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 Clean
Bird Feeders and Baths
Our wildlife
experts suggest cleaning your bird feeders twice
a year to ensure the health of the visiting birds.
To clean your feeders, do the following:
- Empty out the seed
and rinse the feeder with a sharp stream of water
to wash away debris.
- Wash the feeder
in a bleach water solution: 1/3 to 1/2 cup of
bleach to a gallon of hot water. Wearing disposable
rubber or vinyl gloves for this job will reduce
skin irritation.
- Use an old bottle-brush
or toothbrush to clean corners and crevices.
- Let the feeder soak
in the bleach-water for at least five minutes.
- Rinse the feeder
with fresh water and let it dry COMPLETELY before
filling it with fresh seed.
If you provide a birdbath
for your feathered friends, please rinse and refill
it with fresh water daily. Cleaning it with a bleach
and water solution once a week, followed by a fresh
water rinse before refilling, will prevent problems
with bacteria.
Also, clean up fallen seeds and shells from the
ground beneath your feeders. These seeds can become
contaminated from droppings.
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