A bird bathtub is anoutdoor water featurethat serves two important avian needs : Birds , like citizenry , ask body of water to drink and to bathe in , and a well - appoint bird bath provides them with a space to do both . fowl bathsshould be refilled with water and cleaned regularly to make them a good and welcoming shoes for birds to primp and hydrate .
John Rowden , senior director of bird - favorable communities at theNational Audubon Society , say , " Regular cleaning is authoritative for a bird bath . The water should be changed every few day , but if you have a lot of bird visiting and the tub is visibly dirty , you may have to scavenge it more oftentimes . "
There ’s no enquiry that your bird tub needs the periodic scouring — here ’s how to do it properly .
Credit: Bob Stefko
When, and How Often, to Clean a Bird Bath
clean a bird bath is a straightforward caper that does not want specialism tool or cleanup solutions , but bird bathtub do need to be cleaned regularly to ensure that they are safe for andattractive to the birdsyou Leslie Townes Hope will block by for a splash .
Bird bath water should be replaced every 2 to 4 days ; when refilling a bird bath , dispose of marked-up water supply and pass over the basin out with a rag week before introducing clean body of water . If the basin is still dirty after pass over , it will need to be cleaned .
" Keep an oculus on the bath to make certain the water is clear and it is not getting soiled , " Rowden says . at last , he says , the orb trial run is the best measure of whether or not a boo bathtub is in need of clean . " If there is unco heavy traffic , or if it is a time of year where thing like leaves and efflorescence might accumulate , you should pay off skinny attention to whether or not the bath need cleaning . "
What to Avoid When Cleaning a Bird Bath
dame baths are part of your home ’s outdoor ecosystem , so care should be accept to keep them safe for your feathered champion as well as for their environs . A stiff scrub brush and piss , or amild solvent of diluted vinegar , is all that ’s necessitate to clean a chick bath of dung , algae , and other pollutants .
" Avoid any other cleansers , " Rowden says . " They are n’t necessary and can harm birds and their plume . " It ’s also better for the health of your yard , garden , or woodland to avoid the use of anything harsher than water or vinegar when cleaning a bird bath , as overflow from the cleaning operation can end up in the land , hurting any efforts toimprove soil health .
How to Clean a Bird Bath
Cleaning a bird bathtub affect disposing of dirty water , scrubbing and rinsing the washbowl , and replenish it with clean pee . A bird bath should be replenished with clean water every 2 to 4 days ; after emptying the shuttle bathing tub of muddy piddle , check to see if the catchment basin necessitate clean and , if so , accompany these steps .
What You’ll Need
Step 1: Dump out Old Water and Remove Debris
Before cleaning a bird bath , don a pair of weewee - resistant employment boxing glove , dump out the onetime water , and remove any junk such as leaves , sprig , and plume . The old water can be ditch directly into flower beds or on grass ; just be sure to distribute it equally so that it does n’t pool , which can make birds to err the puddle for their bath .
Step 2: Mix the Cleaning Solution
Rowden recommends using a resolution of nine parts H2O to one part acetum for clean a hoot bath . Avoid the utilisation of harsh chemical or abrasive cleaners , which can damage the bird bath and the surroundings area and be unsafe for birds and other wildlife who might halt by for a angle of dip or a drink . blend the water and vinegar in a spray bottle or bucket for easy program to the tub .
Step 3: Scrub and Rinse the Basin
Scrub the interior of the washstand with a fleshy - obligation scrub brush and the H2O and vinegar answer , which will scour away alga , muck , and other strange thing or growth . While any heavy - duty scrub thicket is fine for this job , give bird bath cleanup brushes are usable and typically be between $ 5 and $ 15 . Rinse the basin thoroughly with uninfected water after scour with the vinegar solution .
Step 4: Dry the Basin
allow for the basin to dry completely before refill the bird bathroom with sportsmanlike weewee to ensure that residue from the vinegar solution is all evaporated . ( The Bronx cheer are search to bathe , not to be brine ! ) Placing the bird bath in lineal sunlight will accelerate dry time .
Step 5: Refill the Bath
Fill the bird bath with unobjectionable water . expert recommend sate a snort tub with no more than 2 inches of water , as birds prefer to preen in shallower pool .
Tips for Maintaining a Bird Bath
While a bird bath does require frequent precaution , there are some thing you’re able to do to keep it clean-living , longer . The following summit will help to keep the bird bath as ask round as possible .
