How To Start Cleaning A Hoarder’s Room

This might seem like a pointless blog to those who haven't experienced the stress of dealing with a hoarder's house or room.

After all, how hard can it be to clean up one room? And if someone has hoarded a lot of stuff in their home, what's the big deal? Surely it's not that difficult to clean?

At Clean Team Scotland, we know and understand that hoarding disorder is no joke, and cleaning up any space affected by someone who has this mental illness can be extremely challenging.

As a professional cleaning company, we've dealt with entire hoarders' homes or even single rooms affected by this disorder, so we know exactly what's involved.

If someone you know is struggling with this condition or you need cleaning tips for dealing with a room or house affected by hoarding, then our blog is designed for you.

Start Cleaning A Hoarders Room

What Is Hoarding Disorder?

First, it's important to recognise that this is a real mental illness, sometimes referred to as Pluyshkin's disorder. It's not a quirk, a fad, eccentricity or attention-seeking. This is a serious mental disorder that can affect anyone but is often found in those who have experienced a stressful life event, such as divorce, loss of a loved one, or loss of belongings due to dramatic or traumatic circumstances (like a house fire).It also affects those who suffer from depression or related conditions, as well as thos

e who live alone or cut themselves off socially.

People who develop Plyushkin's disorder often find it impossible to discard certain items and this can include almost anything, including newspapers, cardboard, carrier bags, magazines, receipts, bottles, electrical goods, food, tools - essentially, any item you can think of! It can even extend to acquiring animals and pets, adding to the challenge when cleaning up, as the individual almost always loses the ability to look after them adequately.

It's vital to remember this when cleaning a hoarder's home or room, as it can be extremely stressful for the individual involved.

hoarding disorder

How To Clean A Hoarder's Room

We'll begin our step-by-step guide with the cleaning process for dealing with a single room. This may be helpful for those with a family member, lodger or tenant (for example) using a room in your property or within a block of flats, apartments or bedsits.

First, sort out your hoarding cleanup equipment to make sure you have all the household supplies, cleaning tools and safety gear you need, such as:

  • Protective Gear - Invest in some heavy-duty rubber gloves, a face mask/respirator, overalls, and protective eyewear. This might seem extreme, but you don't know what you might encounter and must be prepared! Also, having a first-aid kit to hand is a good idea in case of any minor cuts or grazes.
  • Cleaning Supplies - Make sure you have some heavy-duty trash bags, disinfectant, bleach, scrubbing brushes, a mop, dustpan and brush, and a decent vacuum cleaner (ideally with a HEPA filter to get rid of mould spores and dust mites).
  • Organisational Tools - Set out a staging area where you can place some boxes and/or bags for sorting items into, either for disposal, recycling or to go to charity shops. Shelves or a folding table might be handy, and a set of sticky labels and a marker pen will make things easier.
  • Miscellaneous - You may want to have a camera or smartphone to record the cleaning process (for insurance purposes, or even as a personal record). A torch will also help for dimly-lit areas where items have been stacked very high. Hand tools may be required in some cases, and a trolley of some kind will help you when moving heavier items. Air purifiers, dehumidifiers and fans might help dry out damp, musty spaces.

Finally, it may be necessary to hire a skip to hold all the discarded items that can't be recycled or reused, depending on the volume of waste involved.

Check out our post “What is the average cost to clean a hoarder house”.

cleaning process 1

Cleaning A Hoarder's Room

This is going to be a challenge no matter what size the room is, so make sure you're prepared!

Also, if the affected individual is present, this will be an emotional and traumatic experience as they often form a sentimental attachment to the hoarded items. It's best to ensure that they have support through this time, ideally from a mental health professional.

Before you begin, make sure you identify any personal items that are definitely to be retained.

Cleaning A Hoarders Room

Assess The Room

Start by assessing the condition of the room to check for any obvious hazards, such as items stacked in unstable piles, sharp objects or decomposing food. Rodents and other pests are often attracted to cluttered spaces, so you may encounter dead mice or rats and their faeces. Maggot and fly infestations are also common where animals or food are present.

Because of this, you must be sure to wear appropriate PPE when working.

Junk Removal

Begin to remove the items gradually and take them to your staging area for sorting. Anything that is rotted, contaminated or otherwise ruined will need to be thrown away. Make sure any contaminated materials are placed in heavy-duty plastic bags.

Items that are in good condition (clean clothing, shoes, paper, cardboard, electrical goods, etc.) can be taken to charity shops or a recycling facility.

If possible, remove all the furniture from the area to create a clutter-free space ready for cleaning. If this can't be done, move the furniture around as you clean each side of the room.

Junk Removal

Dust Removal

Now it's time to use your vacuum cleaner to get rid of as much dust as possible. Ideally, you should use a high-powered model fitted with HEPA filters as these will capture dust mites, pollen, mould spores and all kinds of allergens.

