Not Vinegar Or Copper: The Smarter Way To Keep A Birdbath Clean (And It's Low Maintenance)

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Birdbaths are a surefire way to invite feathered creatures into your garden, but keeping the water fresh and clean so they keep coming back can be quite a chore. Most avian enthusiasts suggest cleaning your birdbath at least once a week, with many advising homeowners to do it up to several times a week or even every day if it gets a lot of traffic. A homemade vinegar cleaning solution, combined with some elbow grease, is the go-to cleaning protocol for removing droppings, algae, and general grime. Some people also put pennies in the birdbath, because copper can slow the growth of algae and bacteria. But if you're tired of doing multiple weekly cleanings or need something more effective than pennies, there's a smarter way to keep your birdbath water cleaner for longer: Microbe-Lift Bird Bath Clear Two-in-One Water Cleaner.

Microbe-Lift is a natural liquid treatment that hinders mineral buildup and stains while using enzymes to break down organic contaminants. Just add one teaspoon of Microbe-Lift cleaner for every one to five gallons of water in your birdbath. This once-weekly treatment is low maintenance (simply pour the right amount directly into the water) and is safe for humans, birds, and other wildlife. Microbe-Lift's benefits are limited, of course, so you will have to maintain a traditional cleaning routine. Still, most users agree the product is a hassle-free way to keep the birdbath water fresh and extend the time between cleanings.

Angry birds won't attack you if your birdbath water isn't perfectly fresh, but it does run the risk of making your feathered friends sick. Dirty water is a petri dish for all kinds of harmful bacteria and viruses, often spread from droppings in the water. Diseases are able to spread even faster during busy seasons when your birdbath gets numerous visitors. Particularly during warm weather, stagnant and fetid water can also become a breeding ground for mosquitoes that pass diseases to birds and humans, such as Zika and West Nile virus. But both bacteria and mosquito larvae need organic debris to feed on. By breaking down that organic debris, Microbe-Lift water cleaner may slow bacteria growth and discourage mosquitoes from laying their eggs in the bath. Plus, you can use the cleaner alongside other easy birdbath maintenance solutions, like using a mosquito dunk to help repel mosquitoes from your yard.

On top of bacteria and mosquitoes spreading disease, birdbath water may harbor algae that is toxic to birds. An algae bloom can occur suddenly, within two to three days, which forces many to scrub their birdbaths multiple times a week. While Microbe-Lift states that its birdbath water cleaner is not meant to treat algae, some reviewers on Amazon have remarked that it makes a difference. "This cleaner kept the water clear and the bird bath free from algae for about 10 days," stated one reviewer. Others recommend using it in tandem with copper to further prevent the threat of blooms.