Can I Clean Up a Hoarded Home Myself? Why or Why not

Hoarding is a difficult situation to deal with for everyone. The hard part is accepting hoarding as a problem. Talking a person out of hoarding requires sensitive treatment and an appropriate approach to cause well.

Hoarding is a physiological condition that leads to the excessive gathering of items and having the inability to dispose of the excess possession. The condition is also known as a compulsive disorder which is estimated to affect 1.2 million people in the US.

Cleaning the house of a hoarder is not as easy as it seems. If you decide to clean a hoarder’s home by yourself, here are some tips to guide you.

Protect Yourself

Schedule a perfect time for the clean up then protect yourself with the recommended protective gear such as gloves, protective mask, goggles, and boots. Since you’ll be cleaning dirt ranging from rotten food to rusty items that might be hazardous to health.

Sanitize the Home

After clearing the dirt disorder in the home, cleaning is the next step. Make sure you thoroughly decontaminate the home. It is best to invite professionals to carry out this task. However, if you insist on cleaning the home, you’ll have to disinfect every inch of the home scrubbing from the ceiling to the wall to the floor.

Why you should clean up a hoarder home

Cleaning a hoarder’s home especially if it’s a loved one,

Improve Relationships

People that suffer from such a condition usually feel lonely. Being isolated for accumulating harmful junk is usually a bad experience. When there is someone to clean up without judgment, the relationship is slowly rebuilt.

Sleep Better

Individuals that face hoarding issues often have irregular sleep patterns. Sleep becomes uncomfortable with the level of clutter in the bedroom and bed space. Tidying the room will promote a night of peaceful sleep for the hoarder.

Discover Valuables

You can be surprised to find expensive and valuable items among the pile of junk. Importance items such as heirlooms can be stuck among the items stockpiled by the hoarder. This discovery can motivate you to continue cleaning the home.

Why you shouldn’t clean a hoarder home

If you choose to clean a hoarder’s home by yourself, you can be exposed to some risks such as;

Fire

Clutters in the home can consist of flammable materials such as magazines, boxes, and paper trash. Fire can result when these items come in contact with exposed wires or heat vents. And also, a hoarder’s home is difficult to navigate during such incidents.

Injuries

Injuries are bound to occur when you fall or trip in the little space available for navigation. Some hoarders can pile up junk to the ceiling which can collapse, inflicting injury on you.

Diseases

A hoarder’s home can be infested with pests such as cockroaches and rats. These pests carry diseases that are contagious to human health. Sometimes dead and rotten pests can be found in the debris which can be hazardous to health.

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