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How to Keep a Birdbath Squeaky Clean!

how-to-keep-a-bird-bath-clean

Having a clean birdbath is a must when you own or want to attract birds to your backyard. Just like you, birds would not want to drink nasty polluted water. They won’t like a mosquito-infested swamp bowl. They want fresh water and a refreshing environment.

If you want the pleasure of having birds frolicking in your backyard, you must know the importance and the ways to clean a birdbath, and keep it that way. While there is no simple way to keep the water in your birdbath clean naturally, there are measures you could follow to keep your birdbath fresh, spotless, and ready for birds.

Cleaning Your birdbath

If you own a birdbath, then you must love birds. If you love birds, then make sure to have a clean birdbath as they will not want to use a dirty one. It depends on how much the birds use your birdbath, but you need to make sure to clean it at least once a week.

Empty your birdbath

The first thing you need to do is get rid of the dirty water. The water, although filled with feces, dirt, and algae, can still be used for watering your plants. Dump the water in areas where it could still be useful, but be careful not to damage your basin. If it’s not detachable, simply tip it carefully to the nearby plants.

Also, keep in mind not to dump the water near bird feeders or where it can form puddles so the birds won’t go near them.

Remove stones or gravel

Any ornaments that could cause contamination should be removed and cleaned as well. These have a fecal matter, algae, and dead insects, so you need to make sure that you don’t put them back into a clean basin if they are still dirty.

Scrub your basin

To start, take your usual brush, and with a solution of vinegar and plenty of water, scrub all the areas where the birds could land, drink, or bathe in. Just scrub until you get the birdbath as clean as it could be.

Use vinegar solution or bleach

For birdbaths that need heavy cleaning, you can simply soak the vinegar solution you used earlier for a couple of minutes. You can also use bleach for cleaning if you have any stubborn algae. Simply dilute 200ml of water to 5 liters of water. Soaking it longer won’t have any bad effects so you can keep it there for as long as you like.

Cover your basin

Make sure to cover it while you are still soaking. It is highly recommended you use a trash bag so that the birds will keep away from it and not drink the water. Once you’re done, remove the trash bag and discard it or keep it for next time. Drain the solution immediately so that it doesn’t attract thirsty birds. Make sure not to dump it near bird feeders or spilled seed.

Rinse properly

Use a garden house to rinse the basin properly for about two minutes. When the water stops frothing, your birdbath is good to go.
Sun dry the basin

Make sure that the bath has completely dried up before moving on to the next step. Sun-drying will sterilize bacteria and could help lessen algae growth. It also keeps the birdbath fresh for a longer time.

Refill your basin

Once your birdbath is squeaky clean, you can start refilling it with water. Get the stones and gravel that you took out earlier and put them back once you make sure they are already cleaned as well. Use cool and fresh water and make sure that it is 1 to 2 inches deep, so the birds can drink and bathe easily.

Why do You need to Keep your Birdbath Clean?

why-do-you-need-to-keep-your-birdbath-clean

Keeping your birdbath clean is not just for your birds to drink fresh and clean water but also for many other reasons. Not keeping it clean can cause diseases to spread to you and flocks of birds that hang around in your backyard. It can also cause infections since you will be encouraging gnats and mosquitoes.

Keep in mind that ensuring your birdbath is clean will not only benefit you and the birds in your backyard. It can also help keep the neighborhood a healthy place. You do not want to be the cause of diseases spread because of your neglect.

Another good thing to know is that keeping your birdbath clean actually helps birds keep their feathers in good condition.

What makes a Birdbath Dirty?

Birdbaths can be contaminated quickly due to various reasons. Some of these contaminants may be bird feces, seeds, seed hulls or berries, grass, leaves, dust, algae, dead bugs, and of course, feathers.

If there is a large flock of birds and there is only have a small birdbath, it will make cleaning required more frequently as the birdbath will be contaminated faster.

My tips

Now that your birdbath is as good as new, remember that it will not always be that way. It is impossible to avoid getting your birdbath dirty, but there are a few things that you can do to ensure that it stays clean.

It is good to place your birdbath away from underneath the trees. Find a different shady spot to place your birdbath, as this can help lessen algae growth. You can use pennies or a copper birdbath for this as well.

Conclusion

Nobody wants to drink dirty and polluted water, even birds! So, having a squeaky clean birdbath is the perfect plan for attracting hummingbirds, finch and all type of birds .

Cleaning birdbaths are not that hard. It will take you about 30 minutes to do this and it has so many benefits! It can help you attract birds, prevent any diseases caused by bacteria from spreading, and keeps birds’ feathers in good condition.

You can clean your birdbath by emptying your basin properly, scrubbing it well, and rinsing it properly. You can also take extra steps like soaking it in vinegar solution or bleach and sun-drying it to prevent the growth of algae. Other ways also include choosing a shady spot and putting pennies in it.

So, if you want to wake up to beautiful songbirds in your backyard, get that brush and start scrubbing!

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