Southfield is the sort of suburb people drive through without noticing: neat bungalows, bikes on the stoep and the Cape Flats line trains rolling through Southfield station. The pests here are just as low-key, a mouse in the ceiling or an ant trail by the kettle, and they tend to build up quietly before anyone calls.
The local picture in Southfield
Schools, churches and creches ask for disinfection, especially in winter. Landlords with granny flats often sanitise between tenants.
Southfield sits right where the leafy Southern Suburbs give way to the sandier Cape Flats, so gardens drain fast in summer and stay soggy through a wet winter. The railway reserve is a ready-made corridor for rodents moving between suburbs. Mature trees in the older gardens hang over roofs and give roof rats an easy climb to the eaves.
Most homes are freestanding brick houses from the mid-twentieth century onward, many extended with granny flats, enclosed stoeps and garages. Tiled and asbestos-cement roofs with timber trusses give mice and rats warm space in winter. Older kitchens with built-in wooden cupboards and gaps behind units are where cockroaches and fishmoths settle in.
Mice and rats in roofs over winter are the most common call. Argentine and black ants trail indoors in summer, and German cockroaches settle into older kitchens. Fishmoths, fleas and the occasional wasp nest make up the rest.
Something most people miss
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.
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.
What gives them away
- A staff member, resident or regular visitor has tested positive or gone home sick with flu-like symptoms.
- Shared equipment such as till points, keyboards, phones and kitchen counters is used by many hands every day.
- You are about to reopen a space that was closed because of illness.
- 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.
- Normal cleaning has been done, but nobody has wiped door handles, light switches and lift buttons properly.
What happens when we come out
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.
Prevention that actually works
- Stop sharing headsets, pens and keyboards between shifts where you can avoid it.
- 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.
- Place hand sanitiser at entrances, the kitchen and the till, and keep it topped up.
- 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
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 Southfield for COVID-19 disinfection?
Yes. Southfield is part of our regular Southern Suburbs route, along with Plumstead, Ottery, Diep River, Heathfield. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
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 ants in Southfield come from the garden or the house?
Usually the garden. They nest in sandy soil and trail indoors looking for food or water, so treating the nests outside works better than spraying inside.
Why do I hear scratching in my Southfield ceiling every winter?
It is usually mice or roof rats moving in from the garden and trees when it turns cold and wet. Sealing entry points and a short baiting programme in the roof normally sorts it out.
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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