HOW TO REMOVE
SMELL FROM A
HOARDING PROPERTY

Categories of Odour in Hoarding Properties

Hoarding and long-term neglected properties present a specific combination of odour challenges that are qualitatively different from typical rental property odour problems. The complexity comes from the layering of multiple odour categories over a long period:

• Animal waste: Properties where pets were kept without adequate cleaning accumulate urine and faecal compounds deep in flooring, subfloors and skirting. Uric acid crystals in timber and concrete are extremely persistent.
• Food decomposition: Rotting food in various stages of decomposition, including the VOCs produced by bacterial breakdown. In severe cases, this includes maggot activity and fly infestation residue.
• Mould and MVOC: Hoarding conditions create ideal environments for mould growth — high humidity, lack of ventilation, organic material against walls. Mould is almost always present throughout the property.
• General habitation compounds: Years of body odour, sebaceous oils, skin cells and microbial activity embedded in all porous surfaces.
• Chemical compounds: Decomposing materials, old medicines, cleaning products, and in some cases more serious biological or chemical contamination.

The interaction of these multiple odour categories produces the distinctive, overwhelming smell of a hoarded property that is immediately recognisable and extremely difficult to resolve without professional intervention.

The Correct Remediation Sequence

The single most important thing to understand about hoarding property remediation is that odour treatment cannot begin until the property is cleared. There is no point in fogging or ozone treating a property full of items — the items will simply recontaminate the surfaces. The sequence must be:

1. Clear and remove all items from the property
2. Initial assessment of structural condition and odour extent
3. Remove damaged or saturated materials (flooring, plasterboard etc.)
4. Professional surface treatment and biocide application
5. ULV fogging throughout the cleared property
6. Monitored ozone treatment
7. Redecoration and reinstatement

Attempting to skip or combine these stages produces poor results. We have seen properties treated three times by other companies because the treatment was applied before the property was properly cleared and damaged materials removed.

Step 1: Clearing the Property

Professional property clearance is almost always necessary for a hoarding situation. House clearance companies with experience in hoarding situations understand how to work safely and can sort items for disposal, recycling and salvage. Key considerations:

• All items that have been in contact with animal waste or rotting food should be disposed of, not stored. These items cannot be deodorised effectively and will recontaminate the property if stored in it during treatment.
• Soft furnishings (sofas, mattresses, fabric items) in hoarding properties are almost never salvageable — the contamination is too deep.
• Paper items (books, newspapers, documents) absorb MVOC and odour compounds readily and should be assessed item by item.
• Wear appropriate PPE during clearance — FFP2 mask minimum, gloves, disposable overalls for biological contamination situations.

Step 2: Assessment After Clearing

Once the property is clear, a full assessment can be made of what needs to happen before treatment:

• UV inspection for animal urine deposits on flooring and lower walls
• Moisture meter readings for mould extent in walls and flooring
• Assessment of flooring condition — what can be treated and what needs replacing
• Assessment of plasterboard and plaster condition
• Identification of any structural issues (rot, subsidence, water damage)

Step 3: Remove Damaged Materials

Materials that are beyond effective treatment should be removed before odour treatment begins:

• Carpet and underlay: Almost always needs replacing in a hoarding property. The urine, food and mould contamination in the backing and underlay cannot be treated effectively.
• Heavily contaminated plasterboard: If mould has penetrated through or there is extensive urine splash contamination on lower walls, cutting out and replacing the affected plasterboard before treatment is more effective than treating in place.
• Contaminated timber: Floorboards with significant urine contamination may need replacing or sanding and sealing with a specialist odour-blocking primer.

Step 4: Professional Treatment

With the property clear and damaged materials removed, professional treatment can proceed:

When Structural Work Is Needed Before Treatment

In severe hoarding situations, structural work may be necessary before odour treatment can be effective:

• Active mould requiring professional remediation and drying before surface sealing
• Timber rot in floors or joists requiring replacement
• Plumbing failures that have caused long-term water damage
• Rat or mouse infestation requiring pest control before odour treatment

We will identify these issues at assessment and tell you honestly what needs to happen before we can treat the odour effectively.

Realistic Timeline

• Property clearance: 1–5 days depending on volume (handled by clearance company)
• Material removal (flooring, plasterboard if needed): 1–3 days
• Professional odour treatment: 1–2 days
• Redecoration and reinstatement: Variable depending on scope

Total from property cleared to ready for occupation: typically 1–3 weeks depending on the extent of structural work needed.

Cost

Hoarding property odour treatment is priced after assessment because the scope varies significantly. As a guide for the odour treatment stage alone:

• Advanced treatment (fogging + ozone, property cleared): from £695 + VAT for a small flat
• Complete treatment (surface treatment + fogging + ozone): from £1,350 + VAT
• Larger or more severely contaminated properties: quoted individually after assessment

Full pricing guide →

Common Questions