Tamboerskloof climbs steeply up the slopes of Lion's Head and Signal Hill above Kloof Street. Old houses, tight streets and the mountain right behind them make it a suburb where rodents and timber pests are a fact of life.
Mice in Tamboerskloof homes and flats
Mice in Tamboerskloof live in the crawl spaces under suspended timber floors, behind pressed ceilings and in the roof voids of the Victorian and Edwardian homes. In apartment blocks and guest houses they come up through service ducts and gaps around pipes. Winter rain running down the slope keeps basements damp and sends them indoors.
We trap and use secured bait in the voids they travel through, and seal gaps around pipes, cables and floorboards. Covering air bricks with fine mesh keeps them out of the floor void.
Signal Hill and Lion's Head are part of the Table Mountain National Park, and the greenbelt reaches right to the top streets. Winter rain runs down the slope and keeps old basements and retaining walls damp.
A note from the field
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.
Signs to look for
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Why it matters: 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.
How the treatment works
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Keep the garage tidy, since boxes on the floor make perfect mouse nests.
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 Tamboerskloof
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.
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 the rats in Tamboerskloof come from Lion's Head?
Some do, especially in the top streets near the greenbelt, but plenty also move between restaurants, bins and old homes lower down. Sealing roof and floor gaps on your house is the key step either way.
Are ultrasonic repellers worth it?
In our experience they do not solve a mouse problem. Mice get used to the sound quickly.
Why do mice keep coming back in my Tamboerskloof flat?
They travel through service ducts between flats. Sealing pipe gaps in your flat and treating the ducts stops them.
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.
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