It took up to four hours for a group of volunteers to clean up a three-room flat in Bukit Panjang.

According to a report by Berita Harian, this particular home belongs to a woman in her 20s who suffers from schizophrenia.

She has been living alone since seven years ago, when her mother passed away in 2014.

The report also added that she doesn't have any siblings or relatives to take care of her.

Since then, she has been avoiding opening her house door to others.

Foul smell from home

The authorities were first alerted to this woman's case in 2019 after a resident complained of a foul smell coming from the house.

The house was piled with trash and leftover food.

Grassroots volunteers, community volunteers and the Family Service Centre then worked together to help the woman with her living condition.

However, they found that the house was in worse condition after they received another complaint in Feb. 2021.

Apart from trash, they also found out that the woman's water and electricity bills were higher than usual as there was a burst pipe in the house.

More than 25 grassroots volunteers helped to clean the house on Mar. 28.

Member of Parliament for Bukit Panjang SMC was also one of the people who helped out that day.

According to Berita Harian, all the rooms in the house were filled with trash, including plastic bags and containers with leftover food.

The house was also infested with pests like cockroaches and spiders.

Here's a look at what the house looked like before and after the clean-up:

It is said that grassroots members visit her often and she receives care from the Family Service Centre.

One of 10 cases in Bukit Panjang

Liang shared that this is one of 10 houses in Bukit Panjang that are facing similar issues.

He added that these affected houses will be cleaned and furnished with new furniture.

Photo from Bukit Panjang Constituency's Facebook page.