Electric City is a tight grid of family homes on the Blue Downs side of the Cape Flats, where most yards hold a main house, a backyard room and a washing line within a few metres of the boundary wall. A rat problem here is rarely one household's problem, so we usually end up talking to the neighbours as well.
Hygiene & disinfection in Electric City: what we see
Creches, home-based day care and small churches ask us to disinfect, often on the same visit as a cockroach treatment. Spaza owners also like a sanitise of counters and storage areas.
This is flat, deep Cape Flats sand, the kind that drains fast in summer and then turns soggy in low spots once the winter fronts arrive. Summer wind lifts litter and sand into corners against walls, which is exactly where rats like to dig. Open veld strips and stormwater ponds on the edges of the Blue Downs area give rodents somewhere to live between raids on the houses.
Signs to look for
- You are about to reopen a space that was closed because of illness.
- Several people in the same office or household have fallen ill within a few days of each other.
- A client, landlord or head office has asked for proof that the premises were disinfected.
- Normal cleaning has been done, but nobody has wiped door handles, light switches and lift buttons properly.
Respiratory viruses spread mainly through the air between people, but contaminated surfaces play a part, particularly in busy shared spaces. For a business the bigger cost is often staff absence: one case that turns into five can empty a small office for a week. There is also a trust issue, because staff and customers want to know something was actually done. Surface disinfection lowers the load on surfaces, but it does not replace ventilation, staying home when sick or medical advice.
Something most people miss
When we walk into an office after a positive case, the first thing we look at is the shared kitchen. Kettle, fridge handle, microwave buttons and the tea-towel nobody washes.
Fogging is not magic smoke. The real work is the manual wipe-down of the things hands touch all day, and the fog then reaches the places a cloth misses.
What happens when we come out
We start with the boring part that matters most: wiping down high-touch surfaces by hand with a suitable disinfectant, because fogging alone does not scrub a greasy door handle. Then we fog the rooms with a ULV fogger, which puts out a fine mist that settles on surfaces, including the ones nobody thinks to wipe. We choose products that are suitable for the surfaces and the people who will use the space, and we tell you how long to keep the area closed before re-entry. Electronics are covered or wiped rather than soaked. Afterwards you get a short report listing the areas treated and the product used.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our COVID-19 disinfection service works.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Put a daily wipe-down of handles, switches and shared phones on someone's task list, not just the cleaner's.
- Keep people at home when they are sick. It does more than any amount of spraying.
- Open windows where you can. Cape Town's south-easter is good for something, and moving air dilutes airborne virus.
- Know who to phone before you need it, so a positive case does not turn into a day of scrambling.
- Place hand sanitiser at entrances, the kitchen and the till, and keep it topped up.
Pricing, honestly
The cost depends mostly on floor area and how many separate rooms need fogging. Heavy furniture, lots of electronics or food preparation areas take more time because they need careful wiping and covering. After-hours or weekend work and repeat treatments during an ongoing outbreak also affect the quote, which is free.
A household with one sick person can do a decent job with gloves, a disinfectant and some discipline about door handles and the bathroom. For an office, a shop or a care facility, I would get it done professionally, partly for the thoroughness and partly because you get a written record that it was done properly.
Frequently asked questions
Do you come out to Electric City for COVID-19 disinfection?
Yes. Electric City is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Kuils River, Delft, Belhar. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Will it damage computers or documents?
No, a ULV fog is very fine and settles lightly. We still cover or wipe sensitive electronics instead of fogging straight at them.
Is it safe for children and pets afterwards?
Yes, once the re-entry time has passed and the room has been ventilated. Keep pets and kids out while we are working.
How long before staff can go back in?
Usually a couple of hours after fogging, once the room has been aired. We confirm the exact time on the day based on the product used.
Is it rats or mice in my ceiling in Electric City?
Rat droppings are about the size of a raisin and mouse droppings look like grains of rice. WhatsApp us a photo and we will tell you which you are dealing with.
Why do the rats keep coming back to my Electric City yard after I bait?
Usually because the neighbouring yards are untreated, so new rats move into the space yours left. Treating a few adjoining homes at once breaks that cycle.
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