Rats under the floor, cockroaches in the kitchen, bed bugs in a back room. In a busy area where homes sit close together, pests spread fast, so a treatment has to be thorough to last.
In Thembalethu, the pests that matter most in homes are rats and mice, German cockroaches, bed bugs, fleas and flies. They're treatable, and you don't need to move out or empty your cupboards for a normal treatment. Our sprays are odourless, and once they've dried the room is safe for babies and pets again; cockroaches get gel baits, rodents get bait stations, and pests that need a second visit get one. Our 3-month guarantee covers the work.
Why pests spread so easily in a busy area
Thembalethu is one of the largest and busiest residential areas in George, with houses close together, many backyard rooms and a lot of people moving in and out. That's good for neighbours and bad for pest control. A mouse or a cockroach doesn't care about boundary walls. It moves through gaps under doors, shared walls and roofs, and comes back in shopping bags and boxes. That's why we always ask about the neighbours, and why treating a few houses or rooms in a row at the same time works much better than treating one at a time.
Rats and mice
Rats live where they find food and shelter: rubbish that's waiting for collection, open drains, piles of building material and the spaces under floors and in roofs. They chew through food, wiring and water pipes, and they carry diseases such as leptospirosis. Mice get into cupboards and bedding.
We place tamper-resistant bait stations where rats move and feed, so children and pets can't get at the bait, and use traps where bait isn't the right choice. Then we show you where they're getting in and how to block it with mesh, cement or steel wool. Keeping rubbish in closed bins and off the ground until collection day is the single biggest help. Read more about rodent control and how to tell rats from mice.
Cockroaches
Small brown cockroaches in the kitchen, especially around the fridge, stove and kettle, are German cockroaches. Sprays from the shop scatter them into the walls and into the neighbours' homes. Our gel bait goes into the cracks where they live, they eat it and share it, and the colony collapses. A follow-up visit catches the young that hatch afterwards. See cockroach control.
Bed bugs
Bed bugs travel in bags, clothes and second-hand furniture, and in homes with several people sharing rooms they spread quickly. Signs are itchy bites in a row, small black spots on the mattress seams, and the flat brown bugs themselves. They're not a sign of a dirty home. Bed bugs need two treatments about two weeks apart, and the bedding needs a hot wash. Our bed bug profile shows what to look for.
Fleas and flies
Dogs bring fleas into the house, and the eggs fall into bedding and carpets. Treat the dog through a vet or clinic, and have the house and yard treated in the same week. Flies breed in rubbish and food waste, so closed bins and regular cleaning do more than any spray. For fleas on dogs, cats and in the house, see flea and tick control.
Spaza shops, takeaways and taverns
If you sell food, pests are a business problem. Customers notice, and so do health inspectors. Rodents in stock, cockroaches behind the fridges and flies around the cooking area can all be kept under control with regular treatments. We set up commercial pest control for small businesses as well as big ones, with service records you can show if you're inspected.
What you can do yourself
- Keep food in closed containers, and wash up and pick up the pet bowls before bed
- Keep rubbish bags in a closed bin, off the ground, until collection
- Block holes under doors and around pipes with cement, steel wool or a door strip
- Don't use spray cans on cockroaches if you're going to have a gel treatment, because it makes the bait work less well
- Talk to the neighbours. If pests are in the whole row, treating together saves everybody money
Getting the most from a treatment
On the day, clear space around the stove, fridge and under the sink so we can reach the places cockroaches hide. Put food away in closed containers. After the treatment, don't wash the treated cracks or skirtings for a week or so, and don't spray anything near the gel bait.
If several families in one yard or block need treatment, say so at booking, so enough time and product are set aside to do every home properly.
What it costs
Four things set the price: which pest it is, how many rooms or houses are involved, how bad the problem has become, and whether a second visit makes sense. A one-room cockroach treatment is a small job. Several rooms with bed bugs need more time and two visits. When neighbours book together, the visit is planned as one job. We'll quote before we start.
We work across George, including Pacaltsdorp and the rest of George. Phone 044 012 5011 to book, or leave your details and we'll get back to you.
Frequently asked questions
Can you treat just one room, or a backyard room?
Yes. We treat single rooms, backyard rooms and whole houses. If the problem is moving between rooms, it's better to do them on the same day.
Is it safe with a baby in the house?
Once it's dry, yes. Gel bait goes deep into cracks where little hands can't reach, rodent bait is locked in stations, and we'll tell you how long to keep the baby off treated floors.
I spray every week and the cockroaches still come back. Why?
Shop spray chases cockroaches into the walls and next door without touching the ones breeding in the cracks. Gel bait placed in those cracks is what clears them.
Can my neighbours and I book together?
Please do. When houses close together are treated on the same day, the pests have nowhere left to run to.
How can I show you what the bugs look like?
Use the WhatsApp button on this page. A clear photo of the insect, or of the marks on a mattress, helps us know what we're dealing with.
Do you service spaza shops and taverns?
Yes. We treat spaza shops, takeaways and taverns once-off or on a regular schedule, and leave records you can show an inspector.