Delft is one of Cape Town's more densely built areas, with families living close together and many extra rooms built onto the back of houses. Most calls here are about rats, cockroaches and fleas, and the best results come from treating a few neighbouring homes together.
The local picture in Delft
Norway rats burrow under backyard rooms and along walls in the sand and cross from yard to yard easily. Treating several properties at the same time works far better than doing one house alone.
Housing is mostly government-built family homes on small plots, many extended with backyard rooms, wendy houses and informal structures. Homes stand close together, and extensions built with corrugated sheeting often leave gaps at the roofline. More people and more food in a small space gives pests plenty to work with. Spaza shops run from homes add stock rooms to the picture.
Rats are the main concern, feeding on waste and burrowing under structures in the soft sand. Cockroaches spread easily through shared walls and kitchens. Fleas with dogs and cats are a regular problem, and flies peak around bins and dumping spots in summer.
Worth knowing
Mice do not need to drink much water, because they get most of it from their food. That is why they can live happily in a dry pantry.
When we arrive for mice, the first place we check is behind the stove and under the sink. Those two spots explain most kitchen infestations.
What gives them away
- Tiny footprints or tail marks in dust on top of cupboards or in the garage.
- Shredded paper, fabric or insulation bundled into a nest in a hidden corner.
- A sharp, ammonia-like smell inside closed cupboards.
- Nibbled corners of cereal boxes, bread bags and pet food packets.
- Light scratching in the walls or under the kitchen units at night.
- Small droppings about the size of a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirtings.
Mice urinate constantly as they move, which contaminates food, crockery and work surfaces. They can carry salmonella and other bacteria into kitchen areas, which is a real problem for food businesses and homes with babies. They chew through wiring behind appliances and inside walls, and they ruin stored linen, paperwork and books. Because a female mouse can have a new litter every few weeks, a couple of mice quickly becomes a cupboard full.
What happens when we come out
We start by finding where they get in and where they nest, which is usually a gap behind the stove, around a geyser pipe or under a kitchen unit. Indoors we mainly use snap traps and enclosed traps placed along the walls, because mice run close to edges and are curious enough to investigate. Where baiting is needed, it goes inside tamper-resistant stations that children and pets cannot open, after a bait risk assessment. We then seal the entry points with steel wool, mesh and sealant, because mice can squeeze through a hole about the width of a pencil. A follow-up visit checks the traps and confirms the activity has stopped.
- Look for clues
We check droppings, nests and gnawing to work out where the mice are most active.
- Find the gaps
We check behind appliances, under units and around pipes for entry points.
- Set traps
Traps and, where suitable, sealed bait stations go along the mice's runs.
- Seal entry points
Small holes are blocked with steel wool, mesh and sealant so mice cannot get back in.
- Follow-up
We come back to check the traps, clear them and leave a report.
Prevention that actually works
- Seal the gaps where pipes and cables come through walls, especially under the sink.
- Move cereal, pasta, rice and pet food into hard plastic or glass containers with good lids.
- Do not leave pet food out overnight in the kitchen.
- Pull the stove and fridge out once in a while and clean the crumbs and grease behind them.
- Fit brush strips to the bottom of garage and outside doors.
How much will it cost?
The price depends on how many rooms are affected, how long the mice have been there and how many gaps need sealing. A single kitchen is quicker than a whole house with mice in the walls and the garage. Follow-up visits are usually included, and the quote is free.
Mice are one pest where DIY genuinely works if you are thorough: a handful of snap traps baited with peanut butter, set against the walls, will catch a lot of them. Where people go wrong is not sealing the gaps, so if you are still catching mice after two or three weeks, it is time to call us.
Mouse Control questions from Delft
My children are getting bites at night in Delft. Is it fleas or bed bugs?
Bites around the ankles usually point to fleas, while rows of bites on arms, neck or back point to bed bugs. WhatsApp us a photo of any insect you find and we will help identify it.
How do mice get into the house?
Through tiny gaps around pipes, under doors, through air vents and roof edges. A gap the width of a pencil is enough.
Do you come out to Delft for mouse control?
Yes. Delft is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Belhar, Bishop Lavis, Kuils River, Nyanga. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Can you treat my whole row of houses in Delft for rats at once?
Yes, and it works better that way. Send us the addresses and we will give a free quote for treating the properties together.
Do you use poison in the kitchen?
We prefer traps in kitchens and food areas. If bait is needed, it is kept in sealed stations.
How long does mouse control take?
Most homes are clear in two to three weeks once the traps are set and the gaps are sealed.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254