In a situation where you find out that a relative or a loved one has become a hoarder, care must be taken to approach the issue. The hoarder is usually highly sensitive about discussing his issue of hoarding and will do all he can to make sure that his hoarded goods stay intact. However when it is obvious that the hoarder is far along on the levels of hoarding, then it is best you throw such caution to the wind and call for a professional hoarding cleanup service and a professional psychologist as well.
Hoarding Cleanup
When really is a hoarding clean up service needed and what are the possible cleanup strategies that can be employed?
Well, there are several strategies that are employable depending on the extent and type of hoarding situation that you’d be dealing with, but here are three general ones:
- Involving The Hoarder
This strategy is employable when the hoarder has agreed to you cleaning up the house but he still leaves there during the cleanup process. The trick is to make the hoarder think that he wants to throw the things he has hoarded away by making him actually do so.
A lot of patience is required if this strategy must be successful, only throw a few things away per day and not everything at once. This affords the hoarder the chance to gradually readjust to a healthier way of living.
Word of caution: if there are any biohazards at all among the hoard, then it should be disposed of immediately. This strategy also doesn’t require the procurement of professional hoarding cleanup service except if entirely necessary.
- After The Death Of The Hoarder
There are two perspectives to this; that of a family member and a hoarding relative and that of a landlord and a hoarding tenant. In each case, however, it is highly probable that the dead hoarder’s body might go unnoticed for a significant period of time.
Upon discovery of the body and depending on its condition while also putting the extent and nature of the hoard into account, there might be a need to not just call a professional hoarding cleanup service but also to call in a very competent death scene cleanup crew.
- Animal Hoarders
By definition, an animal hoarder is a person that keeps more pets than he can possibly cater for. Generally, the welfare of hoarded pets is usually in abysmal conditions. The property of an animal hoarder would usually be littered with a lot of pet droppings, urine and animal dander, all of which constitutes a significant measure of biohazard.
In cases such as this, it is highly recommended that you do not attempt to clean out the property yourself as you would be putting yourself at risk. It is rather best that you call on a professional hoarding cleanup service to come to help you deal with the mess.