How to use the inventory
Walk the home with gloves and eye protection, or do it from a provider's assessment, and fill in one row per room. Record what you can see, whether people felt irritation there, which belongings are affected, and what the plan is. Update the last column as work is finished.
Include spaces people forget: closets, the garage, the basement, the laundry room and the car if it was nearby or entered.
Room inventory
| Room | Residue seen | Irritation felt | Items affected | Plan | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living room | White powder on sills and floor | Yes | Couch, rug, curtains | HEPA vacuum, wipe, clean upholstery | |
| Bedroom 1 | |||||
| Kitchen | Open food | Discard food, wash surfaces | |||
| Basement / furnace | Filter | Replace filter, inspect | |||
| Garage |
Rooms that are easy to overlook
- Closets
- Clothes hanging in closets near the incident often hold residue.
- Laundry room
- Contaminated clothing carried here can spread residue to the washer and dryer.
- Basement
- The furnace and return ducts pull air from every room.
- Vehicles
- A car parked in an attached garage, or used to leave, may need cleaning.
Updating the inventory as work goes on
Treat the inventory as a working document. When a provider finishes a room, mark it done, note the date and add anything that still needs attention, such as a rug sent out for cleaning or a filter to change again in a week. If someone feels irritation in a room marked done, note it and ask for that room to be revisited.
By the end, the inventory becomes a record of the whole cleanup: every room, what was found and what was done. Insurers find this helpful, and it is useful if questions come up later, for example when a rental changes tenants or a home is sold.
Households with children or someone with asthma can add a column for when each room was cleared for them, since that bar is higher than for healthy adults.
Common questions
What if residue is not visible?
CS powder and capsaicin films are often invisible. Note where people felt irritation; that is as important as what you can see.
Who should fill it in?
Anyone in the household, or the provider during their assessment. One person keeping it current works best.
Should the car be on it?
Yes, if it was parked in an attached garage or used to leave the home right after the incident.
Can the provider's report replace it?
A provider's report helps, but your own inventory includes belongings and symptoms they may not record.
General information for Berkeley, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.