Tips For the Hoarder Cleanup
If you have a friend or a family member who hoard worthless items, it is important to realize that they might be suffering from hoarding disorder. Under this condition, people find it very difficult to part with or discard any items. They will collect almost anything – paper bags from the grocery shop, receipts from the store, etc., and will stuff the house with a large pile of almost everything. However, instead of fighting with them or pressurizing them into cleaning the house, you should help them.
Understanding that this condition is a disease is the first step towards helping the person. If you are sharing a house with a person who has this condition, you may find it difficult not to get annoyed by their habit. But, your annoyance will only make matters worse. Once you have convinced the person for the cleanup, carry out the entire process responsibly.
Cleaning the house of a hoarder is not an easy task. Many hoarder houses are infested with mice, roaches, and even rats and are a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. This is why many people prefer to call a professional junk removal company for the hoarder cleanup as they don’t hold the required expertise to get the task done on their own. However, if you think that you have what it takes to clean the house of the hoarder, we have brought some tips for you that can help you perform your task in a better manner. Have a look:
Tips For the Hoarder Cleanup
1. Wear Protective Gear
A hoarder house can expose you to biohazards such as E.coli, Staph, and Hantavirus. This is why it is important to wear gloves and face masks before entering the hoarder site.
2. Support the Hoarder
If you are assisting the hoarder in the cleanup, don’t forget to be there for them if they need support. Understand that hoarding items is a mental disorder and that it is not wise to blame the hoarder for not cleaning their house regularly. During the cleaning process, try not to make fuss about everything or to keep focusing on how the person has saved completely worthless items. Some cleanups might even involve an unattended death – of an animal. In that case, contact a biohazard cleanup company for the safe removal of the carcass.
3. Make Three Categories
Keeping the items in three categories – keep, trash, and items – helps in the cleanup process. Discard the items that haven’t been used in a year or more or those that are broken.
Summary
As discussed above, hoarding is a mental disorder. People, at times, don’t have control over their habit and they keep saving worthless items at their homes. In fact, in many cases, people find it extremely difficult to get rid of the leftovers. As a result, rotten food remains in the fridge for weeks, becoming a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria. If it is not possible for you to clean the hoarder site on your own, call professionals for help.