My wife had studies in several of these type homes. If they made any progress at all, we would usually help them "redecorate".
One lady, Brenda, in rural Arkansas, was the worst. She had three kids near school age, not trained to use the restroom. Excrement was smeared all over the walls. Space heaters raised the indoor temperatures in the winter to about 85F.
I would sit in a recliner near a window and raise the window for fresh air to breath. My primary occupation was suppressing the gag reflex.
On a subsequent study, "my" recliner was out in the yard. Brenda said it had a rat's nest in it.
Brenda eventually became a JW. For some reason a very prissy Circuit Overseer included her in his car group. The CO came back from the territory early. Brenda's five year old had pooped in the back seat of his immaculate Chrysler.
Those were the days.
tms