Bird Feeders – It’s Fall Cleaning Time Again

Fall is in the air. For those of you who do not keep your bird feeders out all

summer it is time to get them out and make sure they are ready for winter. The first thing you need to so is to make sure they are clean. Feeders can be sanitized with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts hot water. Commercial bird feeder cleaning solutions are also effective.

For the best sanitation and disease prevention, make sure you clean each feeder inside and out. All feeding ports, perches, lids, platforms and reservoirs all need to be cleaned. Also the feeders hooks, poles or anywhere else the birds may perch need to be cleaned of feces.

Use rubber gloves while cleaning the feeders. Use stiff brushes to ensure a thorough cleaning. We have specialized cleaning brushes for different sizes and and types of feeders on our website. A regular bottle brush can be effective. An old toothbrush works great for cleaning small parts, feeding ports and tight corners.

When done make sure you rinse the feeder thoroughly. The feeder and all parts should be rinsed at least 10 seconds in clear, clean water to make sure all chemical residue is removed. I like to use a garden hose to do my final rinse.