Maid Services and Psychologists - How to Help a Hoarder

Once all of the clutter has been removed, a hoarder may be faced with a home that is still unlivable. Professional maid services may be necessary to help sanitize and restore the home to habitable conditions. With the help of a psychologist, supportive friends and family, and a cleaning plan, a hoarder can help overcome immediate threats to their well being, save their home, and begin the path to leading a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.


Hoarders often live in unsanitary conditions that pose a serious health risk, which is especially true of animal hoarders. Cats, dogs, or other pets can leave feces and urine throughout the home, which can become trapped under the floor and deeply soak into carpets. Fur, feathers, and dander can also become trapped in corners or deep into cracks within the home. Completely removing these traces and damage left from animals is an intensive job that will require professional cleaning equipment and products. Many times parts of the home must first be removed, such as floorboards, carpeting, or wooden panels that are beyond treatment and repair. Once these items are cleared, an initial cleaning may begin, but several more may be necessary over the course of several months to get all trapped dirt and debris removed.

Having an outside company assist with cleanup efforts provides anonymity and less shame for the hoarder. While family, friends, and even neighbors may be willing to lend a hand, exposing themselves and their obsessive habits might be too emotionally distressing and result in anxiety attacks, defiance, and refusal. Maid services are often more discreet and can maintain privacy, preventing details from leaking out into the community and causing further embarrassment. A psychologist or other therapists can work with the hoarder as well as the cleaners to facilitate a productive process and smooth over any issues that may arise.

Hoarding is a mental disorder which requires professional intervention to aid with ongoing, long-term treatment plans. Hiring maid services is only useful if the person agrees and the home has already been organized and de-cluttered. Following purging of the home, regularly scheduled cleaning can help hoarders who suffer from physical disabilities which may make some activities too difficult to perform without assistance. Some hoarders may not even be aware of how to properly sanitize the home having never done so. A cleaner can help instruct on better techniques and proper methods.


When contacting maid services, it is important to seek companies that have had past experiences dealing with hoarders. The disorder is more prevalent than it might seem, and there may even be organizations within the area that can provide neighborhood referrals. Local government officials are also often supportive and sensitive to cleanup efforts, but it is important to contact the correct personnel if any extensions are needed. When hoarders are confronted with a police or fire department mandated junk removal notice, they are often in imminent danger of losing their property or even facing jail time and massive fines, so it is important to take action quickly.