Dust Removal in hoarder clean up

Deep Clean

Deep cleaning is often essential, as a hoarder's house - or even one room - can be seriously dirty. Accumulated dust, dirt, cobwebs, mould, mildew and other grime are common, along with stains from spilt drinks, discarded food and a whole host of unpleasant substances.

In many cases, the carpet needs to be removed as it is in such a bad state. If the dirt and staining aren't too bad, scrub the surfaces (including floors, walls and ceiling) with a powerful disinfectant. You may need to go over them a few times to get the desired result.

Don't forget skirting boards, light fixtures, sockets, windows and other features.

Deep cleaning

Odour Removal

Bad smells often linger in a room that's been cluttered and filled with all kinds of stuff, so you may need a helping hand to shift them.

For carpets and other fabrics, you could try sprinkling baking powder and leaving it for an hour or so to absorb the odours before vacuuming the affected space.

If this isn't enough, you could try enzymatic cleaners. These break down the odour particles left by decomposing food, animal waste or other nasty substances.

Steam cleaning is another effective method that can help remove odours. The steam penetrates surfaces deeply to eliminate dirt and the causes of horrible smells.

And if none of these methods do the trick, you may need professional help. A cleaning company will use foggers, deodorisers and ozone generators to completely eradicate any remaining odours.

Renovation

The decor can be badly affected by hoarding, and it's likely that you'll need to redecorate and make any necessary repairs.

Once this is complete, the room will be restored to a clean and usable state.

renovation house

Cleaning A Hoarder's House

Rather than cleaning a single room, you may have to tackle an entire hoarder's house.

To do this, you'll need the cleaning tips above, but make sure to only work room by room starting with a small room first, as it will give you a boost to get a complete area done.

This is going to be a much larger project, so you'll need extra bags, boxes and a helping hand - this isn't a job you should ever take on by yourself!

Cleaning A Hoarders House 2

When To Get Professional Help

Dealing with the aftermath of hoarding can be stressful, challenging, and often overwhelming. You may feel that the task is too much and that you need a helping hand.

If this is the case, don't despair! Professional cleaners like Clean Team Scotland are trained to deal with hoarder cleaning and will sort out the space quickly, efficiently and sensitively.

Hoarding disorder can have serious consequences and those with this condition are advised to seek help from a mental health professional. While we can't assist with this side of things, we are happy to tackle hoarder house cleaning, removing that burden from your shoulders.

Here's how Clean Team Scotland will help you...

Initial Assessment

The process begins with an on-site inspection to evaluate the extent of the hoarding and identify potential hazards, such as biohazards, pests, or structural issues. Cleaners then develop a customised cleaning plan tailored to the home's condition and the client’s specific needs. Where possible, the affected individual will be involved in the decision-making process especially regarding sentimental items.

Safety Preparation

Before cleaning, professionals equip themselves with protective gear, including gloves, masks, goggles, and coveralls, to protect against dust, mould, and hazardous materials. Safety risks, such as weak floors, fire hazards, or infestations, are addressed to ensure a secure working environment.

Decluttering

Items are sorted into categories such as those to be kept, donated, recycled, or disposed of. Essential and sentimental belongings are preserved, while reusable items are donated to charities. Unusable items, including hazardous waste, are disposed of responsibly using skips or local council-approved services.

a Decluttering

Deep Cleaning

Once the clutter is cleared, surfaces are thoroughly sanitised using disinfectants. Carpets and upholstery are steam cleaned or removed if heavily soiled. Bathrooms and kitchens receive special attention to restore hygiene, and any pest infestations are treated with appropriate methods.

Odour Removal

To eliminate lingering odours, windows are opened to improve ventilation, and odour-neutralising sprays or ozone generators are used for stubborn smells. Fabrics such as curtains, cushions, and upholstery are cleaned or replaced to ensure freshness.

Professionalism And Sensitivity

Throughout the process, cleaners prioritise respect for the client’s privacy and dignity. By maintaining open and non-judgemental communication, they ensure the experience is as stress-free as possible while restoring the property to a safe, liveable condition.

Identifying Plyushkin's Disorder

Ideally, it's best to prevent the situation from happening in the first place - early intervention can save a lot of heartache and hassle. Here are some of the signs to look out for, either in your own behaviour or that of a loved one:

  • Difficulty Discarding Items
  • Acquisition of Unnecessary Items
  • Clutter Accumulation
  • Strong Emotional Attachment to Possessions
  • Procrastination and Indecision (about throwing items away in general)
  • Social Isolation

If you or someone you care about shows signs of hoarding disorder, we strongly advise seeking professional help. It's important to remember that this condition can be overcome and that hoarders can learn to live without all those things they believed that they needed.

And when you need a sensitive, caring and efficient cleaning service that you can trust to get the job done without any fuss Clean Team Scotland is here to help. 

Identifying Plyushkins Disorder
Share this article
Twitter Logo

Our accreditations

Checkatrade logo
chas logo
TrustMark
safecontactor
BICSc

You can get in touch with us on:

Copyright © 2025 Clean Team Scotland
phone-handset linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram