People often call others “hoarders” jokingly, referring to clutter or over-developed collections of certain items. In actuality, the National Institutes of Health says Compulsive Hoarding Disorder is a mental illness that affects as many as 5% of Americans to some degree. The symptoms include difficulty discarding items and the desire to save them, regardless of emotional attachment or monetary value associated with the item itself.

The result is cramped living spaces filled to capacity, stacks of trash piling to the ceiling, countertops coated in junk, and an accumulation of filth to go along with it. In some cases, the buildup amounts to thousands of pounds and is considered a public health hazard. Getting past the desire to keep those items is one thing; cleaning everything up is another. More specifically, risks and hazards associated with hoarding include blocked entrances and exits, increased chances of slips and falls, injury due to falling items, poor air quality, increased health issues, and poor nutrition. There can also be damage to the house itself that’s hidden behind the piles of things.

Hoarders do not necessarily stay in the same place. Studies show they’re just as likely to move as anyone else, and they leave the mess behind when they go. Cleaning the home of a compulsive hoarder is an industrial task that requires the help of an expert with professional-grade materials. One major problem is that there’s no way to tell if there are dangerous items mixed in with the rest of the mess. There could be sharp objects that may pierce your skin if you reach for them too quickly without protection. Flammable material may have spilled out within a pile of rubbish. There could even be insects and wild animals nesting in a jungle of hoarded trash.

Cleanup isn’t as simple as going in with a bunch of trash bags and some heavy-duty boots. Among that filth, dust, bacteria, urine, feces, and more can accumulate. Those germs can lead to disease and other infections if one doesn’t take proper precautions to prevent exposure. It takes a thorough deep cleaning of the property to keep those harmful materials from lingering in the building. Carpets need to be scrubbed and shampooed; bathrooms scoured and polished; air ducts should be blown out; and surfaces should be cleaned and then sanitized with a bacteria-killing cleanser.

Unfortunately, a massive hoarder cleanup does not necessarily put an end to the problem. As people age, the tendencies can worsen. To combat this issue, regularly scheduled cleanouts and deep cleanings ensure things don’t go too far. 

Cleaning up after a hoarder situation is not something to be taken lightly. Stains, smells, and grime can sink in deeply. It takes an expert to not only restore the are to a clean space but also leave things looking like new. At Hammond Cleaning Solutions, we go above and beyond with a specially developed 5-step method for deep cleaning that ensures every inch of your property is examined and restored. We have been serving Central PA for over 20 years. Call us today for all of your residential and commercial cleaning needs.