Gardens takes its name from the Company's Garden, and the squirrels in there have been raising families in neighbouring roofs for generations. Add the restaurants on Kloof Street, old Victorian semis and a lot of flats, and you get a busy mix of pest work.
Rodents in Gardens: what we see
Grey squirrels from the Company's Garden and nearby trees chew into roofs, and roof rats use the same routes. Mice live in the hollow walls and floors of older houses.
Victorian and Edwardian semis with corrugated iron roofs, broekie lace stoeps and wooden floors sit alongside blocks of flats and modern apartments. Old houses have hollow walls and suspended floors, so mice and rats can move through without being seen. Restaurants, coffee shops and bars along Kloof Street sit below residential flats. Many homes are rentals with frequent turnover.
Gardens lies on the lower slopes below Table Mountain, between the city centre and Kloof Nek. The Company's Garden and its old trees are a squirrel haven. Winter rain runs down from the mountain, and in summer the South-Easter tumbles down off the mountain into the streets.
Something most people miss
The biggest mistake is putting traps in the middle of the floor. Mice run along walls, so traps should be against the skirting with the trigger facing the wall.
Cheese is a cartoon idea. Mice prefer seeds, grains and sweet, fatty foods, which is why peanut butter is such a good trap bait.
How to tell you have a problem
- Tiny footprints or tail marks in dust on top of cupboards or in the garage.
- Small droppings about the size of a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirtings.
- A sharp, ammonia-like smell inside closed cupboards.
- Shredded paper, fabric or insulation bundled into a nest in a hidden corner.
- Light scratching in the walls or under the kitchen units at night.
Our process, step by step
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.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Keep the garage tidy, since boxes on the floor make perfect mouse nests.
- 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 move indoors when Cape Town's winter rains and colder nights start, usually from late April, and the numbers stay high until spring. In the Boland, harvest time and ploughing can push field mice towards farm buildings too.
Questions we get asked in Gardens
What is the best bait for a mouse trap?
Peanut butter works better than cheese, and only a small dab is needed so the mouse has to work at 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 use poison in the kitchen?
We prefer traps in kitchens and food areas. If bait is needed, it is kept in sealed stations.
Do you come out to Gardens for mouse control?
Yes. Gardens is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Tamboerskloof, Oranjezicht, Vredehoek, Higgovale. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Are the squirrels in my Gardens roof from the Company's Garden?
Very likely. Grey squirrels travel from the garden and the trees along the streets into roofs, often through gaps at the fascia. Sealing those gaps once the roof is empty is the lasting fix.
Do old Victorian houses in Gardens have more borer?
They often do, because many still have original timber floors and roof structures. A beetle certificate inspection will show whether there is active infestation that needs treatment.
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