The Mistake You Should Never Make When Cleaning Your Hummingbird Feeder

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Standard bird feeders need regularly scheduled cleaning: once every two weeks or so if they offer seeds to your yard's feathered guests. Hummingbird feeders require more frequent maintenance and greater attention to detail. Just as it's important to make DIY hummingbird nectar with the right ingredients, choosing the correct products for fighting mold, grime, and germs helps safeguard the health of these charming little birds. Though diluted bleach is often recommended for regular bird feeders, it's not ideal for hummingbird feeders, whose dainty visitors are especially vulnerable to the dangers of harsh chemicals. In fact, detergent and soap can even be too strong for making a hummingbird feeder sparkle. Fortunately, there are several gentle alternatives that are less likely to cause harm if ingested.

When gearing up to clean a hummingbird feeder, take a moment to review your maintenance routine. The nectar in a hummingbird feeder should be refreshed every three to five days so it doesn't ferment or develop mold. Plus, the entire feeder should be scrubbed each week with a bottle brush , a pipe cleaner, or another tool that can reach inside its tiny crevices. Pairing the scrubbing tool with a cleaning solution can also be helpful. In general, the gentler the product the better. Even a small amount of a harsh chemicals such as bleach can kill hummingbirds, scare them away from your feeder, or both.

When it comes to cleaning a hummingbird feeder, a blast of hot water should be your first step. In addition to being extremely gentle and essentially free, hot water is quite effective at getting rid of the gunk that accumulates in this type of feeder. Have a particularly filthy hummingbird feeder? Not to worry: Just soak it in a solution made of one part of vinegar for every four parts of water after rinsing it with hot water. If the feeder has a lot of stuck-on nectar residue, try making a paste out of water and baking soda, adding it to your bottle brush or pipe cleaner, and scrubbing problem areas. After you're done scrubbing, rinse the feeder again before letting it air dry.

Homemade cleaners aren't the only gentle options for cleaning a hummingbird feeder. If you'd rather not go the DIY route, consider purchasing an enzyme-based product such as JCs Wildlife Hummingbird & Oriole Feeder Cleaner Spray. It's designed for use on a variety of materials, including plastic, acrylic, and ceramic. You can even use it on a hummingbird feeder made from a thrifted glass bottle.