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H1: Hoarding cleanup
If you’re reading this page, you’ve already done the hardest part. Looking for help takes courage, whether you’re looking for yourself, for someone you care about, or as a professional trying to support a client.
We don’t judge. We won’t react. We’ve been doing this work for over 25 years, and we’ve seen every situation you can imagine. Nothing shocks us, and nothing changes how we treat you.
Our job is simple: to help you get your home back to a place where you feel safe and comfortable. We work at your pace, not ours. If that means spreading the work across several days so you can be involved in decisions about your belongings, that’s what we’ll do.
Ready to have a confidential conversation? Call us on 07985 505061. No pressure, no obligation. We’ll just listen and talk through what might help.
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Non-judgemental approach | IICRC certified | £2M insured (AXA) | 25 years’ experience | Discreet, unmarked vehicles
Understanding Hoarding
Hoarding is a recognised mental health condition. It’s not laziness. It’s not a character flaw. It’s not something people can just snap out of.
The NHS classifies hoarding disorder as a condition where someone has persistent difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value. It affects an estimated 2-5% of the UK population. That’s hundreds of thousands of people. You’re not alone in this.
People hoard for all kinds of reasons. Grief. Trauma. Anxiety. Depression. Sometimes it starts after a bereavement or a major life change. Sometimes it builds gradually over years without any obvious trigger. The point is: there’s always a reason, and we respect that.
We’ve worked with clients in Southmead who hadn’t let anyone into their home in over a decade. We’ve helped families in Bishopston who didn’t know how to start a conversation with a parent whose rooms had become inaccessible. We’ve supported housing officers at Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council who needed a property made safe but wanted it done with dignity.
Every situation is different. What stays the same is our approach: patient, respectful, and led by you.
What Our Hoarding Cleanup Service Covers
We handle the full scope of work. You don’t need to organise anything in advance or try to make a start before we arrive.
Sorting and categorisation. We go through everything with you (or without you, if you’d prefer). Items are separated into categories: keep, donate, recycle, dispose. You make the decisions about what matters to you. We don’t throw anything away without your say-so.
Deep cleaning. Once items are cleared, we deep clean every surface, wall, floor and fixture. This isn’t a quick wipe-down. It’s the same standard we use across all our specialist deep cleaning work: industrial equipment, hospital-grade products, proper extraction.
Decontamination. Hoarded properties often have contamination that isn’t immediately visible. Mould behind stacked items. Bacteria in kitchen and bathroom areas. Pest droppings. We treat all of it. If we find mould, we address the root cause, not just the surface.
Biohazard handling. In some properties, we encounter sharps (needles, broken glass, razor blades), animal waste, vermin (dead or alive), or human waste. Our team is trained in biohazard protocols and equipped with full PPE. These materials are removed safely and disposed of through licensed waste channels.
Waste removal and disposal. We handle all waste removal, including bulky items, general waste and hazardous materials. Everything is disposed of legally and responsibly, with full documentation.
Our Process
We’ve structured our process specifically for hoarding situations. It’s designed to give you control over what happens and when.
Step 1: Private conversation
You call or email us. We listen. You tell us as much or as little as you’re comfortable with. If you’d rather someone else makes the call on your behalf, that’s fine. A family member, a social worker, a GP. We’ll talk to whoever you want us to.
Step 2: Home visit and assessment
We come to you in an unmarked vehicle. No logos, no branded uniforms. Your neighbours won’t know why we’re there. We walk through the property with you, understand the scale of what’s needed, and talk honestly about timelines and cost.
Here’s the honest caveat: we can’t always give an exact price on the first visit. In heavily hoarded properties, we sometimes can’t access all the rooms or see the condition of floors and walls until items are removed. We’ll give you a realistic range and keep you updated as the work progresses. No surprises.
Step 3: Planning together
This is where we agree the pace and approach. Some clients want us to work as quickly as possible. Others need to be present for every decision. Most fall somewhere in between. We’ll work out a plan that fits you.
If you’re working with a mental health professional, an occupational therapist, or social services, we’re happy to include them in the planning. We’ve done this many times and it works well.
Step 4: Sorting and clearing
We work through the property methodically. Room by room. In my experience, starting with a smaller room often works best. It gives you an early win, a visible result that helps the rest feel manageable.
Every item gets a decision. Keep, donate, recycle, or dispose. If you need time to think about something, we set it aside. There’s no rush.
Step 5: Cleaning and decontamination
Once a room is cleared, we clean it properly. Floors, walls, surfaces, fixtures. If there’s mould, pest damage, or biohazard contamination, we deal with it at this stage. The room is left clean, safe and habitable.
Step 6: Final walkthrough
We go through everything with you. If you’re happy, we’re done. If you want us to come back for maintenance cleans to help keep things on track, we can arrange that too.
Biohazard Risks in Hoarded Properties
This section isn’t here to alarm you. It’s here because these risks are real, and they’re the reason hoarding cleanup needs specialist handling rather than a skip and a few bin bags.
Mould. When items are stacked against walls for months or years, moisture gets trapped. Mould grows behind the items where you can’t see it. Black mould (Stachybotrys chartarum) can cause respiratory problems, allergic reactions and, in severe cases, long-term health issues. We carry out full mould removal as part of the cleanup.
Sharps. Needles, broken glass, exposed razor blades, rusted metal. In cluttered properties, these can be hidden in bags, between stacked items, or under soft furnishings. Our team uses puncture-resistant gloves and follows strict sharps handling protocols. We don’t let anyone work in a hoarded property without proper protection.
