A Story from the Field: "This Isn't My House"

Piyanuch is forty-seven and the only daughter looking after her mother, Boonruen, who is eighty-one and has lived with moderate dementia for about three years. The two of them share a two-storey detached house down a small soi along Khlong Phasi Charoen. Boonruen moved into that house when she married. Almost every corner of it holds a memory she can still reach: the teak chair by the window, the shrine shelf in the living room, the smell of jasmine rice and dried herbs drifting from the kitchen.

When the October 2026 floods reached the canal-side lanes, water rose to just below knee height on the ground floor and sat there for several days. Piyanuch took her mother to stay with relatives in Bang Khae. Every single day Boonruen asked when they were going home. On some nights she got up at two in the morning, packed a plastic bag with clothes and tried to leave on her own. As soon as the water went down, Piyanuch rushed back, dragged the soaked rug and chair cushions out to the street, scrubbed the floor with bleach, and on day five brought her mother home.

Boonruen got about three steps past the front door before she stopped. She sniffed the air and said, "This isn't my house. Why does it smell like this?" For the rest of the day she paced, refused to sit in her usual chair, and would not go near the downstairs bathroom. That night she barely slept and kept calling for her husband, who had passed away years earlier. Only then did Piyanuch understand something that many carers learn the hard way: for a person whose memory is fading, the smell and feel of a home is how they confirm that they are safe. When the smell changes, home becomes a stranger's place.

This article is built from situations like this one, which our team sees again and again after floodwater recedes. It is written for families caring for an older relative with dementia in Phasi Charoen, Bang Wa, Bang Waek, Khlong Khwang and the surrounding Thonburi neighbourhoods. It focuses on cleaning, disinfection and odor control inside the home. It is not medical advice. For questions about symptoms, behaviour changes or medication, please always talk to the doctor or care team who knows your relative.

Why a Flood-Damaged House Affects People with Dementia More Than Anyone Else

A different smell means a different place. Many people living with dementia rely heavily on their senses to work out where they are. Damp, musty odors, the sour smell of river mud, sewer gas from floor drains, and even the sharp chlorine smell of too much bleach can all signal "this is not home". The result is often confusion, anxiety or irritation. Carers tend to see it as pacing, refusing to eat or bathe, wanting to "go home" while already at home, and disturbed sleep.

Lower resistance to infection and fewer self-care habits. Older adults in general are more vulnerable to infections than younger people. Someone with dementia may also forget to wash their hands, pick up food that fell on the floor, or touch a flood-stained wall and then rub their eyes. Germs that floodwater leaves behind, including bacteria that cause diarrhea, have an easier path into the body. Diarrhea in an older person can lead to dehydration surprisingly quickly, which is one more reason to get the house properly sanitized before they return.

Mold and airborne spores. Walls that sat in water, mattresses, pillows, curtains and wooden furniture all hold moisture, and mold can start growing within a few days. Spores in the air can trigger allergy symptoms, coughing, sneezing and asthma. An older person who cannot clearly describe how they feel may simply become restless, refuse to enter a room or sleep badly, and the real cause is easy to miss.

Slippery floors and things out of place. A thin film of dried mud on tiles, algae on outdoor paths and furniture moved around during the clean-up all raise the risk of falls. For an older person, a fall can change everything, so this is not a minor detail.

Leptospirosis and pests. After floods, rats often move indoors. Rat urine on floors and in puddles is how leptospirosis spreads. Older relatives who like to walk barefoot indoors or water the plants in the back yard need extra protection until the house and surroundings are clean.

The carer's own limits. One carer trying to supervise a parent, clean a flooded house and deal with repair technicians at the same time will get exhausted. Tired people make risky decisions: mixing different cleaning chemicals, or bringing their relative home before the house is really ready.

The Hidden Cost of Going Home Too Early

Families mean well. They know their mother or father is unsettled anywhere else and want them home as soon as possible. But returning before the house is dry, disinfected and odor-free usually leads to one or more of the following.

• A longer adjustment period. Your relative goes through two big changes instead of one: leaving the house, and then coming back to a home that no longer smells or feels the same.
• A second move out. If mold and odor get worse and you later need a professional team to run an ozone treatment, your relative has to leave again. That is usually harder than planning everything to be finished before the first return.
• Health costs. A hospital visit for diarrhea, a skin rash or breathing trouble means time, transport, money and stress for the whole family.
• Losing meaningful belongings. Photo albums, a favourite blanket or a particular chair are anchors for someone with dementia. Left in a damp room for too long, mold can make them impossible to save.
• Carer burnout. Cleaning the same rooms again and again without success drains you physically and emotionally, right when your relative needs you most.

Why the Usual Fixes Fall Short in a Dementia-Friendly Home

Bleach on its own. Bleach can lighten stains on smooth, hard surfaces, but it does not reach mold growing inside timber, gypsum board or tile grout. Its strong chlorine smell is also a brand-new, unfamiliar odor that can confuse your relative just as much as the musty smell it was meant to cover. Never mix bleach with toilet cleaners, acids or ammonia: the combination releases dangerous gases.

