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Feeder cleaning (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter exile
- Start date
Stephen-Brooks
Well-known member
Hello Exile,
All feeders should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a month, but popular feeders may need to be cleaned much more frequently depending on how many birds use them and how much seed is consumed. I personally take the non-toxic approach and use the following steps which I would elsewhere on the internet:
Fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungus which causes respiratory infections in birds, can grow on the feeders.
Here is a non-toxic solution and technique to make this chore easier and safe for the birds.
If you are enthusiastic about bird feeding and operate more than a couple of feeders, cleaning them on a rotating schedule will prevent having to clean them all at once–a potentially burdensome task.
Obtain a tub big enough to hold your birdfeeder(s), a scrub brush, outdoor hose, gloves, scent-free liquid soap or detergent, and white distilled vinegar.
Place your feeder in the tub outdoors, fill it it with warm water and a squirt of liquid soap or detergent. Wearing gloves, scrub the parts of the feeder you can reach, and rinse thoroughly with a hose. Empty the tub and fill it with clean water and 4 cups of vinegar.
Let the feeder soak for 1 hour. Rinse thoroughly.
Kind Regards
Stephen
All feeders should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a month, but popular feeders may need to be cleaned much more frequently depending on how many birds use them and how much seed is consumed. I personally take the non-toxic approach and use the following steps which I would elsewhere on the internet:
Fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungus which causes respiratory infections in birds, can grow on the feeders.
Here is a non-toxic solution and technique to make this chore easier and safe for the birds.
If you are enthusiastic about bird feeding and operate more than a couple of feeders, cleaning them on a rotating schedule will prevent having to clean them all at once–a potentially burdensome task.
Obtain a tub big enough to hold your birdfeeder(s), a scrub brush, outdoor hose, gloves, scent-free liquid soap or detergent, and white distilled vinegar.
Place your feeder in the tub outdoors, fill it it with warm water and a squirt of liquid soap or detergent. Wearing gloves, scrub the parts of the feeder you can reach, and rinse thoroughly with a hose. Empty the tub and fill it with clean water and 4 cups of vinegar.
Let the feeder soak for 1 hour. Rinse thoroughly.
Kind Regards
Stephen
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
Stephen,cleaning feeders at the moment is a nightmare,'cos all we have is wind and rain.The easiest solution is to have a spare set of feeders,that one can replace and wash and dry the others in the house,just wish it would stop raining!!!
Yes you can clean your wooden feeder by soaking in a bleach and water solution, however, if possible replace with plastic feeders as wood harbors bacteria and samonella.
