If you’re on the fence about getting help with hoarder property cleanup in Industry, California, it’s understandable. You may be thinking that it’s something that you can do if you just put the effort in, but you may not realize that hoarder house cleanup is a lot more than just throwing out trash and giving the space a good washdown. Hoarder homes have unique issues that require assistance from knowledgeable cleaners that know exactly what they have to do to restore the home to habitability.

What Is a Hoarder House or Property?

A hoarder house is one that’s been filled to the brim with objects collected by a person who lives in the home. The compulsion to hoard is something that’s nearly possible to control if the hoarder doesn’t get professional psychological help. 

Left unfettered, the hoarder will fill the house with random items until the house is no longer safe to live in. Hoarder houses have blocked hallways and passageways, and most rooms in the home are no longer used for their original purposes because they’re loaded with junk. Many hoarder houses are extremely dirty and unsanitary since personal grooming and cleanliness fall to the wayside once bathrooms, showers, and kitchens are no longer accessible. 

Rotting, spoiled food left in refrigerators and countertops is a common theme among hoarder houses. Unsanitary conditions may be unwelcome to humans, but they’re a joy to behold for vermin and insects. 

How Hard Is It To Clean a Hoarder Property?

Hoarder house cleaning isn’t simply washing down the house. If that were the case, any good cleaning company could handle the job. Hoarder house cleanup is much more intense than even the biggest deep cleaning job. The primary goal of hoarder house cleanup is to return the house to habitability. In order to do that, you have to get rid of the single biggest health risk in hoarder houses: biohazardous waste.

What Is Biohazardous Waste?

Biohazardous waste is waste that’s filled with pathogens, the tiny microorganisms that cause disease in humans. HIV, HBV and hepatitis A are all examples of pathogens. In a hoarder house, biohazardous waste includes substances like human waste, animal waste, blood, rotting food, and many other items. Since this waste causes disease, cleaning it up completely and thoroughly is key in order to prevent the spread of diseases. In hoarder houses, simply coming into contact with this waste can cause someone to become infected. 

Why Should Hoarder House Cleanup Be Handled by Professionals?

Hoarder house cleaning should be handled by professionals so that the biohazardous waste on site can be removed properly and safely. 

Professional cleaners have the PPE gear necessary to protect them as they go about cleaning hoarder houses that’s likely laden with all types of pathogens. They wear coveralls to protect their bodies, and they sport generators, maske, and face shields to protect their eyes, noses, and mouths. They wear shoe covers or special boots so that their feet are protected as they walk through tons of trash. They understand that these protections are necessary if they want to get access to the toughest parts of the house that need cleaning. Inexperienced cleaners will not know how to protect themselves securely enough to avoid contamination. 

Professional cleaners also have the cleaners and solvents necessary to sanitize and disinfect the space in addition to the tools that will make maximum use out of those cleaners. 

How Bad Can Hoarding Levels Get?

There are actually five levels of hoarding.

• Level 1 is the lightest level. There may be a bit of dust and dirt, and there’s a tiny bit of recurring clutter here and there.
• Level 2 hoarding is when signs of hoarding start to show. A doorway to a room may be blocked due to items that are slowly starting to pile up. There may be a stale or slight odor that indicates that something like a dish hasn’t been washed or garbage hasn’t been emptied.
• Level 3 hoarding is the point where pileups of items in the home have become very obvious. There are probably even some items that have suddenly appeared on the outside of the home. Structural damage may be evident, and you’ll see pets that aren’t housetrained. Bathrooms in the home may be difficult to access, and some may be completely out of service. 
• Level 4 hoarding is when structural damage starts to show up. Biohazardous waste like pathogenic mold may be visible throughout the house, and animal waste is very obvious everywhere. Rotting food is clearly visible, and pests like vermin and insects are obvious.
• Level 5 hoarding is the most extreme level. At this point, utilities are no longer connected, and hazardous conditions are obvious. It is next to impossible to move throughout the space, and squalor has set in. 

As you can see from the above, professional hoarder property cleanup is necessary if you’ve got a serious hoarding issue to deal with. You need people who have the experience to handle even the worst hoarding sites by your side. They have the knowledge and expertise to see through to the other side. Give us a call if you have any questions of if you’d like to talk further.