packed with boxes and other items, cleaning a horader's house

The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning a Hoarder’s House

Biohazard Clean Up

Cleaning a hoarder’s house can be overwhelming. Every surface is covered with clutter, the air thick with dust, and pathways so narrow they feel like a maze.

This is the reality of hoarding—a serious psychological condition that compels individuals to keep items, even those with little or no value. Over time, this accumulation creates hazardous living conditions, not only for the hoarder but for anyone who enters the home.

How do you clean up and restore safety? This guide will show you. We will walk you through:

Understanding Hoarding Disorder

Understanding hoarding is vital to helping people and their families reclaim their homes and lives. While sometimes dismissed as “bad behavior” or “laziness,” hoarding disorder is a mental health condition.

While collectors carefully select and organize items that bring them joy or have value, hoarders compulsively keep items regardless of their worth or usefulness. 

Hoarding behaviors typically become noticeable in mid-life and may be associated with other mental health conditions, like anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, hoarding disorder is its own distinct issue. 

Statistsics: Hoarding disorder affects approximately 2.6% of the adult population, with higher rates among older adults. Recognizing patterns such as the higher incidence among older adults can help families identify early signs and seek support before the condition gets worse.

Signs of Hoarding

According to the International OCD Foundation, compulsive hoarding includes three key elements (PDF):

  1. Collecting and retaining items, even those deemed useless by others.
  2. Cluttered living spaces that prevent proper use of rooms.
  3. Distress or difficulty in daily life caused by clutter.

Common signs include difficulty discarding items, leading to clutter that takes over rooms, making it impossible to use furniture or appliances. Important items like bills or documents often get lost in the mess, increasing stress.

Many hoarders also feel overwhelmed by their possessions, making cleanup seem impossible. Compulsive collecting of free or unnecessary items, like flyers or coupons, adds to the growing clutter. This often results in social isolation, as individuals feel too embarrassed to allow visitors or maintenance workers into their homes.

Recognizing these signs is pivotal for addressing hoarding and seeking solutions.

The Importance of Compassion and Understanding

Cleaning a hoarder house requires compassion and understanding, as it is a complex and sensitive issue. It is essential to be empathetic and patient. It’s also important to prioritize human and animal health and safety. In such cases, working with professionals can be helpful.

Working with a mental health professional and professional cleaners makes it possible to clean a hoarder’s house safely and improve the quality of life for individuals with hoarding disorder. 

Professional cleaners provide specialized cleaning services for hoarding situations. They also have processes for handling biohazard cleaning, safety hazards, and emotional challenges with expertise and compassion.

Step-by-Step Guide: Hoarder House Cleaning

Create a Plan of Action

Establishing a plan of action is needed when addressing hoarding disorder. This plan should include setting clear, achievable goals, determining the project’s scope, and establishing a realistic timeline for completion. 

Involving a mental health professional or a professional organizer experienced in working with hoarders can provide valuable support and guidance. These professionals can help develop a structured plan, offer emotional support, and ensure the process is conducted with sensitivity and respect.

Assessment and Preparations Before Cleaning a Hoarder House

Check for Hazards: Before you start cleaning, assess the home for immediate hazards such as unstable piles, hazardous materials (e.g., chemicals, sharp objects), and blocked exits. Make sure all utilities—gas, electricity, and water—are safe to use. Compromised or damaged utilities can cause additional risks during the cleanup process.

Structural Safety: If you feel the building is unsafe to enter due to structural problems, a structural engineer may be needed to deem it safe to enter. 

Ensure Safety: Safety is paramount during a hoarder cleaning. The people cleaning up should wear proper personal protective equipment. PPE should include a double layer of disposable gloves, dust masks or respirators, eye protection, and protective clothing. Depending on the situation, for example, a biohazard condition, you may need extra safety gear. This includes hard hats, steel-toed boots, and full-body suits. A fire extinguisher, insect repellent, a flashlight, and a good first-aid kit should also be ready.

Document Condition: Documenting the condition of the home and its contents with photos or video may be helpful for insurance and legal purposes.

Communication with the Hoarder: If the hoarder is present, approach them with empathy and involve them in decision-making where possible. Open communication can help reduce anxiety and resistance, making the process smoother.

Involving the hoarder can also aid in the long-term success of the cleanup, as it fosters a sense of control and cooperation. It may be beneficial to have a mental health worker on the scene as well.

Cleaning Supplies: The right cleaning tools and supplies are essential for a thorough cleanup. This includes heavy-duty trash bags, sturdy boxes for sorting items, buckets, universal cleaning agents, disinfectants, and potentially specialized cleaning products for dealing with mold or biohazards. Also, have brooms, mops, and vacuum cleaners capable of handling large amounts of dust and debris.

Preparing a Staging Area and Dumpster: Establish a staging area in an open space, such as a yard, to temporarily hold items for sorting. Be sure to have enough space to accommodate the amount of materials that will be removed. Also, designate an area to sort all the discarded items. This will ensure proper organization and disposal.

To manage accumulated debris effectively, plan junk removal carefully. The decluttering and cleanup process often involves coordinating professional junk removal services or renting dumpsters to ensure efficient disposal.

