Exploring the eerie, blood-soaked halls of the Haunted Manor in Crime Scene Cleaner requires a sharp eye for detail and a stomach for the macabre. If you are struggling to find every hidden room or the elusive second cassette, our guide to crime scene cleaner short circuit secrets will help you achieve that perfect 100% completion score. In this mission, players must navigate a high-tech "smart home" that has been hacked to simulate a haunting, leading to a tragic family massacre. Understanding the crime scene cleaner short circuit secrets is the only way to uncover the full story behind the digital poltergeist and collect all the high-value loot hidden within the walls.
In this guide, we will break down the locations of all 11 pieces of evidence, the two hidden secret rooms, and the specific triggers required to make the collectible cassette tapes appear. Whether you are hunting for the "Harry the Potter" easter egg or just trying to find that one last smart speaker, follow these steps to master the Short Circuit level.
Mission Overview: The Haunted Manor
The Short Circuit mission (Chapter 4) takes place in a sprawling modern estate. The primary objective is to clean up the remains of a family who went mad believing their house was possessed. Before you start scrubbing the blood off the ceiling, you should focus on gathering the evidence and unlocking the restricted areas.
| Objective Type | Total Count | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence | 11 Pieces | Living Room Key (Upstairs Workshop) |
| Secrets | 2 Rooms | Interaction with Wall Sconce & Hidden Door |
| Cassette Tapes | 2 Tapes | Triggered by "Haunting" event |
| Bodies | 3 Bodies | Bedroom, Lounge, and Living Room |
💡 Tip: The Living Room is locked when you first arrive. Head upstairs to the workshop at the end of the hallway to find the key on a desk before attempting to clean the ground floor.
All 11 Evidence Locations
Finding all evidence is mandatory for a perfect score. The evidence is split between the two floors, with many items being small smart speakers tucked behind furniture.
Ground Floor Evidence (5 Pieces)
- Smart Speaker #1: Found immediately around the corner from the starting point, lying on the floor.
- The Knife: Located in the living room, specifically lodged in the chest of the victim on the floor.
- Digital Recorder: Sitting by the dresser in the main living room area.
- Smart Speaker #2: In the living room, hidden behind a small vase on the desk.
- Smart Speaker #3: Located in the TV room on the shelves, tucked behind some bottles of alcohol.
First Floor Evidence (6 Pieces)
| Item | Location Description |
|---|---|
| Smart Speaker #4 | At the top of the stairs, turn right; it is hidden under a pile of boxes. |
| Crucifix | Found lying in the middle of the upper hallway. |
| Smartphone | On the dresser next to the bed in the primary upstairs bedroom. |
| Smart Speaker #5 | Located in the first bedroom on the left side of the upstairs hallway. |
| Shotgun | Hidden under the overturned armchair in the upstairs lounge. You must move or clean the chair to see it. |
| Smart Speaker #6 | Inside a locker in the workshop (the room where you find the Living Room Key). |
Crime Scene Cleaner Short Circuit Secrets: Hidden Rooms
There are two primary crime scene cleaner short circuit secrets that count toward your "Secrets Found" stat. Both contain significant loot and environmental storytelling.
Secret #1: The Hidden Gallery
To find the first secret, head to the upstairs hallway. Near the boxes where you found the fourth smart speaker, look at the wall lights (sconces). One of the sconces is tilted at an odd angle. Interact with this crooked light to trigger a mechanical door. This opens a small room containing a valuable painting and several stacks of cash.
Secret #2: The Cupboard Under the Stairs (Easter Egg)
The second secret is a direct reference to Harry Potter. Once you have the Living Room Key, enter the living room and head toward the kitchen area near the refrigerator. Behind the fridge, you will see a very small, inconspicuous door built into the underside of the staircase. Open it and crawl inside to discover "Harry the Potter and the Goblet of Clay" and a collection of valuable figurines.
| Secret Room | Activation Method | Main Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden Gallery | Interact with crooked wall sconce upstairs | Painting & Large Cash Stacks |
| The Cupboard | Open small door behind the kitchen fridge | 3x Figurines ($900 total) |
How to Find Both Cassette Tapes
The cassette tapes in Short Circuit are unique because they involve the "haunted" mechanics of the house. Follow these specific steps to ensure the second one spawns correctly.
- Cassette #1: Go to the upstairs workshop (the room with the lockers and the Living Room Key). The first tape is sitting plainly on a shelf on the left wall.
- Triggering Cassette #2: To make the second tape appear, you must "experience" the haunting. After picking up the first tape, walk through every room in the house and interact with the locked doors. You may hear creepy music or see objects move.
- The Respawn: Return to the exact same shelf where you found the first cassette. Because the house is "haunted," a second cassette will have manifested in the same spot.
Warning: Some players report that the second cassette won't spawn until the "cleaning" progress is at least 25% or until the robot vacuum has been destroyed. If it isn't there, keep cleaning and check back later.
Collecting All Loot for Maximum Profit
Beyond the crime scene cleaner short circuit secrets, the manor is filled with high-value items that aren't marked as evidence but are essential for your paycheck.
- Black Skull ($300): Located in the upstairs bedroom, hidden behind the boxes in the corner.
- Decorative Lion ($300): On the upper left shelf in the TV room downstairs.
- Cat Figurine ($300): On the table directly under the television.
- Hidden Cash ($300): Rolled up inside the cat scratch post in the TV room.
- Jewelry: Check every dresser drawer in the upstairs bedrooms; there are at least three rings and one necklace worth $50-$100 each.
Final Cleaning Checklist
To get a 100% score, you must do more than just find the crime scene cleaner short circuit secrets. This level is notorious for "hidden" dirt.
- The Robot Vacuum: There is a rogue robot vacuum wandering the house. It will smear blood everywhere if you don't stop it. Use your mop or a heavy object to destroy it early in the mission.
- Paw Prints: Look for glowing green paw prints on the floors and walls. These count as "dirt" and must be cleaned.
- Ceiling Splatters: Because the "haunting" involved high-pressure blood traps, always check the ceilings in the lounge and the living room.
- Furniture Reset: Ensure all 29 pieces of furniture (21 downstairs, 8 upstairs) are returned to their highlighted silhouettes.
For more information on mission rankings and equipment upgrades, visit the official Crime Scene Cleaner Steam page to stay updated with the latest 2026 patches.
FAQ
Q: Where is the Living Room Key in the Short Circuit mission?
A: The key is located on the second floor. Go up the stairs, turn right, and enter the workshop at the end of the hall. The key is sitting on the table next to a computer.
Q: I found all the evidence, but why am I stuck at 99%?
A: You likely missed the paw prints or the blood on the ceiling. Use your UV light (Sense) to check high surfaces. Also, make sure you have destroyed the robot vacuum, as it can sometimes hide under furniture.
Q: How do I open the crime scene cleaner short circuit secrets room upstairs?
A: Look for a wall light (sconce) that is crooked. It is located in the hallway near the boxes. Interacting with this light will slide a wall panel open to reveal the secret room.
Q: Is there a specific order to collecting the cassettes?
A: Yes. You must collect the first cassette from the workshop shelf first. Then, you must explore the house to trigger the "haunting" sounds before the second cassette will spawn on that same shelf.