Hoarding cleanup is a difficult subject for many reasons. For one, when a hoarder seeks help, they are especially vulnerable. Cleanup should happen quickly and painlessly, but that’s not always possible for hoarders to accomplish on their own. Friends and family can band together, but this can be embarrassing for the hoarder and dangerous for the volunteers. Alternatively, professionals can work efficiently, compassionately, and have the ability to clean up any biohazards they encounter in the cleanup process.
Potential Biohazards May Lurk
One of the greatest risks with hoarding cleanup is that you never know what you’re going to find. The piles are often undisturbed for years or decades. As a result, hoarding often leads to significant mold growth. The untouched piles also provide the perfect place for pests to make their home. Reaching blindly into stacks can be a dangerous proposition. Thankfully, professional cleaners possess the gear to make hoarding cleanup safe. From face masks to the right kind of gloves for the right kind of mess, professionals are in a better position to safely clean up anything they encounter.
Efficiency is Key
As you can clearly see, hoarding cleanup is a massive undertaking. Whether you’re dealing with a large estate or a small apartment, the amount of work that is needed feels overwhelming. That’s part of the reason that hoarders don’t reach out for help, Cleaning up in one fell swoop is the best way to deal with hoarding cleanup, but even the most dedicated friends and family can get burned out trying to get it done.
Professionals know how to work quickly. They also know how to clean efficiently, so that things are taken care of with as little conflict as possible. Meaning that cleanup includes sanitizing areas immediately after removing the hoarded items. The work doesn’t stop at taking out the trash. Hoarding cleanup also involves shampooing carpets and eliminating odors. When you work with professionals, they handle the whole job, from item collection to rug cleaning.
Compassionate but Impersonal Care is Best
Hoarders may be distressed by the prospect of cleaning. In addition to their own emotions related to letting go of items they’ve protected, they also suffer from a fear of judgment. For many hoarders, it’s easier to have a professional clean their home because the work completed is impartial. While professionals should be compassionate and understanding towards the hoarder, ultimately their opinion won’t matter to the hoarder the same way a family member’s or a friend’s opinion would. Distance is sometimes the best thing.
Hoarding cleanup can be very demanding. You never know what biohazards may be lurking inside a formerly safe pile. However, professionals possess the tools to handle all parts of hoarding cleanup. They tackle everything from item removal to cleaning the rugs and eliminating odors. Best of all, some hoarders find the impersonal professionalism much easier to bear than the caring of friends and family who would otherwise have to do the cleaning with them.