Proper Disposal: Disposing of items safely and legally is imperative, especially when dealing with hazardous waste, e-waste, and biohazards. Follow local regulations for disposing of paints, chemicals, batteries, and other hazardous materials. Proper disposal helps prevent environmental contamination and reduces health risks.

Decluttering and Organizing

Decluttering the Home: Decluttering a hoarder’s home is physical and emotional. For the hoarder, each decision to let go of an item is a step toward regaining control and creating a safer, more functional space.

Start the cleaning process by removing obvious trash and clutter, beginning with the room closest to the exit and working your way through the home. A top-to-bottom approach ensures that the hazardous areas are cleared first, improving safety as you go. In some cases, you may need to tackle specific unsafe or hazardous areas first. 

Sorting Contents: As you begin decluttering, sort items into clear categories: “keep,” “donate,” “sell,” “recycle,” and “dispose.” Start with hazardous materials, such as chemicals or broken electronics. Removing these first ensures safety and makes the space easier to navigate.

Salvageable items should be carefully sorted, and those marked for donation or sale should be immediately removed from the home to avoid re-cluttering.

To maintain organization as you progress, use storage solutions like shelves or bins to keep important items accessible and neatly arranged. Take it one step at a time, and remember that each item discarded or donated is a tangible step toward reclaiming the home and achieving a healthier, clutter-free environment.

Deep Clean and Repair: After decluttering, assess the home for any deep cleaning and repairs needed. Start by removing all trash and debris using heavy-duty trash bags and dumpsters. Clean and disinfect surfaces like floors, walls, and countertops to eliminate dirt, dust, and health hazards.

Next, repair any damage, such as holes in walls, broken appliances, or water damage. Structural fixes may include repainting, re-carpeting, or addressing mold growth and fire issues. Also, if needed, deal with bugs, rodents and other pests. Enlist restoration specialists and pest control as needed. 

Reorganize the living spaces with shelves, bins, or other tools to keep items organized and accessible. 

Emotional Support: Hoarding cleanup is not just about the physical space; it’s also about emotional well-being. Providing or recommending psychological support to the hoarder during and after the cleanup process is crucial. 

Seek professionals who specialize in hoarding disorder. Support can help hoarders cope with the emotional challenges of letting go of possessions and reduce the risk of future hoarding behavior.

This comprehensive approach ensures that the cleanup is conducted safely, effectively, and with the necessary care and respect for the people involved. Following up and ongoing maintenance are key to ensuring the home stays clean and preventing relapse.

Professional Help and Resources

Hiring Professional Cleaning and Organization Services

Hiring professionals can relieve much of the emotional strain, giving you the peace of mind that the cleanup of a hoarder’s home is in skilled, compassionate hands.

Consider hiring a service that specializes in hoarder house cleaning, like PuroClean. They will have the necessary equipment and expertise to handle the job safely and effectively.

Involving mental health professionals in the cleanup process can provide valuable support and ensure that the individual’s emotional well-being is addressed. Look for services that are certified by organizations, such as the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), and that have experience working with hoarders.

Support Groups and Resources

Support groups and resources, like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), can help people with hoarding disorder and their loved ones. Mental health professionals can also be beneficial with therapy and counseling, helping individuals with hoarding disorders navigate their challenges.

Consider joining a support group or looking for online resources, such as forums and blogs, to connect with others who are going through similar experiences. Look for resources specifically tailored to hoarding disorder, as they will provide the most relevant and practical support.

Hoarding Cleaning Costs

It is hard to give a blind estimate involving hoarding cleanup; each situation is different. However, the base estimate is typically based on an hourly rate per technician and how much debris is to be discarded.

Hoarder house cleanup costs can vary widely, typically ranging from $1000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the extent of the hoarding and the services needed.

Larger, more severe situations may require additional resources, such as specialized equipment, dumpsters, or coordination with outside vendors, which can increase the overall price. Also, there may be storage fees for kept contents if the homeowner/renter has to move and does not have a place to store their items.

  • Pro Tip: The more decisive the family members are about what to keep and dispose of, the faster the cleanup will go – thus helping keep the per-hour costs lower.

Working with a professional cleaning company experienced in hoarding situations is essential. They can provide a comprehensive cleaning and organization plan while ensuring the home is restored to a healthy and safe state.

Insurance: Most standard policies do not cover general hoarder cleanup.  It’s best to check with your insurance provider to understand what your policy may cover.

Local, Professional Hoarding Cleaning Services Near Matawan, NJ

At PuroClean of Matwan, we handle every aspect of hoarding cleanup with care and professionalism. From the initial assessment of the damage to organizing dumpsters and coordinating with outside vendors, we manage all the logistics and cleaning so you don’t have to. 

    Our experienced team not only provides the physical cleanup but also helps clients make decisions about unwanted items, always treating them with compassion, sensitivity, and respect.

    For prompt, professional, compassionate hoarding cleanup services in Matawan, NJ, and surrounding areas in Monmouth County, call us at (732) 351-2442. Our ultimate goal is to meet the needs of our clients and restore the property to a healthy and safe condition.


    Sources:

    Hoarding Disorder
    https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/hoarding-disorder

    International OCD Foundation
    https://iocdf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Hoarding-Fact-Sheet.pdf

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