Hoarding cleanup in Marysville is done by an independent local company that sorts, removes and cleans a home at a pace agreed with the person living there or their family, and that handles any biohazards safely. The first step is a walk-through and a plan, unless someone has died in the home, in which case officials must release it first. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local company that you hire directly; we do not do the work.
If you are a family member or property manager unsure where to start, this page explains how the work goes, what to keep, what affects cost, and which Snohomish County and Marysville offices can help.
What hoarding cleanup involves
Hoarding is a recognized health condition, not a character flaw. Cleanup means sorting belongings with the person, clearing safe paths, removing what the person decides to let go, and then cleaning and disinfecting. Disinfection means using products that kill germs on surfaces after they are cleaned.
Clutter versus biohazard
Clutter is papers, clothes and household items. A biohazard is material that may carry germs that cause disease, such as bodily fluids, animal waste, rodent droppings or mold. Some of it is biomedical waste, which Washington law limits to listed types, including discarded human blood and sharps (used needles, syringes, lancets and blades). Bloodborne pathogens are germs carried in blood that can cause disease, which is why fluids and sharps call for protective gear.
If you see rodent droppings, leave them alone. The Washington State Department of Health1 (DOH) says to handle all droppings as if infectious and not to sweep or vacuum them, because that stirs up dust. DOH also warns that even dry, dead mold can cause health problems.
Respect, pace and what to keep
The person living in the home should be part of every decision they are able to make. Ask a company how it involves them in sorting, and whether it can work in shorter sessions if one long clear-out would be too hard.
Before anything leaves, make a short list of what must be found and set aside: legal documents, bills, photos, medicines, keys and valuables. Ask how the crew flags these items and where it puts them for the family. For medicines no longer needed, the Snohomish County Health Department2 has a Medicine Disposal program.
What happens first
If someone has died in the home, police or the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office control the property until scene release, the point when officials hand it back. A medical examiner is the county official who determines the cause and manner of a sudden, violent or unexpected death; this office’s investigators can be reached at 425-438-6200. The office’s Biohazard Cleanup Services list is for convenience only and is not an endorsement. Our unattended death cleanup page covers that situation.
Otherwise, there is no release to wait for. Please do not start clearing on your own, leave needles and fluids untouched, and keep children and pets out of affected rooms.
How the cleanup company works, room by room
The crew wears protective equipment and, where there are biohazards, sets up containment, which means sealing off a work area so dust and germs do not spread. A sound plan puts safety first:
- Clear paths to the exits, then the kitchen and bathroom.
- Sort items into groups the family agreed on, such as keep, donate and let go.
- Remove affected porous materials, meaning things like carpet, mattresses and upholstery that soak up fluids.
- Clean and disinfect hard surfaces.
- Treat odors after the source is gone; see odor remediation.
Under Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission rules, a company that collects, transports and disposes of biomedical waste must keep an operating plan that holds that waste apart from other solid waste. Ask who will haul it, and ask for photos and written records you can share with an insurer.
What may be separate
Ask exactly what a quote covers. Repairs, pest control and water, mold or smoke restoration may be separate work; see how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration. In Marysville, building permit applications go through the city’s Permit Portal, and Building Services (Community Development) reviews and inspects plans and structures for compliance with city code.
Checking a company before you hire
Ask whether the crew follows OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard3, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup, which comes from the IICRC (the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries). Then look the business up with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries4 (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business4, and read our certifications guide to understand what you find.
What affects the cost
A company will want to see the home before it prices the job. The main factors are:
- Volume: how many rooms, and how much leaves the home.
- Sorting pace: careful sorting alongside the person takes longer than a fast clear-out.
- Biohazards: fluids, sharps, droppings or mold add protective steps and separate disposal.
- Hauling: how many loads go out, and where.
- Repairs afterward: flooring, walls or fixtures.
Can insurance help?
Coverage depends on your policy and the cause of any damage, so nothing here is a promise. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner5 (OIC) says you can ask your agent or insurance company whether a loss is covered without filing a claim. If floors or walls need repair, ask about dwelling coverage and about the limited debris removal coverage the OIC says a homeowner policy generally includes. The OIC also warns that signing a contractor’s assignment of benefit form could affect your rights, so read any form before you sign it.
Usually covered: Homeowner insurance protects your home and belongings from damage caused by specific risks, says the Insurance Commissioner’s page on how home insurance works. For damage from those risks, dwelling coverage typically covers repairing or replacing your damaged home.
Usually not covered: Standard homeowner and renter policies exclude wear and tear and neglect: insurance covers sudden accidents, not ongoing issues, and you must properly maintain your home, says the Insurance Commissioner’s smoke damage page, which lists what standard policies exclude.
Ask your insurer: “What does my policy cover, and does that include cleanup and repairs after hoarding in my home?” Source: Filing a homeowner insurance claim (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)5
When animals, an older adult or safety is a concern
Animals in the home
Within Marysville, animal control is handled by the Community Service Unit (CSU), Marysville Police Department. Washington law lets an officer with probable cause to believe an owner has broken the state’s animal cruelty law get a warrant and remove a domestic animal, and enter without a warrant if an animal is in imminent danger. Removed animals may be placed with an animal care and control agency, unrelated foster care or a nonprofit humane society.
An older parent
For an older parent, the county aging office is Snohomish County Long-Term Care & Aging. If you fear your parent may not be safe, DSHS’s Adult Protective Services investigates self-neglect, which state law describes as a vulnerable adult outside a facility not providing for themselves the goods and services needed for physical or mental health. A vulnerable adult includes a person 60 or older who is unable to care for themselves. You can report online at any hour, without proof and without giving your name; if someone is in immediate danger, call emergency services.
A home reported or found unsafe
The Snohomish County Health Department2 (425-339-5200) has a Nuisance Properties program for unsanitary housing, and local health officers have a duty to prevent, control or abate nuisances detrimental to public health. Inside city limits, the Marysville Police Department’s Code Enforcement Unit administers the parts of the Marysville Municipal Code that address public health, public nuisance and safety issues.
Who to call first
In an emergency, call 911.These official offices may be part of the first steps. They are government pages, not ours.
- Snohomish County Medical Examiner (opens in a new tab)After a sudden or unexpected death, cleanup waits until this office is done.
- Snohomish County Health Department (opens in a new tab)For local health questions, such as a home that was used as a drug lab.
- Washington Crime Victims Compensation Program (L&I) (opens in a new tab)If a crime happened, it may help with some costs, such as funeral expenses. It doesn't pay for cleanup.
- Verify a contractor (L&I lookup) (opens in a new tab)Look up whether a company is a registered contractor before work starts.
- Washington State Department of Health (opens in a new tab)State health rules, such as for drug lab cleanup and hantavirus.