Gugulethu is busy, close-knit and built tight, so a pest problem in one home rarely stays there for long. Most of the calls we would expect here are about rats in yards and roofs, cockroaches moving between shared walls, and flies around refuse points in summer.
Mice in Gugulethu homes
Mice get into Gugulethu homes through gaps under doors, where zinc or timber add-ons meet the brick walls, and where the roof sheeting doesn't sit tight on the wall plate. In rows of attached houses they run along the shared roof space from home to home. Winter is busiest, when rain pools on the flat ground and drives them indoors, and they nest in cupboards, behind stoves and in boxes in backyard rooms.
We set traps and secured bait where children and pets can't reach, and show you how to close gaps with cement and steel wool. Keeping maize meal, rice and bread in sealed containers takes away what draws them in.
Rats are the big one, with German cockroaches close behind in kitchens and spaza shops.
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.
Tell-tale signs
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
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.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Do not leave pet food out overnight in the kitchen.
- Seal the gaps where pipes and cables come through walls, especially under the sink.
- 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.
- Fit brush strips to the bottom of garage and outside doors.
Pricing, honestly
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 Gugulethu
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.
How do mice get into my Gugulethu house?
Usually through gaps under doors, at the joins of add-ons and under the roof sheeting. Sealing those gaps and treating inside stops them.
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.
If I see one mouse, are there more?
Usually, yes. Mice live in family groups and are shy, so if you see one in daylight there are probably others.
Why do rats keep coming back to my yard in Gugulethu even after I put poison down?
Because the neighbours' yards are feeding them. Rats travel several houses in a night, so a single-yard treatment only clears your spot for a while; treating a few homes together and sealing burrows along the walls gives much better results.
Are ultrasonic repellers worth it?
In our experience they do not solve a mouse problem. Mice get used to the sound quickly.
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