Rugby is a small, older residential pocket squeezed between Brooklyn, the Ysterplaat air base and the industry of Paarden Eiland. Homes here sit very close to warehouses and busy roads, so rodents are never far away.
The local picture in Rugby
Small businesses, crèches and rental rooms here often need disinfection and sanitising, especially after a pest clean-out.
The area is flat and sandy, close to Table Bay and exposed to the wind. Open ground around Ysterplaat and the low-lying land toward the old Salt River mouth hold water in winter. Wind, sand and nearby industry together make rats and flies the big seasonal issues.
Most houses are modest, older brick homes and semis on small plots, often with backyard rooms or workshops added on. A few streets have small flats and businesses mixed in. Old roofs and outbuildings give rats somewhere to nest, and shared boundary walls let them move from yard to yard. The neighbouring industrial zone has warehouses, yards and food storage that keep rodent numbers high.
Rats are top of the list, with German cockroaches, flies and fleas following. Pigeons are a nuisance on the bigger buildings nearby.
Signs to look for
- Several people in the same office or household have fallen ill within a few days of each other.
- Normal cleaning has been done, but nobody has wiped door handles, light switches and lift buttons properly.
- A client, landlord or head office has asked for proof that the premises were disinfected.
- Shared equipment such as till points, keyboards, phones and kitchen counters is used by many hands every day.
- Vulnerable people, such as the elderly or anyone on chemotherapy, live or work in the building.
- You are about to reopen a space that was closed because of illness.
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.
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 we handle COVID-19 disinfection in Rugby
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.
Stopping a repeat visit
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Can you treat my Rugby home and my small workshop together?
Yes, we can cover both in one visit and tailor the treatment to each building. You'll get a post-treatment report for both.
Do the rats in Rugby come from the Paarden Eiland warehouses?
A lot of them do. Industrial yards hold food and shelter, and rats move into nearby homes when conditions change, so proofing your boundary is important.
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 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 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 you come out to Rugby for COVID-19 disinfection?
Yes. Rugby is part of our regular Blaauwberg & West Coast route, along with Brooklyn, Milnerton, Maitland, Kensington. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254