved pet. “We had to step in and say, this is not hygienic,” Baker recalled. “We said, ‘Let’s have a little ceremony.’ We did, we went and buried it in the garden. Let’s do it together.”
Despite the confronting nature of the work, Baker says she wouldn’t change it. Her career began in domestic cleaning, but after tackling a particularly challenging property for a person with dementia, she found her calling. “I just wanted to help people,” she said. “We can take that element away from [the families] for you. I absolutely love my job and I wouldn’t choose to do anything else now.”
Crime Scene Cleaners is airing on Monday nights on Channel 4.
