Tokai COVID-19 Disinfection

Tokai sits at the foot of the Constantiaberg, with Tokai Forest and the Table Mountain National Park right behind it. Large plots, big gardens and that green backdrop mean wildlife and pests come with the territory.

Hygiene & disinfection in Tokai: what we see

Schools in the area use sanitising in winter, and rental homes and cottages between tenants often need disinfection.

Tokai Forest and the mountain slopes bring cool, damp air and lots of leaf litter. Winter rainfall is high here compared to the Cape Flats, so damp-loving insects thrive. Streams run down from the mountain, and many gardens have water features or ponds.

Homes here are mostly spacious, freestanding houses on generous plots, with pools, outbuildings and established trees. Some older homes have thatched roofs or large timber features, and there are a number of security estates and townhouse complexes. Garden cottages and staff quarters add more spaces for pests to hide.

Rats and mice from the forest edge and big gardens are a common issue. Timber pests matter in thatched and older homes. Ants, spiders, fishmoths and the odd scorpion are frequent, and wasps nest in large gardens in summer.

Worth knowing

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.

Signs to look for

1. A staff member, resident or regular visitor has tested positive or gone home sick with flu-like symptoms.
2. Normal cleaning has been done, but nobody has wiped door handles, light switches and lift buttons properly.
3. Vulnerable people, such as the elderly or anyone on chemotherapy, live or work in the building.
4. Several people in the same office or household have fallen ill within a few days of each other.
5. You are about to reopen a space that was closed because of illness.
6. Shared equipment such as till points, keyboards, phones and kitchen counters is used by many hands every day.

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

• 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.
• Keep people at home when they are sick. It does more than any amount of spraying.
• Stop sharing headsets, pens and keyboards between shifts where you can avoid it.
• Place hand sanitiser at entrances, the kitchen and the till, and keep it topped up.

Pricing, honestly

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.

COVID-19 Disinfection questions from Tokai

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