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The best way to help a family member or friend declutter their home is to hire a professional organizer or cleaner to do it for them. However, you can also help them make a plan to tackle the clutter. Sit down with them and sort through the items, making piles of what to keep, toss, and donate. Focus on one area at a time to avoid overwhelming them. If they have trouble letting go of some items, ask them when they last used each item, what its purpose is, and whether it has sentimental value. The answers to these questions can help you advise them on handling clutter.

You can remove stubborn stains from your toilet by scrubbing with a store-bought cleaner appropriate for the toilet’s material. If you’re looking for a homemade solution, you can also use vinegar and baking soda—just pour 2 cups of white vinegar around the edges of your toilet. Once the bowl is wet with vinegar, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of baking soda, concentrating on the stains. Scrub the bowl with a toilet brush and flush to clean the mixture. 

Just a note: While combining baking soda and vinegar is OK, never mix that solution with any other cleaners.

One of the best ways to prepare for a home biohazard cleanup is not to touch anything. Do not remove belongings, even if they are of value or importance, from the area as they are likely contaminated. It’s essential not to use any cleaning products of your own, as the cleaning company will be using chemicals that could interact with your products. 

One thing you can do to prepare is take pictures of your space and belongings that need to be cleaned, especially if you plan on filing a claim with your insurance company. In addition, take time to make a list of items that are valuable, sentimental, or otherwise important. The cleanup company must evaluate these belongings to make sure they are safe. 

You can use dish soap mixed with warm water to clean just about any type of flooring, and while vinegar is a great addition to some floor cleaners, it’s not a good idea to use it on wood flooring or engineered wood flooring. Vinegar is very acidic, and it can gradually eat away at the protective finish on wood floors. If you’re cleaning laminate, tile, concrete, or vinyl floors, feel free to use vinegar and water in a 1-to-1 ratio with a few drops of dish soap. For wood floors, substitute the vinegar for olive oil.