Air fresheners, incense and scented candles. These cover odors for a short while, but they do not kill germs or remove the source. Strong perfumes can also unsettle someone with dementia, and some irritate the airways of older people.

Fans and waiting. Fans dry the surface, but moisture deep inside walls and under the floor stays. Worse, fans spread mold spores through the whole house.

Painting over the problem. This is the most common mistake we see. When you paint over a damp, moldy wall, the mold keeps growing underneath. Within a few months the paint bubbles and peels, and the musty smell is back.

Cleaning only what you can see. Under the bed, behind wardrobes, inside drawers, inside air conditioners and down drains are where germs and odors hide. If they are not treated, the house still carries a smell that your relative will notice even if visitors do not.

Plan the Recovery Around the Person, Not Just the Rooms

What makes a dementia household different is the goal. It is not only "clean". It is "clean, and still the same home". We suggest families plan the work with our team around these principles.

1. Photograph the house before moving anything. Take pictures of the living room, the bedroom and the dining table from a few angles. After cleaning, you can put furniture and objects back exactly where they were. Familiar positions help your relative feel secure.
2. Rescue the treasures first. A favourite blanket, a particular pillow, framed photos, a soft toy or amulets on the shrine shelf: if they are still dry, seal them in boxes outside the work area. If they got wet, ask our team which items can realistically be saved.
3. Choose a treatment day when your relative is away. Disinfection fogging and ozone treatment always require an empty space anyway. Arrange for your relative to spend that day with family or at a day-care centre, with some familiar belongings.
4. Keep chemical smells to a minimum. Choose a disinfectant without a harsh odor and allow plenty of time for ventilation before your relative returns.
5. Return gradually. Bring your relative home at the time of day when they are usually calmest, often late morning. Start with the room they use most.
6. Improve safety at the same time. While the house is being reset anyway, it is a good moment to add non-slip mats in the bathroom, night lights along the route from bedroom to toilet, and a lockable cupboard for every cleaning product. Some people with dementia may mistake a bottle of cleaner for a drink.

Areas to Check Extra Carefully in an Older Person's Home

• Bedroom and bed. A mattress that sat in floodwater should be replaced. Wooden bed frames, headboards and the floor under the bed need to be checked for mold and disinfected. The bedroom is where your relative spends the most hours.
• Bathroom. Mold in tile grout and silicone seals, grab rails and shower chairs. If the bathroom smells strange, your relative may refuse to bathe or try to hold their urine, which creates new health problems.
• Their own chair and the sofa. Fabric cushions that were soaked usually need replacing or reupholstering, but solid wooden frames can often be saved after drying and disinfection.
• Kitchen and dining area. Wooden cabinets under the sink, a fridge that lost power for days, and dishes that went under water must be cleaned and sanitized before use. Throw away any food that touched floodwater.
• Corridors and stairs. Look for mud residue and algae that make surfaces slippery, especially on the route your relative walks at night.
• Air conditioners. If the AC smells musty when switched on, have a technician clean it first. Otherwise the airflow will spread spores across the bedroom every night.
• Home medical equipment. Electric care beds, wheelchairs and blood pressure monitors should have their electrical parts checked by a technician or supplier before use. Outer surfaces can be wiped with disinfectant, and the equipment should be removed or covered during ozone treatment.

The Solution: Disinfection Fogging and Ozone Treatment by WHD

World Health Disinfection (WHD) restores flood-affected homes with two main steps that complement each other.

1. ULV disinfection fogging. Our technicians use CHEMGENE HLD4H disinfectant delivered as an ultra-fine mist. The tiny droplets drift under beds, behind cupboards and into gaps that a cloth cannot reach, reducing bacteria, viruses and fungi on surfaces without the harsh smell of high-chlorine products. Details are on our disinfection service page.

2. Ozone shock treatment. After fogging, we seal the rooms and run a professional ozone generator at a dose calculated for the room volume. Because ozone is a gas, it reaches into fabrics, curtains and the hollow spaces inside furniture. It helps reduce mold spores and breaks down odor molecules rather than masking them. Read more on our ozone treatment service page.

How the Work Is Done

1. Site survey. We check the flood line, visible mold, areas that are still damp, and ask how your relative uses the house, so the most important rooms are prioritised.
2. Clean-up guidance. We tell you clearly which materials should go, such as soaked mattresses and swollen gypsum board, and which can be saved.
3. Disinfection fogging. ULV fogging throughout every room, including bathrooms, kitchen and corridors.
4. Ozone shock. Rooms are closed and ozone is released for the planned time. Nobody, no pets and no plants may be inside during this step.
5. Ventilation. Windows and doors are opened so the ozone breaks down into ordinary oxygen before anyone goes back in.
6. Re-check. We check odor and moisture again and give you advice on keeping the house dry and fresh.

