Fogging turns a liquid into a cloud of tiny droplets that drifts through a room, a vehicle or a cold room. It is used to knock down flying insects and to disinfect hard-to-reach surfaces in clinics, schools and taxis. It is not gas fumigation, and it does not replace cleaning or a proper treatment. Send one request with the space, its size and the purpose, and registered operators near you quote directly. It is free, with no obligation.
Fogging is not gas fumigation
A gas fumigant such as phosphine fills a sealed space and passes through timber, grain and cardboard. Fog is a spray of liquid droplets, which settles on surfaces and into the air, but does not pass through walls or deep into stock. The two get mixed up because shop foggers sold as fumigation bombs are called fumigators.
That difference matters for choosing a job. Fog suits open rooms and flying insects. It will not clear termites in roof timber or weevils in grain, which need fumigation services.
ULV and thermal fogging for insects
ULV (ultra-low volume) cold foggers make droplets only a few microns across from a water or oil-based insecticide, and they suit indoor rooms and store rooms. Thermal foggers heat the product into a thick, visible smoke, used for outdoor areas, drains, dumps and large halls where the cloud has to carry.
The main targets are flies, mosquitoes and wasps, which fly into the mist and are knocked down. Fogging has no lasting effect, so it is best paired with removing the breeding site and with a residual treatment. The next step for a food premises is described under fly and mosquito control.
Disinfection fogging
Disinfection fogging uses a registered disinfectant, such as a quaternary ammonium or peroxide-based product, to coat surfaces. It is requested for clinics, operating theatres, school classrooms, gyms, ambulances, taxis and cold rooms after an outbreak or as a scheduled routine.
Limits are worth knowing. Fog only reaches surfaces it can see, so shaded areas, the underside of furniture and soiled surfaces stay untreated. Dirt and grease shield germs from the product. Clean first, then fog, and ask the operator for the product name on the report, the contact time and the dilution used.
Re-entry, smoke alarms and preparation
Rooms usually stay closed for 30 minutes to two hours after fogging, depending on the product. Before the job:
- Cover or switch off smoke detectors and sprinklers, and uncover them afterwards. A thermal fog will trigger them.
- Remove or cover food, open drinking water, plants, fish tanks and exposed medicines.
- Cover computers and switch off air conditioners, extractors and pilot lights.
- Keep everyone, including pets, out until the operator says the room is safe.
Prices run about R6 to R18 per m² for an ordinary space, with a minimum call-out.
What to include in your request
- Type of space and area in m²
- Flying insects or disinfection
- Smoke detectors and sprinklers present
- Food, medicines or equipment inside
- Once-off or a regular schedule
Fogging and Disinfection for different properties
- Homes and families: a one-off fog for wasps or flies in a garage or outbuilding, or a home deep-clean after illness
- Landlords, agents and body corporates: fogging an empty flat between tenants after a flying insect problem
- Restaurants and food businesses: fogging kitchens, cold rooms and storerooms for flies and to disinfect surfaces after cleaning
- Hotels, guesthouses and lodges: disinfection of rooms, kitchens and conference halls on a scheduled quiet day
- Offices, schools, clinics and shops: disinfection of classrooms, clinics, waiting rooms and offices after an outbreak
- Factories, warehouses and mines: thermal fogging of warehouses and plants for flies, moths and mosquitoes
- Farms, grain stores and smallholdings: fogging poultry houses, milking parlours and packhouses for flies and between batches
- Exporters and freight forwarders: fogging packing sheds and depot stores for flying insects before inspection
Frequently asked questions
Is a fumigation fogger from a shop the same thing?
How long does a fogging job take?
Does fogging kill cockroaches and bed bugs?
Will the fog set off smoke alarms?
Fogging and Disinfection by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg