Pelican Park is a newer housing area near Zeekoevlei and the Strandfontein coast, with lots of young families. Water nearby means mosquitoes and midges, and new homes on sandy ground bring ants and mice.
Hygiene & disinfection around Pelican Park
Crèches and church halls are regular clients for disinfection. Low-lying yards that flood in July are worth sanitising once the water drains away.
Pelican Park sits on flat, sandy ground between Zeekoevlei and the False Bay coast, near the Strandfontein bird sanctuary. The South-Easter blows sand and litter in summer, and winter rain can pool in low spots. The vlei and wetlands hold water year-round.
Most homes are newer subsidy and bonded houses, built close together with small yards. Modern construction is fairly tight, but gaps around doors, pipes and roof edges still let in insects and mice. Many homes have added backyard rooms or extensions. Shared open spaces and parks sit between housing blocks.
Mosquitoes and midges from the vlei are a big seasonal issue. Ants and mice in new homes are common. Flies and fleas round out the usual calls.
Tell-tale signs
- Vulnerable people, such as the elderly or anyone on chemotherapy, live or work in the building.
- 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.
- A staff member, resident or regular visitor has tested positive or gone home sick with flu-like symptoms.
- 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.
A note from the field
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.
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.
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.
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.
- Open windows where you can. Cape Town's south-easter is good for something, and moving air dilutes airborne virus.
- Put a daily wipe-down of handles, switches and shared phones on someone's task list, not just the cleaner's.
- Stop sharing headsets, pens and keyboards between shifts where you can avoid it.
- Know who to phone before you need it, so a positive case does not turn into a day of scrambling.
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.
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 Pelican Park
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.
Why are mosquitoes so bad in Pelican Park?
Because Zeekoevlei and the wetlands nearby provide year-round breeding water. Screening windows and clearing standing water around your home makes a real difference.
Do new homes in Pelican Park get mice?
Yes, mice come in from open ground through small gaps around doors and pipes. Sealing those gaps and keeping food stored well keeps them out.
Do you come out to Pelican Park for COVID-19 disinfection?
Yes. Pelican Park is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Strandfontein, Lotus River, Grassy Park, Lavender Hill. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
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.
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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