Pest control in Orlando covers two worlds: older family homes in Orlando East and West with rats, cockroaches and termites, and the restaurants, guesthouses and shops around the tourist areas, where cockroaches, flies and bed bugs need controlling all year. We treat homes and businesses, and businesses get records for their files.
Orlando's character
Orlando is one of the oldest parts of Soweto. Orlando East was among the first areas built in the 1930s, and Orlando Stadium sits there; the old power station cooling towers, the Orlando Towers, are a landmark nearby. Orlando West is known around the world for Vilakazi Street, with the Mandela House museum, and for the Hector Pieterson Memorial. Tourists arrive every day, and restaurants, shisa nyamas, guesthouses and craft stalls serve them.
The houses here are mostly older brick homes, many extended and many with backyard rooms, on small stands close together. Some roof timbers, door frames and floors have been there for most of a century.
Homes in Orlando
Rats
Roof rats get in under old roof sheets and gutters and run across ceilings at night; brown rats burrow in yards and around drains. Bait in lockable stations outside, traps in the roof and closing gaps are what keep them out.
Cockroaches
German cockroaches live in kitchens and in backyard rooms where people cook and sleep, and they move between homes that share walls. American cockroaches come up from drains in summer. Gel bait handles the German ones; drain and perimeter treatments the American ones. Our page on cockroach control in Soweto explains both.
Termites
Old door frames, window frames and roof timbers are favourite targets for subterranean termites. Look for mud tubes on walls, soil in cracks and wood that crumbles or sounds hollow. Flying termites coming out of a wall after the first summer rain mean a colony is active in the building. Our termite treatment in Soweto page explains the soil treatment or baiting we use and the 5-year guarantee with a treatment certificate.
Fleas
Dogs, cats and the rats they chase bring fleas into yards and homes. Treat the house, the yard and the pets together.
Restaurants, guesthouses and shops
Food businesses near the tourist routes face constant pressure from German cockroaches, flies and rodents. Kitchens with stoves and fridges running all day, outdoor braai areas, and bins that fill quickly keep the food supply steady. A regular programme with gel baiting, fly control, lockable rodent stations and a written service record after each visit protects both customers and your reputation, and it's what a health inspector wants to see.
Guesthouses and B&Bs have an extra risk: bed bugs arriving in visitors' luggage. Housekeeping staff should check mattress seams and headboards when changing linen. A room caught early is a single-room treatment with a follow-up; a problem left to spread can affect the whole house.
Pigeons and birds
Older roofs with gaps under the sheeting, and the ledges and signage of shops along the main roads, attract pigeons and other birds. Their droppings foul walkways and gutters, and nests in a roof can release bird mites into the house below once the chicks leave, causing itchy bites at night. Removing the nest, treating the area and closing the gap stops it.
How a visit works
For homes, we inspect the house, roof space, backyard rooms and yard, and treat on the same visit where we can. For businesses, we survey the premises and agree on a visit schedule outside your busy hours. Our products are odourless and don't stain, and no one has to leave; keep children and pets off treated surfaces until they're dry.
The mistake we see
Food businesses spraying aerosol insecticide in the kitchen just before an inspection. It kills a few cockroaches you can see, scatters the rest, and can contaminate food-preparation surfaces. Proper gel baiting and records show an inspector far more than a strong smell of spray.
An Orlando tip
If you run a restaurant or shisa nyama, empty and wash outdoor bins at the end of every trading day, especially in summer. A bin left overnight full of meat scraps can produce flies by the next weekend and draw rats the same night.
What it costs and why
For homes, the cost depends on the pest and the number of rooms: cockroaches are a small job, termites a larger one. For businesses, it depends on the size of the premises, the type of food handled and how often we visit. A guide "from" price appears on this page, and our Johannesburg pest control prices list the starting points. We give you a clear price before work starts.
Orlando is covered by our Soweto pest control team, and we also work in Diepkloof next door.
Combat Pest Control is owned and operated by Jason van Heerden, with 25 years in pest control, registration with SAPCA and with the Department of Agriculture. Book and we'll be there within 24 hours; general treatments carry our 3-month guarantee. Phone 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo.
Questions we get asked
How much does pest control cost for a restaurant in Orlando?
It depends on the size of the kitchen and premises and how often we visit. We survey the site and give you a written quote for a regular programme.
Do you give records for health inspections?
Yes. Every business visit is recorded with what was checked, what was found and what was used, so you have a file ready for inspectors.
How do I check my guesthouse for bed bugs?
Look along mattress seams, around the headboard and in bed-frame joints for tiny dark spots, shed skins or small brown bugs. Check whenever linen is changed.
Can you treat my house without us moving out?
Yes. Normal treatments don't require you to leave. Keep children and pets off treated areas until they're dry.
Why are termites eating my old door frames?
Subterranean termites live in the soil and look for old, dry timber close to the ground. Older Orlando homes have plenty of it, so treat the soil and the colony before replacing the frames.
How long does the treatment last?
General treatments come with a 3-month guarantee, and termite treatments with a 5-year guarantee and certificate. Businesses usually stay on a regular programme.