When things get out of control, Bio-One of Orange specialists can help you get everything back to normal. Our certified technicians, experienced in serving the Orange County community since October of last year, can help you with the most challenging cleaning scenarios: anything from decluttering to extreme hoarding cleanup we can help.
Bio-One’s motto is “Help First, Business Second.” And we mean that wholeheartedly. We understand that it’s not about how you got to a situation but how you want to improve. Usually, conditions like hoarding disorder cause embarrassment and shame. The desire to ask for help is overshadowed by these emotions, which ultimately turns into the victims not getting the assistance they need.
Additionally, people struggling with hoarding or extremely cluttered spaces tend to isolate themselves from family and friends. Hoarding has been recognized as a distinct form of mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association since 2013, allowing a wider range of understanding of this condition and promoting ways to help people who might be struggling with it.
There is a positive outlook for people struggling with hoarding disorders. Numerous studies and cases sustain this condition, and it can be diagnosed by professionals who treat it with utmost care for everyone involved. In the face of an extreme hoarding situation, there are multiple victims, not just those living in these conditions. Families and loved ones can suffer from seeing their significant others fight this condition.
Our team of specialists at Bio-One of Orange can help you. Our certified technicians have, among many things, one goal in common: to help you get your life back on track. You can count on Bio-One to help you declutter, clean, and decontaminate your house or property with a caring team of specialists who will accompany and assist you. We will ensure you, or your loved one is comfortable during the cleanup process, and we are mindful of all personal belongings and items of value like wallets, photographs, collectibles, and documents.
Bio-One of Orange offers a quick solution to life’s most difficult and unexpected situations. Locally owned, we provide top-quality, industry-leading cleaning, sanitation, and decontamination services in:
Locally owned, Bio-One of Orange is proud to serve Orange County and surrounding Southern California areas: Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda!
Our extreme hoarding cleanup technicians are ready to help you restore your home or business. Bio-One of Orange, a proud member of the Orange Chamber of Commerce, is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Contact us at 714-397-8375.
The term “hoarding” is frequently misused. People often use the word to condemn themselves—or their family members—for accumulating items like clothes and collectibles gratuitously. Though true hoarders share this tendency, it’s a far cry from a medical definition.
Hoarding compels people to compile and preserve excessive amounts of clutter that have no practical value. Hoarders will grow so attached to these items— which often include dirty dishes, trash and rotten food—that discarding them causes severe emotional trauma. It is one of the most poorly understood and stigmatized disorders in America, and one of the most difficult to treat. Hoarding is more widespread than you may know.
According to the Washington Post, hoarding affects 19 million Americans. That equates to about 6 percent of the population. The scope of the problem may seem surprising, but only because hoarders tend to keep their illness private. Unless clutter accumulates outside the home, the disorder can remain a secret for years.
Though the disorder has profound psychological, financial and health consequences for the hoarder, it also jeopardizes the safety of neighbors. We’ve broken down the dangers associated with hoarding below.
The aggregation of clutter in hoarding situations creates unlivable spaces. Unfortunately, it also makes them highly combustible. Wall-to-wall piles of trash pervade homes, blocking exits and entrances that residents and first responders need to access during an emergency. Without any open space to mitigate a fire, these homes can burn really quickly.
Because stoves, fireplaces and heating lamps are often filled and covered with trash, the risk of an outbreak rises significantly. Moreover, vermin that breed in these unsanitary environments can chew on electrical wiring in the wall, which may cause a fire.
Accumulated clutter often sits unattended, gathering blankets of dust that can affect air quality. Moreover, rotten food and waste produce heavy odors and release ammonia, which can lead to respiratory problems. Air circulation will diminish as oxygen vents are blocked, leading to a dangerous rise in carbon dioxide.
Unfortunately, this situation gives mold and mildew the opportunity to grow and multiply quickly, releasing spores into the living space at an alarming rate. Because the air quality in these homes is so noxious, hoarding cleanup crews like Bio-One must wear respirators when they enter.
The sheer enormity of hoarding clutter can place stress on the home’s foundations. As the volume of items increases, so does the overall weight of the lode. Flooring has been known to collapse in these situations.
Moreover, residents and maintenance workers have trouble accessing critical piping lines and electrical circuits inside and outside the home. Plumbing, gas and power issues can ensue, creating unsanitary living conditions and fire hazards.
Pests, such as rats, cockroaches, mice and fleas, thrive in hoarding situations. They are drawn to heaping mounds of clutter where they can feed and breed without being disturbed. Unsanitary living spaces, rotting food and trash attract them to the home, where they’ll likely stay as an infestation develops.
In animal hoarding situations, waste and decomposing carcasses exacerbates the problem. Bacteria and airborne pathogens will pervade the home, spreading dangerous diseases like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Hoarders will often stack their items on top of one another until their homes are filled with small mountains of clutter and trash. Heavy boxes, furniture and hardware can fall on top of residents and cause serious physical damage. The lack of navigable living space results in narrow, clutter-free passageways. But they are often rife with tripping hazards that can lead to broken ankles, noses and more.
Sharp items, like knives, needles and broken glass may also be littered in this space. One false step and the resident can find themselves nursing a gushing wound that becomes infected.
For hoarders, living appliances like ovens, beds and bathtubs quickly become storage vessels. This curtailment of basic living appliances creates a series of problems for residents: Combustibles near stoves can catch fire; health and hygiene deteriorate for lack of running water; and clutter on beds force homeowners to sleep on the ground, removing their access to quality sleep.
Water, gas and electricity to the home will shut off as bills—lost in a sea of trash—go unpaid. All the while, the compilation of clutter will continue to grow unabated.
Poor living conditions in hoarding situations are deleterious to the homeowner’s mental health. Studies show that the brain responds negatively to claustrophobic and disorganized living spaces, overwhelming the mind, creating stress and increasing anxiety.
Given the magnitude of disarray in homes affected by hoarding, the effects on the mind are exacerbated. Most hoarders already suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and are at risk for loneliness, depression and psychosis.
Bio-One can help you if hoarding affects your life. Our technicians are experts at removing hazards, disinfecting property and restoring homes, so don’t hesitate to give us a call if you need assistance. We’re available to provide you the quality hoarding cleanup services across Orange county.
