45-year-old Sally-Ann Howell from Tivadale, UK called in a specialist cleaning firm in November last year after the local council received complaints about the stench coming from the property. /CFP Photo

When the team arrived they found her apartment bursting at the seams with four-foot-high piles of trash bags filled with rubbish, cat litter and bottles of urine and cat feces. /CFP Photo

The filth had accumulated over a period of around four years, with thick cobwebs covering the ceiling and bug-eaten books on the shelves. /CFP Photo

Cleaning company N Gervais, a domestic cleaning service with a specialist department dedicated to helping those with hoarding disorders, were Sally’s last hope of saving her property. /CFP Photo

The team took over a month to fully de-clutter and clean Sally-Ann’s flat. It's proved to be a life-changing move for her. “My life has improved dramatically. I feel a lot healthier, happier,” she said. /CFP Photo