Lakeside is squeezed between the mountain and Zandvlei, with Boyes Drive above and the railway line and Main Road running through the middle. Having both a mountain slope and a big vlei on your doorstep means you get pests from two very different directions.
Hygiene & disinfection around Lakeside
Schools and crèches in the area, plus rental flats changing tenants, are typical jobs for disinfection and fogging. Damp homes near the vlei sometimes need it after mould or a rodent problem has been cleared.
Zandvlei and the wetland around it are a breeding ground for midges and mosquitoes when the water warms up. Up the other side, Boyes Drive and the Silvermine section of Table Mountain National Park bring fynbos, rocks and the odd scorpion right to people's back walls. The South-Easter blows hard here in summer, and the winter rain soaks the lower roads near the vlei.
Expect mosquitoes and midges near the water, rats along the railway reserve, and ants almost everywhere in summer. Fishmoths and silverfish like the damp in older houses close to the vlei. Spiders and the occasional scorpion are more of a thing on the mountain side.
What gives them away
- Vulnerable people, such as the elderly or anyone on chemotherapy, live or work in the building.
- 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.
- You are about to reopen a space that was closed because of illness.
- Shared equipment such as till points, keyboards, phones and kitchen counters is used by many hands every day.
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.
A note from the field
Disinfection is not a substitute for ventilation. In a Cape Town winter it is tempting to keep everything closed, but fresh air does a lot of the work for you.
Landlords sometimes ask us to treat a flat between tenants after illness. It is a reasonable step, and the written report is useful if anyone asks questions later.
Our process, step by step
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
- Keep people at home when they are sick. It does more than any amount of spraying.
- Put a daily wipe-down of handles, switches and shared phones on someone's task list, not just the cleaner's.
- Know who to phone before you need it, so a positive case does not turn into a day of scrambling.
- Open windows where you can. Cape Town's south-easter is good for something, and moving air dilutes airborne virus.
- Stop sharing headsets, pens and keyboards between shifts where you can avoid it.
How much will it cost?
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.
COVID-19 Disinfection questions from Lakeside
Do you come out to Lakeside for COVID-19 disinfection?
Yes. Lakeside is part of our regular South Peninsula route, along with Muizenberg, Marina da Gama, Kirstenhof, Steenberg. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
I live near Boyes Drive. Should I worry about scorpions?
You may see the odd one, mostly after rain or in late summer when they move about. Keep rock piles and woodpiles away from the house and check shoes left outside, and call us if they keep coming indoors.
Do you give a certificate or report?
You get a post-treatment report listing the areas treated and the product used, which most landlords and head offices accept as proof.
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.
Are the mosquitoes in Lakeside coming from Zandvlei?
Mostly, yes. Zandvlei and its wetland edges are prime breeding water in warm weather, so homes nearby notice the swarms on calm summer evenings. Clearing standing water at home and treating resting spots like dense shrubs cuts the numbers down.
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.
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