Cleaning out a hoarder house in Inglewood takes a lot of time, energy, and emotional strength. Hoarder houses can be extremely difficult to clean out, especially when the people doing the work don’t have the experience necessary to get the job done right. This is one of those times when working with a professional cleaning company makes sense. A professional cleaning company with extensive hoarder house cleaning experience knows exactly what to do to make sure that the house is safe to live in after cleaning.
What Makes Hoarder Houses Unsafe To Live In?
There are several reasons that hoarder houses are dangerous to live in.
One reason is due to the sheer amount of filth and waste on the property. Hoarding disorder is a mental illness that compels the sufferer to hold onto everything they buy, receive, or find. It’s not called collecting because there’s no pattern to what’s being collected. One day they could bring home some rocks, and the next day they’ll be unable to get rid of empty aluminum foil packaging. Ultimately, the home gets to a point where it’s literally filled to the top with all types of junk.
Rooms are often no longer accessible, and safe sanitation practices eventually fall by the wayside. Rotting food, human waste, garbage, and insect infestations are not uncommon. This type of waste is called biohazardous waste, and it’s dangerous to humans because it contains disease-causing pathogens. Pathogens are spread by skin contact, aerosol transmission, touching a contaminated surface, etc. People who live in the home are in danger of infection, and people who come to the home to clean it are in danger of becoming infected if they don’t have the right gear, use the right tools, and practice the right safety protocols.
Another reason that hoarder houses are dangerous is because of the sheer amount of junk located inside of them. Hoarders simply pile items on top of one another when they run out of space. Anyone walking into these rooms runs the risk of getting hurt by one of the “junk towers.”
How Do Hoarder House Cleaning Companies Protect Themselves?
Experience is the first line of defense. Professional cleaning companies have years of experience working with biohazardous material, and they’re used to dealing with the unsafe conditions prevalent in hoarder houses. They work in teams and know how to safely access difficult-to-access rooms and spaces.
The crew wears complete suits of PPE gear so that they’re safe from the biohazards on the site. This gear includes overalls, goggles, shoe covers, face shields, respirators, and pinprick-proof gloves. All of these protections allow them to walk through a hoarder house without getting contaminated and without spreading contaminants to others.
When Should You Call for Professional Help With Hoarder Cleanup?
There are several instances when you should call for help with hoarder cleanup.
Real Estate
Call for help if you’ve recently bought a hoarder house as-is or if you’re trying to sell one. You may have gotten a discount on a hoarder house because you bought it as is, but if you intend to live in it or rent it out, you’re going to have to empty, clean, and sanitize it before you move in. You’re going to want to be sure that the house is actually safe to live in, and a great cleaning company can help you do that.
Court Order
Sometimes hoarder houses become nuisances to the neighborhoods that they’re located in. Their filth is sometimes evident from the street, and in extreme cases, their odor can waft over to other houses. In these types of cases, neighbors will often call the authorities. A judge may order that the house be cleaned or the hoarder will have to vacate the property permanently. In these cases, hiring a professional cleaning company with experience handling hoarder cleanouts would be best. The cleaning company would clean it so that it passes code with flying colors.
Personal Growth
Hoarders who’ve gone through treatment may realize that they need to get their homes in order, but they may not know where to begin. The sheer enormity of the job may leave them feeling overwhelmed. This person would absolutely benefit from having a cleaning company with experience handle the job. It would allow the homeowner to focus on healing while the cleaning company takes charge of the dirty work. The cathartic release that comes from walking into a freshly clean space may make all of the difference and allow the hoarder to start over.
Hoarder house cleanup can be brutal. There are so many literal and figurative layers to the process, and they can be overwhelming to someone who’s not used to it. Give us a call if you have any questions or you’d like some insight in what the process would look like for you.