Free hoarding scene cleanup tool
Hoarding Scene Cleanup Company Vetting Checklist
Fifteen questions to ask any cleanup company, a score that shows how ready you are to hire, and a list of what is still unanswered.
Choosing a company for a hoarding cleanup is as much about manner and method as it is about equipment. The wrong company can clear a house in a day and leave a person hurt, distrustful, and likely to fill the space again. The Company Vetting Checklist gives you questions that show how a company really works. Some cover training and protection. Examples are training on germs carried in blood under 29 CFR 1910.1030 and breathing protection for dust and mold. Others cover the human side. How do they involve the person? How do they handle disagreements about items? What do they do when the person needs to stop? Have they worked with therapists or caseworkers? The rest cover animals, needles, dust control, waste, and records. Tick each question only after a clear answer.
Your readiness score shows how much you have checked, not how likable the salesperson was. A company may talk warmly about compassion. But if it cannot describe its sorting stations, its policy on items the person wants to keep, or how it packs needles, you should still have open questions. The tool will list them. Copy that list into an email to each company you are thinking about. Written answers show more than a phone call. A company willing to put its process on paper is showing you how it will act under stress. Check licenses and insurance directly with the offices that issue them. Do not rely only on the company's own papers. Also confirm any claimed link to a hoarding task force or professional group.
How to use it
- 1Ask each question of the company during the initial call, the walkthrough, or by email.
- 2Mark a question confirmed only when you have a clear answer in writing or on paper, not just a comforting phrase.
- 3Check the readiness score to see how much remains open before you commit to a contract.
- 4Copy the open questions, send them to the company, and update the checklist as responses arrive.
Prefer to ask a person?
Your request is sent to the follow-up inbox. A coordinator can reply by email. Not for emergencies; call 911 first if anyone is in danger.
Check a company before you sign
Hoarding Scene Cleanup provider vetting checklist
Start with the questions specific to this kind of job. Tick each one once the provider has answered it in writing or shown you the document. Your progress stays on this device only.
Readiness: 0 of 21 confirmed (0%)
21 questions still need a written answer. Copy the list and send it to the provider before you sign anything.
A worked example
Imagine a made-up case manager helping an older client. The client got a notice from her landlord about conditions in her apartment. The case manager opens the checklist and contacts two companies. The first offers a fast clearout. It says the client should stay with family during the work and that it throws out anything clearly damaged. The case manager asks how the client will review items and what happens when she wants to stop. The company's rep says they have never had a problem. The case manager leaves those questions unticked. The second company describes its sorting stations. It has a rule that nothing leaves without the client's approval or that of the person she has chosen to decide for her. It works in short sessions with breaks and plans to work with the client's therapist. It explains how it keeps dust out of a shared hallway and how it packs needles from the client's medical supplies. It also explains what records it gives the landlord. The case manager ticks most items. She still has open questions about insurance papers and how the company handles the client's two cats. The tool's open-questions list goes to both companies by email. Only the second replies in writing. That company's readiness score rises. The case manager shares the checklist with the client so she can see what has been agreed before signing.
Facts worth knowing
Federal workplace safety rules treat items caked with dried blood and used sharps as regulated waste that needs special handling.
Why it matters: Ask how your cleanup company packages and disposes of bloody items, since state medical-waste rules may also apply.
EPA says homeowners can usually handle moldy areas smaller than about 10 square feet themselves, while larger areas call for professional guidance.
Why it matters: Measure the moldy area before you decide; this rule does not cover sewage or biohazard contamination, which needs different handling.
Federal law requires every disinfectant sold in the United States to be registered with the EPA.
Why it matters: You can ask a company which disinfectant it uses and check the label for an EPA registration number.
Company Vetting Checklist questions for hoarding scene cleanup
What training should a hoarding cleanup crew have?
Workers who may touch blood or other body fluids that can carry disease should have training on germs carried in blood. It should meet 29 CFR 1910.1030. They should also have respirator fit tests and training on the hazards of mold and animal waste. Some crews also seek training on hoarding as a mental health condition. Ask what the training covers and who gave it. Then confirm with that source.
How do I know a company will respect the occupant?
Listen for specifics: how sorting decisions are made, what happens when the person changes their mind, how sessions are paced, and whether the crew has worked alongside therapists or caseworkers. Vague assurances about compassion are not evidence. Ask for references from families or agencies who can describe how the company behaved when things got hard.
Should I choose a company that promises to finish in a day?
Be cautious. A single-day timeline is usually only possible by skipping real sorting and consent, which harms the occupant and often leads to re-accumulation. A responsible company proposes phases and explains what determines the pace. Speed can be appropriate for an initial safety phase, but not for the whole project.
What questions apply when animals are in the home?
Ask how the crew handles pets during the work. Ask if they work with a vet or animal services when needed. Ask how they clean and disinfect areas used as a litter box. Ask whether they dampen droppings to keep dust down, and how they record what they found. Both the animals' welfare and the workers' safety depend on the answers.
How do I verify insurance and licensing?
Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the company's agent, and check any required business or contractor license through the state or county's public lookup. If the company hauls regulated waste, ask about the transporter it uses and whether that transporter is licensed. The network does not verify these for you; confirming them is your task.
Can I use the checklist with a company a caseworker recommended?
Yes, and you should. A referral from a caseworker, therapist, or task force is a good starting point because those professionals have seen how the company works. The checklist still helps you confirm details that matter for your home, such as pets, sharps, pace, and disposal. Let the company know the answers help you plan, not that you doubt the referral.
What if a company answers most checklist items well but not all?
Look at which items are weak. A gap on scheduling flexibility may be manageable, while a gap on consent, sharps handling, or waste disposal is more serious. Ask a follow-up question on the weak points and see whether the answer improves. Sometimes a company simply misunderstood the question. If the concern remains, weigh it against the other candidates before deciding.
Related community polls
Vote to see how other people answered. You can change your answer at any time.
If a relative's home had become unsafe, what would be your first step?
How much control should the occupant keep over what leaves the home?
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Learn how a first look at the home, sorting with consent, biohazard handling, and deep cleaning fit together in a step-by-step plan.
Costs explained
What drives the price, published cost ranges, and how to read a written quote line by line.
Insurance and payment
Which policies may respond, how to document a claim, and what to do if coverage is denied.
Community polls
See how relatives, landlords, people who hoard, and professionals think about consent, pace, and agency help. Compare your own gut feelings with theirs.
Knowledge quiz
Check what you know about hidden hazards, who can decide, dust control, cleaning and killing germs, waste, and records before you start to help.
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Read about helping a loved one, working with adult protective services, what landlords must do, and lessons from cleanups done in stages in real homes.
City guides
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