Vermin. Mice, rats, insects. Hoarded properties provide food sources and undisturbed nesting spaces. Rodent droppings carry diseases including leptospirosis and hantavirus. We clear and decontaminate affected areas and can recommend pest control partners in Bristol for ongoing treatment.
Ammonia and gases. Accumulated animal or human waste produces ammonia. In poorly ventilated, enclosed spaces, ammonia levels can reach concentrations that are harmful to breathe. We test air quality before starting work and use respiratory protection where needed.
None of this is your fault. These are consequences of a situation that built up over time. Our job is to deal with them safely so you don’t have to.
Working With Professionals
We regularly work alongside other professionals involved in hoarding cases. If you’re a social worker, housing officer, mental health practitioner or GP, we understand your processes and can fit into them.
Social services. We’ve worked with Bristol City Council’s adult social care teams and South Gloucestershire Council on cases where a property has been assessed as a safeguarding concern. We can attend multi-agency meetings, provide written assessments of property condition, and work within whatever timescales are needed.
Mental health teams. We understand that hoarding cleanup without therapeutic support can cause distress and may not lead to lasting change. We’re happy to coordinate with occupational therapists, community mental health teams, and counsellors. If a therapist wants to be present during the sorting process, we welcome that.
Housing associations and landlords. We can provide reports on property condition, itemise the work carried out, and supply all waste transfer documentation. If eviction proceedings are involved, we approach the situation with the same care. Our priority is always the person living there.
Environmental health. If a property has been flagged by environmental health as a statutory nuisance or health risk, we can carry out the required remediation work and provide documentation confirming compliance.
A Bristol social worker told us last year that what made the difference was that we talked to her client like a person, not a problem. That stuck with us. It’s how we try to approach every job.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does hoarding cleanup cost?
It varies significantly depending on the volume of items, the condition of the property, and how many days the work takes. A single-room clearance and clean might be £500 to £1,500. A full property with multiple rooms heavily hoarded could be £2,000 to £8,000 or more. We’ll give you a realistic range after our assessment visit. If a local authority or housing association is funding the work, we handle the paperwork and invoicing directly.
How long does hoarding cleanup take?
Anywhere from one day to two weeks. It depends on the volume of belongings, the size of the property, the level of contamination, and how involved you want to be in the sorting process. A two-bed flat in moderate condition might take two to three days. A three-bed house that’s been hoarded for a decade could take a week or more. We’ll agree a schedule that works for you.
Do I have to be there during the cleanup?
No. Some clients prefer to be present for every decision. Others give us general guidelines and check in at the end of each day. Some hand us the key and ask us to let them know when it’s done. All of these are completely fine. There’s no right way to do this.
Will you throw away my things without asking?
Never. Unless you’ve specifically told us otherwise, every item gets a decision. We won’t bin something because it looks like rubbish to us. We understand that what matters to you might not look valuable to anyone else. If you’re not present, we’ll set aside anything we’re unsure about and check with you later.
Can you help if I’m not the person who hoards?
Yes. We regularly work with family members, partners and adult children who are trying to help a loved one. We can also work with social workers and other professionals who are supporting someone with hoarding disorder. The first step is the same: a conversation about the situation and what kind of help is needed.
Is hoarding cleanup confidential?
Completely. We arrive in unmarked vehicles. We don’t discuss our work with neighbours or anyone who isn’t directly involved. Waste is removed in sealed bags and containers. Nothing identifiable is left on the street. Your privacy is protected throughout.
What if hoarding starts again after cleanup?
This is a real concern, and we’d rather be upfront about it. Cleaning a property doesn’t treat the underlying condition. Without ongoing support, hoarding can recur. That’s why we encourage anyone going through this to connect with mental health support. We can provide follow-up maintenance cleans at agreed intervals, which some clients find helpful for staying on track. But lasting change usually needs therapeutic support alongside practical help.
Support Resources
If you or someone you care about is affected by hoarding, these organisations offer free, confidential help:
NHS Hoarding Disorder Information Website: nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/hoarding-disorder Your GP can refer you to local talking therapies and specialist support.
HoardingUK Website: hoardinguk.org Helpline and support groups for people affected by hoarding and their families.
Bristol Talking Therapies Free NHS psychological therapy service for adults in Bristol. Self-referral available through the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire NHS website.
Mind Helpline: 0300 123 3393 Website: mind.org.uk Information and support for all mental health conditions, including hoarding.
Samaritans Helpline: 116 123 (free, 24 hours) Website: samaritans.org Someone to talk to, any time, about anything.
Related Services
- Trauma Cleaning and Biohazard Decontamination — When hoarding involves biological contamination or is discovered after a bereavement
- Deep Cleaning and Disinfection — Full property sanitisation once items have been cleared
- Mould Removal — Treating mould found behind hoarded items, not just cleaning the surface
- Sharps Cleanup — Safe removal of needles and sharps found in hoarded properties
- Councils and Housing Associations — How we work with local authority teams on hoarding cases
Take the First Step
You don’t need to have a plan. You don’t need to have started clearing anything. You just need to pick up the phone or send a message, and we’ll work the rest out together.
We’ve helped people across Bristol reclaim their homes. Quietly, patiently, and without judgement. We’ll do the same for you.
Phone: 07985 505061 Emergency 24/7: 0808 303 7072 WhatsApp: 07985 505061 Email: hello@bristolcleaningheroes.co.uk
We’re at 290-294 Southmead Road, Bristol BS10 5EN. Covering all of Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
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