Hoarder Cleaning Can Save Lives.
I post quite often about
hoarder cleaning and the difference we make to people’s lives. I’m feeling
quite emotional today after hearing that a property that we visited on Monday
last week had suffered from a fire on Friday and the occupier admitted to hospital.
Hoarding disorder
As a result, the piles of accumulated items keep getting bigger and bigger and create obstacles in the living space in the hoarders’ homes, preventing everyday activities such as cleaning and cooking, and causing severe sanitary issues and safety hazards.
Hoarders not only have the compulsive need to constantly acquire more
and more items, but they also refuse to throw anything away out of fear of
losing something important, valuable, or useful.
The living conditions in a hoarder’s home deteriorate rapidly and
become hazardous for anyone who goes in or around the house.
The extreme clutter hinders one’s ability to move freely, compromises
the intended use of the premises, and causes mould growth, pest infestations,
structural damage, fire hazards, tripping hazards, and various health issues
(such as respiratory diseases and infections).
Fire hazard
The risk of a fire is one of the biggest concerns for me when I visit a
hoarder property.
Much of a hoarders
clutter consists of flammable materials – paper, clothing, food, etc.
With so much combustible materials lying around, fire can spread
quickly and overtake a hoarder’s home in seconds.
Clutter can block windows and doors, pathways and exits, trapping the
residents inside and preventing access for fire-fighters.
Hoarding disorders are challenging to treat because many people who hoard frequently do not see it as a problem, or have little awareness of how it's affecting their life or the lives of others.
Help is available
Many do realise they have a problem but are reluctant to seek help because they feel extremely ashamed, humiliated or guilty about it.
It's really important to encourage a person who is hoarding to seek help, as their difficulties discarding objects can not only cause loneliness and mental health problems but also pose a serious health and safety risk.
If you, or anyone you know, need our assistance to help to clear
accumulated clutter from a property, please feel free to get in touch.
