How Clearing a Hoarded House Affects Asthma
If you have to clear out a hoarded house after the death of a relative, then you could have a mammoth job ahead of you. If the person was a long-time hoarder, then the entire property will be chock-full of stuff. Nobody finds it easy to clean out a hoarded house. This is a messy job that can take a lot of time. If you have asthma, then it becomes doubly difficult and even dangerous to your health.
If you aren't sure if you are up to the job, then think about the task might affect your asthma. This will make it easier to work out whether clearing the house yourself is a safe thing to do. What's in the hoard that could give you an asthma attack?
General Allergens
Hoarders can't keep their homes clean. They have too much stuff in them. Their hoard could contain years of general allergens like dust that might set off your asthma. For example, a room full of old newspapers will be full of dust. Carpets and bedding that haven't been seen or cleaned for years will be a home to dust mites. Just walking into a dusty hoard could be enough to make your chest feel tight.
Animal Allergens
Pests find safe places to hide in hoards. Once they're inside, they may become such a widespread problem that they can't be removed from the hoard effectively. Your relative's home could be full of rodents and cockroaches.
While you may not come into direct contact with rodents while you clear the house, you'll come across their droppings. These droppings can give you asthma problems. Close contact with cockroaches is also an issue for asthmatics.
If your relative had pets like cats or dogs, then they'll have left hair and skin flakes all over the house. Again, these materials can bring on asthma attacks.
Mould Allergens
Badly hoarded homes often have problems with mould, mildew and damp. There's too much stuff inside to allow air to circulate, and damp conditions allow spores to grow and spread quickly. These spores aren't good for your asthma either.
If you're worried about how the hoard might affect your asthma, then hire a professional hoarder cleaning company to handle the job. They can clear the house a lot more quickly and thoroughly than you can on your own, and you won't have to worry about your asthma in the process.
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