If you're dealing with rats, cockroaches, bed bugs or fleas in Mamelodi, some of it you can sort out yourself, and some of it needs a professional treatment. We'll be honest about which is which. What works best in a densely built area is tackling the cause, keeping food and rubbish away from pests, and where possible treating together with the neighbours, because pests here move easily from one yard to the next.
Why pests spread easily in Mamelodi
Mamelodi is one of Pretoria's largest and most densely populated townships. Homes are close together, many yards have backyard rooms, and there are plenty of small shops and food businesses between the houses. Shared walls, shared drains and bins close together give rats and cockroaches easy routes between properties.
The pests we deal with most
Rats
Rats are the biggest complaint. They live in burrows near drains, under rubble and in piles of stored material, and they come into houses and backyard rooms at night for food. Signs are droppings, gnawed food packets and doors, holes along the base of walls and noise in the roof. We use lockable bait stations that children and pets can't open, traps inside where needed, and we point out the holes to close. Read about our rat treatments in the north-east for the detail.
Cockroaches
Small German cockroaches live in kitchens, behind fridges and stoves and in cupboards. The bigger American ones come up from drains. Gel bait, placed where they hide, works far better than spray. See cockroach control in Montana and surrounds.
Bed bugs
Bed bugs travel with people, in bags, second-hand furniture and bedding. In homes where many people share rooms they spread quickly. Bites in rows on the arms and shoulders, and small dark spots on mattress seams, are the signs. Bed bugs need a thorough treatment and a follow-up. Our bed bug treatments for northern Pretoria explain what to expect.
Fleas
Dogs, cats and rodents bring fleas into the house, and they live in floors, mats and bedding. Bites around the ankles are the clue. Treating the house and the animals together clears them.
What you can do yourself today
- Keep food in sealed containers, including maize meal, bread and pet food.
- Don't leave dirty dishes or food scraps out overnight.
- Keep rubbish in a bin with a lid, and put it out on collection day, not days before.
- Fill holes at the bottom of walls and doors with cement or steel wool.
- Keep the yard clear of rubble, old tyres and stored material that rats can hide under.
- Check second-hand mattresses, beds and couches for dark spots in the seams before you bring them home.
Our guide on how to get rid of rats has more on what you can try at home.
When to call us
Call us if rats are getting into the house every night, if cockroaches are still there after you've cleaned and baited, or if you think you have bed bugs. Bed bugs in particular are very hard to clear with shop products, and spraying them yourself usually spreads them to other rooms.
A common mistake
Using loose poison on the floor or in the yard. Children and pets can find it, rats carry it away and die in walls where they smell, and the hole they came through is still open. Bait in a locked station, and close the gap.
A tip for yards with backyard rooms
Rats often travel along the wall between the main house and the backyard rooms, under stored items and behind water tanks. Keep that strip clear and sweep it regularly. Once there's no cover, rats are far less likely to use it.
For shops and food businesses
Spaza shops, takeaways and small food businesses can't afford a rat or cockroach problem. We offer scheduled visits with bait stations and treatment records, so you're covered if anyone asks.
What does it cost?
The price depends on the size of the property, the pest and how many visits it needs. A cockroach treatment in one kitchen is a small job. Bed bugs need a follow-up, so they cost more. Treating several neighbouring yards together can make sense for rats. We'll quote after looking, and if the advice above is enough on its own, we'll tell you.
Mamelodi is covered from our north-eastern area, and the Montana pest control page lists everything we do nearby. We're a SAPCA-registered company that has been doing this for 25 years, and our work carries a 3-month guarantee. Call 012 012 5526, or WhatsApp us a photo of what you're seeing.
Questions we get asked
Is rat bait safe with small children in the house?
It's much safer in a lockable bait station, which children can't open. We place the stations where rats travel and out of the way of play areas.
Can my neighbours and I be treated at the same time?
Yes, and for rats and cockroaches it usually gives a better result, because pests move between yards that share walls and drains.
Can I get rid of bed bugs with a spray from the shop?
Usually not. Shop sprays rarely reach the bugs and eggs hidden in seams and cracks, and they can push bed bugs into other rooms. A full treatment with a follow-up works.
Do you treat backyard rooms as well as the main house?
Yes. Rooms in the yard are often where rats and bed bugs start, so we include them in the inspection and treatment.
Do you service spaza shops?
Yes. We treat small shops and food businesses, and can set up regular visits with records of every treatment.