Firgrove is a small, quiet spot on the Somerset West side of the Helderberg, with a country feel and a lot of open land around it. People here mostly call us about mice from the fields, flies around animals and wasps in the sheds.
Firgrove: what drives hygiene & disinfection here
Stables, poultry runs and rental cottages between tenants are the usual disinfection requests.
Farmland and vineyards surround the area, with the Helderberg and the Hottentots Holland mountains on the skyline. The South-Easter blows strongly through summer, and winters are wet and chilly. When fields are ploughed or harvested, the rodents living in them look for new homes.
You get a mix of older village houses, smallholdings with sheds and stables, and some newer homes on larger plots. Smallholdings often keep animal feed, poultry and compost, which is a standing invitation to rodents. Older homes and outbuildings with exposed timber are worth checking for borer. Sheds full of stored equipment make perfect quiet nesting spots.
Field mice and rats looking for shelter are the main call, especially after harvest and in winter. Flies around livestock and paper wasps in sheds follow in summer, and homes on the edge of open land see more spiders and the odd scorpion.
A note from the field
For homes with small children or pets, the main rule is simple: everybody out during the treatment, windows open afterwards, and wait out the re-entry time we give you.
A common mistake is to fog first and wipe later. Dirt and grease shield viruses from disinfectant, so we clean the high-touch points before the fogger goes on.
Signs to look for
- A staff member, resident or regular visitor has tested positive or gone home sick with flu-like symptoms.
- A client, landlord or head office has asked for proof that the premises were disinfected.
- You are about to reopen a space that was closed because of illness.
- Normal cleaning has been done, but nobody has wiped door handles, light switches and lift buttons properly.
- Vulnerable people, such as the elderly or anyone on chemotherapy, live or work in the building.
How we handle COVID-19 disinfection in Firgrove
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.
- Quick call or WhatsApp
Tell us what happened, the size of the space and when you need it back. We plan around your hours, including after-hours and weekends on request.
- Walk-through
We check the layout, the high-touch points and anything sensitive like server rooms, food areas or medical equipment.
- Manual wipe-down
Handles, switches, desks, counters, taps and shared equipment are wiped with disinfectant first.
- ULV fogging
Each room is fogged with the doors closed, then left for the recommended contact time.
- Ventilate and hand back
We open up, confirm the re-entry time and leave a written report for your records.
Keeping them out afterwards
- 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.
- Place hand sanitiser at entrances, the kitchen and the till, and keep it topped up.
- Stop sharing headsets, pens and keyboards between shifts where you can avoid it.
- Put a daily wipe-down of handles, switches and shared phones on someone's task list, not just the cleaner's.
What affects the price
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.
Our busiest disinfection months are the wet Cape winters, from about May to August, when people are packed indoors with the windows shut and flu and colds spread fast. We still see call-outs in summer, usually after a single case in an office or a care home.
Questions we get asked in Firgrove
Does fogging kill the COVID-19 virus?
The disinfectants we use are effective against enveloped viruses on surfaces when they are given the right contact time. Fogging treats surfaces in the room; it does not make the air or the people in it immune.
Do you service smallholdings and outbuildings in Firgrove?
Yes. We cover the house, sheds, stables and feed stores, and we plan bait placement so it stays out of reach of pets and livestock.
Do we have to close the whole building?
Not always. We can treat the affected section first and work around the rest, or come in after hours.
Do you come out to Firgrove for COVID-19 disinfection?
Yes. Firgrove is part of our regular Helderberg route, along with Somerset West, Macassar, Strand, Helderberg. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
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.
Why are there suddenly mice in my Firgrove house in autumn?
Cooler weather and work on the surrounding fields push mice toward warm, sheltered buildings. Sealing gaps under doors and around pipes early in autumn keeps most of them out.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
