Do you need help cleaning up after a hoarder? Here’s what you can do!
Hoarding is a serious mental disorder that causes people to have “persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them”. A person with this disorder loses the ability to rationalize the value of items and keeps everything. However, their possessions are not stored in the form of collections; they are usually haphazard and disorderly.
A hoarder’s room or house just looks like a pile of items and trash spread everywhere. When you’re dealing with a loved one who has a hoarding disorder, you need to approach the subject with the utmost sensitivity. When you first notice the signs, it would be best to address the issue right away. It would be best to leave the cleanup to professional hoarding cleanup services.
There are several hazards associated with hoarding, such as:
- Increased fire and trip hazards
- Increased indoor air pollutants
- Collapsing structure
- Biohazards
- Pest infestation
Checklist for Cleaning Supplies
Before you get started on the cleaning, you’ll need some essentials at hand. Here’s a checklist to go by:
- Cleaning rags and sponges
- Buckets and mops
- Vacuum cleaner
- Broom and dustpan
- Cleaners and disinfectants
- Pest repellent
- Empty boxes
Quick Tips for Hoarding Cleanup
- Use protective equipment while cleaning. Get thick gloves, eye coverings, face masks, hard hats, boots, and a first aid kit for your cleaning endeavor.
- Always put your safety first.
- Assess the situation closely and then come with a strategy.
- Evaluate each object and then categorize it in one of the three categories: “Keep,” “donate,” or “Discard.”
- Find a sorting area. If there’s a garden, use it as your sorting space to categorize and arrange items. If there’s no outdoor space available, then clean the largest room in the house first and then use it as your sorting space.
- Always start small. Start with the smallest and easiest room, like a bathroom. Bathrooms are usually small and without any objects of sentimental value, so it will be easier and quicker to sort and clean it.
- Work your way from top to bottom for all the rooms. You don’t want to drag trash and dirt through an area you already cleaned, so it’s better to start with the top rooms.
- Always get rid of the trash first. Once you have taken it all out, then you’ll have more space to sort through possessions and objects.
- Always check pockets and drawers for any important documents or valuables.
- Carry out repairs and fix stuff that could be a safety hazard.
Call Professional Cleaners!
More often than not, cleaning up a hoarder’s place is better left to the professionals. You don’t know what you’ll find in a mess and could hurt yourself easily. A professional company can help sort out the mess in a safe way.
Do you need hoarding cleanup services in Chandler, AZ? Visit our website today!
