Bio-One of Marion County decontamination and biohazard cleaning services

What To Do If Clutter and Hoarding Caused a Pest Infestation in Your Home?

Clutter and hoarding can create a perfect environment for pests to thrive, making it difficult to control or eliminate an infestation. If you or someone you know is facing this problem, it's essential to take quick action to address the situation and prevent it from getting worse. Here's are the 4 steps you should follow:

Personal protective equipment worn during animal feces cleaning and disinfection
Personal protective equipment worn during animal feces cleaning and disinfection

Step 1: Call a pest control professional

The first step is to call a professional pest control company to assess the infestation and provide the best solution. They will be able to identify the type of pest and the extent of the infestation and recommend the appropriate treatment.

Step 2: Declutter and dispose of contaminated items

Once the pests have been identified, remove any cluttered items harboring the pests, including cardboard boxes, old magazines, and other items that provide shelter and food sources. Any contaminated items should be bagged and disposed of immediately. We recommend that you use proper protective equipment during this stage. If this feels overwhelming, you can always call a biohazard company to help. Their technicians know how to identify areas that may be contaminated and use specialized techniques and equipment to remove any hazardous materials.

Step 3: Clean and disinfect affected areas

Because pest infestations can pose serious health risks, it is crucial to clean and disinfect any contaminated items to prevent the spread of disease-causing pathogens after decluttering. Use a strong disinfectant and pay extra attention to areas that may have been contaminated, such as cupboards, drawers, and other hidden spaces. This will help remove any remaining pests and their eggs and eliminate any unpleasant odors that may have developed.

If you want the peace of mind that the cleaning and disinfection are done correctly, you can hire a biohazard company. They will take all necessary precautions to protect themselves and others from exposure to hazardous materials during the cleaning and disinfecting process. This includes wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and following proper decontamination protocols. Biohazard companies use specialized disinfectants that are specifically designed to kill disease-causing pathogens. These disinfectants are highly effective and can help prevent the spread of illness.

Step 4: Implement measures to prevent future infestations:

To prevent future pest infestations, it's essential to implement measures to keep your home and surroundings clean and tidy. This includes regular cleaning, proper storage of food, and sealing any cracks or crevices where pests may enter.

Hiring a biohazard company after a pest infestation is crucial to ensure the proper cleaning and disinfection of contaminated items. Biohazard companies have the expertise, equipment, and processes to effectively clean and disinfect your home or business, ensuring that it is safe for you and others. While hiring a biohazard company may seem expensive, it is often the most cost-effective solution in the long run. This is because proper cleaning and disinfection will prevent the spread of illness and potential lawsuits, saving you money in the long run.

Call us 24/7 at (317) 499-0614 for a free estimate, or find out more about hoarding remediation services at BioOneMarionCounty.com/hoarding-cleanup.

Learn more about the biohazard services we provide to residents in Indianapolis and surrounding areas at BioOneMarionCounty.com/services

Rebecca Wallace, Bio-One owner, recently visited with Arizona Midday to share how the Bio-One team makes a difference on and off the job in Arizona and throughout the United States. 

Arizona Midday - "Well we've got some help for your home right now. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a clean-up project, we've got help for you today. Rebecca Wallace is with Bio-One. Hi Rebecca. What is Bio-One?"

Rebecca - "So Bio-One is known for crime and trauma scene clean-up. However, we do a lot more than just that. We help people when there is a hoarding situation, so that they can regain their home and their lives again. We help with infectious disease decontaminationrodent droppingsodor abatement, basically if you think you might need a respirator to do the job we're the people you want to call."

Arizona Midday - "Wow, that's incredible. It's stuff we don't want to do. What made you decide to get into this line of work?" 

Rebecca - "So, me and my husband live in Flagstaff most of the time and we were talking with some first responders and heard how when people pass away or they're hoarders there is no one that can help them. There's just no one who does this kind of work. So we decided we want to be able to help our community, help those around us during a time of need so they can actually move forward in their lives and not have to deal with the mess of maybe things that have happened that they don't want to have to think about."

Arizona Midday - "I love that idea. So in order to help your clients as much as possible, do you work with other companies? Tell me about that if you do."

Rebecca - "Yes, we do. We work with quite a few other companies, because what we do is just a piece of a whole puzzle. So we work with a lot of restoration companies, Best Option Restoration, they are state-wide like us so they can help us anywhere as well. We work with animal rescues, so if there is a hoarding situation that animals are involved in we can get the animals out safely and get them rehabilitated. We work with quite a few non-profits that help first responders if they're in a time of need or crisis. It's across the board. We work with all kinds of different people. Contractors. Mental health professionals. Anyone that can be a piece of that puzzle with us, we want to work with them. 

Arizona Midday - "Oh, I love that. So what areas of Arizona does Bio-One cover?"

Rebecca - "We have offices all the way down from Tucson up to Flagstaff, and everything in-between. Our goal is to be able to help our clients within 90 minutes or less if there is an emergency. So we have offices everywhere. Any we're national. We have 120 offices throughout the US as well. 

Arizona Midday - "Wow. That's incredible. So you work with businesses. You work with non-profits, but you're also really involved in the community too, right? Tell me about that."

Rebecca - "Yeah we are. It's important for us to give back. Our community is important. We live here. We're part of it. So in 2020 alone, we gave out over 25,000 bottles of chemicals that are approved by the EPA for COVID-19 decontamination. We have blood drives all throughout Arizona to help with the blood shortage. We donate PPE to first responders and victim advocates. And we have BBQ's throughout the state as well for all of our first responders just to tell them thank you for what they've been doing. They work hard and we want to make sure that they know we care. 

Arizona Midday - "Rebecca Wallace, incredible work that you're doing with Bio-One.  And thank you so much for spending time with us today. 

Rebecca - "Thank you for having me."