Lavender Hill is a close-knit area of council flats and family homes between Retreat, Steenberg and Grassy Park. Many people live in a small space here, so we focus on treatments that are safe around children and that a whole block can do together.
Hygiene & disinfection in Lavender Hill: what we see
Schools, crèches, clinics and community centres here benefit from regular disinfection. Shared stairwells and bin areas are worth sanitising after a rodent clean-up.
The area sits on low-lying Cape Flats sand not far from Zeekoevlei and the vleis around Vrygrond. In winter, rain can pool on open fields and in poorly drained courtyards for days. The summer South-Easter blows sand and litter across open ground, building up piles where rodents hide.
Rats and German cockroaches are the most common problems, followed by fleas and bed bugs. Flies build up around refuse points in summer. Mosquitoes come with the winter rain and the vleis nearby.
Tell-tale signs
- A staff member, resident or regular visitor has tested positive or gone home sick with flu-like symptoms.
- Vulnerable people, such as the elderly or anyone on chemotherapy, live or work in the building.
- Shared equipment such as till points, keyboards, phones and kitchen counters is used by many hands every day.
- Normal cleaning has been done, but nobody has wiped door handles, light switches and lift buttons properly.
- Several people in the same office or household have fallen ill within a few days of each other.
- You are about to reopen a space that was closed because of illness.
From the technician
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.
How the treatment works
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.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Keep people at home when they are sick. It does more than any amount of spraying.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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 Lavender Hill
Do you come out to Lavender Hill for COVID-19 disinfection?
Yes. Lavender Hill is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Retreat, Steenberg, Grassy Park, Lotus River. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Are your treatments safe in a small flat with children?
We use the least-toxic effective option first and tell you exactly how long to keep children and pets out of treated areas. Most treatments are odourless and you can go back in the same day.
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.
Can you treat just my flat if the neighbours have cockroaches too?
We can, and it will help, but cockroaches will come back through the shared walls and ducts. Treating the neighbouring flats at the same time gives much longer-lasting results.
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.
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.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254