Hoarding Cleanup Services

Heavy Duty Removal, Contaminant Disinfection, Sanitization & Removal
We Help Fast 24/7! Call (732) 769-8101

Hoarding Cleanup Services

Heavy Duty Removal, Contaminant Disinfection, Sanitization & Removal
We Help Fast 24/7! Call (732) 769-8101

No Judgements; Just Compassionate Help.

Hoarding disorder is a complex psychological issue that affects millions of Americans every year. Many times the case goes unchecked for years leading to an excess buildup of items, and debris that requires professional intervention.

What Is Hoarding Disorder?

The Mayo Clinic defines hoard disorder as being characterized by a persistent difficulty to discard or otherwise possessions due to some type of perceived value or the believed need to save such items for the future. The unfortunate consequence of this behavior over time is an excess buildup of items with little to no real value.

Like It Was Never There

Highest Standards In Cleaning . Period!

Dangers Of Hoarding Disorder

The dangers of hoarding disorder go far beyond excessive disorganization. In fact, there are some very serious health and safety risks associated with an unchecked hoarding disorder. This includes things like:

Fire Risk

When excessive items accumulate around a home simple things like a shorting out electrical outlet or light fixture can go unnoticed. When excess material ignites accidentally the fire can spread quickly.

Insufficient Emergency Escape & Rescue Routes

If there is a fire, accident, or medical emergency excess items around the home can make it hard for occupants to escape and prevent first responders from being able to help quickly.

Indoor Air Pollution

Excess items and debris in a home can prove to be a prime breeding ground for all manner of indoor microbes including mold and mildew. It can also lead to indoor contaminants such as spilled cleaning solutions, chemicals, pollen, and pet dander.

Mechanical Injuries

Hoarders frequently experience injuries from tripping and falling over excess items and debris in the home. They are also at increased risk of piles falling over and causing blows to the head or serious lacerations.

Structural Damage To Floors & Walls

The floors and walls of a home can only bear so much weight. When excessive heavy items build up it can deform or damage floors, which can in turn affect the structural integrity of nearby walls.

Rodent & Bug Infestation

Rodents are a serious problem in a lot of hoarder environments. The rodents are drawn to stray scraps of food and possible nesting areas for shelter in the compiled items. This in turn can increase the risk of things like E. Coli, Staph Bacteria, and the Hanta Virus for people living in the home

What Are Common Signs Of Hoarding Disorder?

Mental health professionals characterize hoarding disorder with some of the following behaviors:

  • An individual who excessively acquires items with little to no available space to store them.

  • Recurring difficulty disposing of items with little use or value.

  • A persistent need to save these items with little to no use or value

  • Being emotionally upset when asked to dispose of collected items

  • Rooms in a home that are so cluttered they are uninhabitable

  • Increasing difficulty in organizing and planning

When Should I Seek Help For A Hoarding Problem?

If you or a loved one is having trouble dealing with letting go of items or is currently experiencing a buildup of useless items, Affordable Remediation can help. In fact, many psychological professionals believe that having a third-party professional service remove items can be an important part of the treatment process.

Coordinating with a mental health professional will help determine when the time is right. Some treatment plans might recommend having the individual present for the cleanup event as part of the therapeutic process. Though there are certainly sometimes when metal health professionals recommend having the individual be away from the home during the cleanup process to minimize stress.

Strategy Number One: Helping The Hoarder With Cleanup

For some people with hoarding disorder, the treatment plan calls for the individual to help with the cleanup process. In a situation like this, mental health professionals often advocate the cooperative process to help the individual invest in the process and to give them back a feeling of control.

With this strategy, the hoarder might be given the task of cleaning up personal items or their own personal space like their own bedroom. Affordable Remediation’s technicians will then handle a larger area where bulk items need to be removed or sensitive materials need direct cleaning with professional equipment.

This is preferable if there are active biohazards or chemical hazards in specific parts of the home. In some cases, the area may need to be cordoned off if there happens to be respiratory hazards such as mold spores, chemical spills, or an excessive amount of rodent feces.

Strategy Number Two: Cleaning Up After The Hoarder Passes Away

There are some cases of hoarding disorder, where the individual refuses to embrace treatment or the cleanup process. It’s only when they pass away that the family or the landlord is confronted by the severity of the accumulated collection.

In a scenario like this, odors are often pronounced, and the cleanup process is not safe for non-professionals to be present. Fortunately, Affordable Remediation has access to state-of-the-art personal protection equipment as well as the specialized equipment needed to safely and effectively clean up the home.

If there are some legitimate cherished family items in the collection, we may be able to retrieve and restore them. Otherwise, we can focus on total cleanup, sanitation, and deodorizing the home.

In some of these cases, the individual with hoarding disorder may have passed away in the home, which creates a significant biohazard scene. This again is something our technicians are experienced with and have all the necessary equipment to safely remediate the unattended death site.

Professionalism, Discretion, and Empathy

At Affordable Remediation, we have years of experience dealing with situations of nearly every imaginable scale. In these moments, we understand the need for professionalism, discretion, and empathy, to reduce the stress on you or the individual seeking treatment for hoarding disorder.

Affordable Remediation’s Hoarding Cleanup Strategy

The severity of the hoarding problem and the makeup of the collection will influence the strategy our technicians recommend. This might also be done in cooperation with a mental health professional’s treatment plan.

We generally start with a careful inspection of the hoarding site to determine the extent of the collection. This helps determine any special equipment that might be needed to handle potential biohazards or chemicals.

Proper Disposal

We are well-versed in all pertinent regulations put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as state and local laws governing the disposal of chemical or biologically hazardous materials. You can trust that the collection will be properly disposed of, and we can provide you with documentation to ensure compliance.

Professional Documentation & Certification Upon Completion

Many state and local laws require some type of documentation after a biohazard contamination event. This might also be a requirement of your home or business insurance provider. Landlords and rental property managers often face intense scrutiny after something like an unattended death, sewage backup, or a ruptured pipe.

At Affordable Remediation, we can provide you with the proper documentation to verify that whatever the biohazard was, that it was professionally remediated to all pertinent standards. This will help streamline any possible insurance claims or clear any concerns about the safety of a rental property.