Grand Rapids and Kent County
Hoarding cleanup when there are biohazards
Clutter on its own is a sorting job. When it hides waste, rodents, spoiled food or used needles, it becomes a biohazard cleanup, and that is the part this line is for.
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When clutter becomes a biohazard
Animal urine and feces, human waste, rodent droppings and nests, rotting food and used sharps all turn an ordinary cleanout into hazardous work. Dust from dried droppings is a particular concern: the CDC tells people not to sweep or vacuum rodent urine, droppings or nesting material, but to wet them with a bleach solution or EPA-registered disinfectant and let it soak first.
The person who lives there may be the one who calls, or a relative, a landlord or an executor. Whoever calls, it helps to be honest about what is in the home so the company can plan.
Source: CDC, How to Clean Up After Rodents.
Questions to ask before the work starts
- Will you sort items with us, or remove everything from a room?
- How will you handle papers, photos and valuables you find?
- How will needles and other sharps be collected and disposed of?
- Will you disinfect and deodorize after the items are out?
Questions
Common questions
Does this line handle every hoarding cleanout?
It is for homes where there are biohazards. If the issue is clutter alone, a junk removal or organizing service may be a better fit.
Can the person keep their things?
That is a conversation between the family and the company. Many companies sort with the owner. Anything contaminated with waste usually goes.
Who pays when a relative has died?
Usually the estate or whoever owns the property. The who pays guide explains the general picture.
Other situations
- Crime scene and trauma cleanupAfter a homicide, assault or other violent event, once police have released the home.Read more
- Unattended death cleanupWhen someone died at home and was not found for days or weeks.Read more
- Cleanup after a suicideSo that no family member has to clean the room themselves.Read more
- Blood and bodily fluid cleanupInjuries, falls, medical events and anything that soaked into floors or furniture.Read more
- Disinfection after illness or rodentsRooms contaminated by rodent droppings, sewage-soaked materials or a sick person's fluids.Read more
- Vehicle biohazard cleanupBlood or bodily fluids in a car, truck or van after an injury, crime or death.Read more
Whenever you are ready
One call to find out what the cleanup involves
Nothing has to be decided tonight. Keep the room closed, keep children and pets out, and call when you want to hear the options from someone who does this work.
Speak with a cleanup company
Your call goes to an independent company that works in your ZIP code. Describe what happened, ask how they would handle it and how they set the price, then decide in your own time.
Call (616) 616-9979Phones answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded for quality. Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.