What's Up With Hoarding?

When people don’t throw anything away, and their house starts to fill up with things they have collected over the years, in fear that they might need it later, this is called, hoarding.

Is it a big deal? Should we let them collect mounds of garbage to their heart's content? Here are some arguments that would say, no, we need to help them get cleaned up.

Air Quality Can Be Compromised

Air quality can deteriorate fast when a person starts to hoard. This is because dust and unpleasant odors can start to develop.

Also, ammonia can buildup from the decay of waste products. All of this can severely impact the air quality in the home. Poor air quality can lead to respiratory illnesses or make existing respiratory issues worse.

Sanitation Becomes Difficult

Sanitation problems are the natural result of hoarding. It will be difficult to navigate around all the items that are piled up everywhere in the home. This means that cleaning is more difficult.

This problem can become worse if hoarding is also done with animals. A home that has many animals living together can become contaminated quickly. Animal waste can get into human and pet food causing very unsanitary conditions that can lead to disease.

Plumbing Problems

Plumbing can become an issue in a home where hoarding takes place. This is usually because there are piles of things stacked up against plumbing infrastructure.

Often things that should not go down the toilet or into drains end up there. The result is that there are sewer problems and clogs. When plumbing issues begin, unsanitary conditions are not far behind. These unsanitary conditions can lead to illness.

Mildew and Fungus

Hoarders sometimes refuse to throw away food that has gone bad. Spoiled food that lies in the refrigerator and the pantry can become a source of mildew and fungus. This can cause foul odors in the home and increase the risk of serious health problems.

Pests Can Begin to Gather

It should come as no surprise that a home where a lot of hoarding takes place is a playground for pests, this is one of the dangers of hoarding. Cockroaches, flies, rats, and other pets find their hiding place in and under things that are hoarded for long periods.

These pests often bring diseases with them which can impact the health of those in the home.

Getting Things Cleaned Up

The best thing you can do for someone who is a hoarder is to encourage or help them to clean up. This might be difficult because hoarders think that everything they have will be useful at some time in the future even though it probably will not be.

Hoarders need to become aware of the threat to their health and others who lived in the home with them. They also need help getting organized. This means you will need to assist them with recognizing what is useful to keep and what must be thrown away.