How Do You Prep a Body for Cremation?

People prepare the bodies of their deceased loved ones for several reasons. It can be beautification so that the ugliness in decay spares them a while longer, or just for preservation. Funerals usually involve a viewing, where the deceased’s family and friends can see them one last time.

For the viewing, people want to see the best version of the deceased as they can. To make them look as close as possible to how they did when they were alive. It’s a comfort. The type of preparation carried out on a body depends on whether or not there is a viewing.

How the body is prepared depends on the kind of cremation the family decides on for the deceased.

Traditional Cremation

A traditional cremation happens after all the proceedings that usually accompany the traditional burial. This includes a funeral service and a viewing. It’s after the viewing is done that the body is taken to the crematorium to be cremated.

In this case, the body first goes through the embalming process, where it’s washed and massaged, and the blood is drained and replaced by formalin. After this, cosmetics are applied to make the deceased look more alive, and then the body is dressed in clothes the family picked out for the viewing. 

After the ceremony, the body is taken to the crematorium, where it’s to be cremated. Therefore, embalming doesn’t affect the cremation process at all. 

Direct Cremation

With direct cremation, there is no service, and as such, there is no need to preserve the body by embalming it first. The body is taken directly to the crematorium. It is not necessary to drain the blood from the body before cremation. The body is simply sanitized and put on a white cotton sheet before being placed in a combustible container and into the cremation chamber.

In the chamber, the heat, which goes up to 1800 degrees, quickly burns the body, and even the bones are reduced to ashes in 2-3 hours. After that, any metal implants are removed, and the ashes and whatever tiny pieces of bone are left are stored in an urn. The urn then goes to the family.

You can trust us at Newrest Funerals with the cremation of your dearly departed, whether you’re opting for a traditional cremation or a direct cremation. Reach out to us today!

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