Mouse Control Plattekloof

Plattekloof sits high on the Tygerberg Hills above the N1, so most of our calls here are about pests coming in from the hillside rather than from neighbours. Big gardens, open veld on the ridge and a busy office node lower down give it a mix of household and commercial work.

Rodents in Plattekloof: what we see

Roof rats and house mice come up from the open ground and use creepers and trees to get onto the roof. Sealing gaps under tiles and around garage doors does more here than bait alone.

Most homes are large, freestanding family houses from the 1970s onwards, with tiled roofs, double garages and a fair number of pools. There are also townhouse complexes and the office parks off Plattekloof Road. The bigger houses have plenty of roof void and garage storage, which is where rodents and cockroaches settle in unnoticed. Office blocks and their kitchens need regular scheduled checks rather than once-off sprays.

Mice and roof rats moving in from the veld edge each autumn are the main complaint. In summer it shifts to ants, wasps around the eaves and the odd scorpion in garden walls. Office kitchens and canteens in the business parks mostly need German cockroach control.

What gives them away

1. Small droppings about the size of a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirtings.
2. Tiny footprints or tail marks in dust on top of cupboards or in the garage.
3. A sharp, ammonia-like smell inside closed cupboards.
4. Shredded paper, fabric or insulation bundled into a nest in a hidden corner.
5. Nibbled corners of cereal boxes, bread bags and pet food packets.
6. Light scratching in the walls or under the kitchen units at night.

Worth knowing

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.

In flats and townhouses, mice often move between units through shared walls and service ducts, so one owner treating alone may only push them next door.

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.

Want the full step-by-step? See how our mouse control service works.

Prevention that actually works

• 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.
• Pull the stove and fridge out once in a while and clean the crumbs and grease behind them.
• Do not leave pet food out overnight in the kitchen.
• Keep the garage tidy, since boxes on the floor make perfect mouse nests.

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.

Questions we get asked in Plattekloof

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