Ozone Safety Every Carer Should Know

Ozone at treatment concentrations irritates the lungs and airways. That is why nobody, no pets and no plants can be in the house during treatment, and why the full ventilation time must pass before anyone returns. For homes with older residents we recommend allowing extra ventilation time and having the carer walk through first to confirm there is no unusual smell before bringing their relative back. Sensitive electronics, collections, artwork and rubber items are removed or covered, and the ozone dose is controlled for the size of each space. If the home has oxygen cylinders or an oxygen concentrator, they must be moved out of the treatment area before work starts.

A Carer's Return-Home Checklist

Before you bring your relative back, walk through the house on your own with this list. If you can tick every item, the house is ready. If not, it is usually kinder to wait one or two more days than to move your relative twice.

• Open the front door after the house has been closed for a few hours. Is there any musty, sour or chemical smell? Trust your nose, then remember your relative's nose may be even more sensitive to change.
• Check the bedroom, bathroom and their favourite chair first. These three places matter more than any other room.
• Walk the night-time route from the bed to the toilet with the lights off. Is anything in the way? Is the floor dry and non-slip?
• Make sure every cleaning product, disinfectant bottle and pest bait is locked away or stored high up.
• Put familiar objects back in their usual places: the clock, the calendar, family photos, the radio, the shrine items.
• Fill the fridge with familiar, freshly bought food, and throw away anything that sat in a powerless fridge or touched floodwater.
• Run the air conditioner for fifteen minutes and sniff the airflow. If it smells musty, call a technician before your relative sleeps in that room.
• Prepare a calm first afternoon: a familiar drink, a favourite programme on TV, and as few visitors as possible.

Small details like these often make the difference between a smooth homecoming and several unsettled weeks.

10 Reasons Phasi Charoen Families Caring for Older Relatives Choose WHD

1. We understand that a dementia household needs to be clean and still familiar, not stripped bare.
2. We schedule the work with your family so your relative spends as little time away as possible.
3. We use CHEMGENE HLD4H, which does not leave a harsh chemical smell.
4. ULV fogging reaches under beds and behind wardrobes.
5. Our ozone treatment breaks down musty odor at the source.
6. Every ozone safety step is explained to the carer in plain language.
7. We allow extra ventilation time in homes with older residents.
8. We are honest about which items can be saved and which should be replaced.
9. Follow-up services such as dust mite removal for mattresses and sofas that stayed dry but absorbed humidity.
10. We cover Phasi Charoen, Bang Khae, Bang Bon and the wider Thonburi side, and are easy to reach by phone and LINE.

Before and After a Planned Recovery

A Carer's Voice (Example Scenario)

"At first I thought a good scrub was enough. I never imagined smell could matter so much to Mum. The second time, we planned it properly. She stayed at my aunt's for two days, the team fogged and ozone-treated the house, and I put everything back using the photos I'd taken. When Mum came home she walked straight to her chair, sat down and asked what we were having for dinner."

— Piyanuch, caring for her mother beside Khlong Phasi Charoen (example scenario from field experience)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does my relative need to be out of the house?
A: It depends on the size of the house and how many rooms need treatment. We give you the full timeline, including ventilation, before we start, so you can arrange somewhere comfortable for your relative. We also suggest the carer goes back in first.

Q: Will there be a chemical smell after fogging?
A: CHEMGENE HLD4H does not have the strong smell of high-chlorine products, and after ozone treatment and ventilation the house should smell as neutral as possible.

Q: Half of Mum's mattress was under water. Can ozone make it usable again?
A: A mattress that was in direct contact with floodwater should be replaced, because the filling absorbed contaminated water. Ozone helps with odor and surfaces but cannot make a soaked, contaminated core safe.

Q: Dad uses an oxygen cylinder at home. What should we do?
A: Oxygen cylinders and concentrators must always be moved out of the area before ozone treatment. Please tell us about them when you book the survey.

Q: My relative is still restless after coming home. Is that the house?
A: There can be many reasons, including the change itself and health factors, so please speak with their doctor. On the home side, restoring familiar smells and layouts removes some common triggers.

Q: Do you serve Phasi Charoen and nearby districts?
A: Yes. We cover Phasi Charoen, Bang Khae, Bang Bon, Bangkok Yai, Taling Chan and the rest of Thonburi. Message us on LINE @whd268.

Make Home Feel Like Home Again

Book a survey of your house in Phasi Charoen and plan a treatment day that works for your relative.

See Disinfection Service – Click Here

Book Ozone Treatment – Click Here

Call 065-556-6294 · LINE @whd268 · Email worldhealthdisinfection@gmail.com

Related Links

• Residential ozone disinfection
• Ozone treatment for odors and chemical residue
• CHEMGENE HLD4H 750 ml spray for grab rails and everyday items
• All articles

Health references: World Health Organization: Floods · Department of Health, Thailand