Unsanitary house cleaning & very dirty apartment cleaning
When a home has gone beyond what ordinary housekeeping can fix, Défi Clean takes over: clearance, deep cleaning, disinfection, pest treatment and odour removal.
Long-term neglect, an abandoned property, a difficult tenancy, water damage or an infestation — we restore the property to a habitable state, discreetly and without judgement.
- clearance
- deep cleaning
- disinfection
- odour removal
- pest treatment
- landlords
- estates
- France-wide
Signs a property has become unsanitary
A very dirty apartment is not automatically classified as unsanitary in law. But prolonged neglect, waste build-up, damp, pests or severe deterioration create genuine hygiene and safety problems long before any official procedure begins.
- Accumulated waste that can no longer be cleared in a normal household routine
- Rooms that have become unusable — kitchen, bathroom or bedroom out of service
- Persistent odours that return within days of airing the property
- Damp and mould spreading across walls, ceilings or behind furniture
- Pests: cockroaches, bed bugs, rodents or flies
- Blocked circulation — corridors and exits obstructed
More on this: signs of an unsanitary home and the difference between hoarding and unsanitary homes.
Need help now?
Describe the situation in a few lines. There is nothing we have not seen before, and no situation we will judge.
Call direct: +33 1 76 50 55 57 Contact / online quoteWhere the situation involves a compulsive accumulation, see hoarding cleaning →
What we handle
Hoarding & heavy clutter
Compulsive accumulation, blocked rooms and years of stored items, cleared with the occupant’s belongings respected.
Hoarding cleaning →
Very dirty apartments
Intensive cleaning when ordinary housekeeping is no longer enough to bring the property back into use.
Very dirty apartment cleaning →
After a death
Where the property was also degraded, the work combines clearance with specialist decontamination.
After-death cleaning →Included services
Sorting & clearance
Important documents and personal belongings identified first, then waste, furniture and bulky items removed.
Deep cleaning
Floors, accessible walls and surfaces, kitchen and bathroom brought back to a usable state.
Disinfection
Targeted treatment with certified products where the condition of the property calls for it.
Odours & pests
Odour treatment and, where needed, pest control for cockroaches, bed bugs or rodents.
Technical detail: unsanitary home clearout and the cleaning process step by step.
How an intervention works
- First contact — you describe the situation by phone or through the form. Photographs help but are not required.
- Site visit — a technician assesses the volume, the condition, the access and any pest problem, then issues a free detailed quote.
- Sorting — documents, valuables and personal effects are separated and set aside before anything is removed.
- Clearance — waste and unwanted bulky items removed through approved channels.
- Cleaning, disinfection and odours — surfaces treated according to their condition, with saturated materials removed where necessary.
- Final check — the property is reviewed with you and any remaining work identified.
Before / after cleaning
Drag the slider to compare the state of the property before and after our teams attended.
Health and legal considerations
An unsanitary property is not only unpleasant to live in. Damp and mould affect the respiratory system, pests spread through the building, and blocked exits create a real fire risk.
Where a property is formally declared unsanitary, obligations fall on the owner and procedures involve the town hall or the regional health authority. Documenting the state of the property before any major clean-up is strongly advisable.
- Respiratory and skin problems linked to damp, mould and dust
- Pest infestations spreading to neighbouring flats
- Fire and evacuation risks where circulation is blocked
- Landlord and tenant obligations under housing rules
- Possible financial assistance depending on the household situation
Where to turn
- Health and legal risks of an unsanitary home
- Who to contact about an unsanitary home
- Reporting to the town hall
- Financial aid for unsanitary home cleaning
We provide a detailed quote, dated photographs and an intervention report — the documents usually required to support a claim or an aid application.
Why choose Défi Clean
No judgement
These situations are almost always the result of illness, isolation or a life event. Our teams are trained to work without comment.
Responsiveness
A site visit usually within 24 to 48 hours, and sooner in the Paris region or where there is an immediate health risk.
Discretion
Unmarked vehicles and hours adapted to limit movement through communal areas and attention from neighbours.
Nothing thrown away blindly
Documents, photographs, valuables and keepsakes are set aside and handed back. Nothing is discarded without agreement.
Written report
Detailed quote, dated before/after photographs and an intervention report for insurers, landlords or aid applications.
France-wide
Our teams travel throughout mainland France, including properties that are difficult to access.
More: why clients choose Défi Clean, how to choose a cleaning company and client testimonials.
Where we operate
Based in the Paris region, we work throughout mainland France.
What our clients say
FAQ — unsanitary and very dirty homes
Can you clean very dirty homes?
Yes. This is our core business. We work on properties where the level of dirt, clutter or deterioration is well beyond what a standard cleaning company handles, including homes that have been neglected for years.
What is the difference between regular cleaning and deep cleaning?
Regular cleaning maintains a property that is already in order. Deep cleaning removes ingrained dirt, biological contamination and hidden soiling — and in unsanitary properties it follows a full clearance, because a surface cannot be cleaned until it can be reached.
When should I call in professionals?
When cleaning has become physically impossible, unsafe or overwhelming: rooms out of use, waste that cannot be cleared alone, persistent odours, pests, or a property that has been closed up for a long period.
Will you throw everything away?
No. Sorting comes first: documents, identity papers, photographs, jewellery and keepsakes are identified and set aside. Only what you agree to part with is removed.
How much does it cost?
The price depends on the floor area, the volume to be cleared, the condition of the surfaces, whether pests are present and how accessible the property is. Only a site visit or detailed photographs allow a reliable figure. The quote is free.
Do you treat pests as well?
Yes. Where an infestation is found, pest treatment is part of the protocol — carried out after the clearance and before the final disinfection, with a follow-up check if needed.
Do the odours go away completely?
In the large majority of cases, yes. Saturated porous materials such as carpets, mattresses and damaged partitions are removed first, then an appropriate treatment is applied. Some substrates have to be replaced for a lasting result.
Do you work for landlords and managing agents?
Regularly — to bring a property back into a lettable state after a difficult tenancy, an abandonment or an eviction, with before/after photographs supplied.
Is the intervention discreet?
Yes. Our vehicles are unmarked and we adapt our hours to limit movement through communal areas. Nothing identifies the nature of the work to neighbours.
Need a property brought back into use?
Tell us about the situation in a few lines and send photographs where possible. We assess the volume, the condition and the access, then send you a free, detailed quote.
7 days a week • Unmarked vehicles • France-wide