MN Spring Cleaning Hummingbird Feeders: A Recipe For Health

Mary Hammel Jeshoots com via Unsplash & Canva

THE HUMMINGBIRDS ARE COMING BACK!

The Hummingbirds are coming back home with the arrival of spring, and that means it's time to start getting all of your outdoor supplies cleaned up and ready for use, including those bird feeders.

CLEANING IS NECESSARY

The bird feeders that don't stay up all year round, like the ones that contain the sticky gooey deliciousness that our hummingbirds love, need to be cleaned properly to ensure the health of the birds that trust that the liquid gold in your bird feeder is safe for them to consume. How do you make sure that those feeders are cleaned properly? I've got a super simple recipe that uses no chemicals and will ensure a clean feeder for your flying visitors.

Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

THE HUMMINGBIRDS WILL THANK YOU

I got this cleaning recipe from the website HouseDigest. This cleaning solution can be used for many things, not just your hummingbird feeders.

If you are looking for a simple cleaning solution to clean up that feeder, mix up the following two simple ingredients:

Baking Soda
Vinegar
Scrub Brush/Toothbrush
Warm Water

STEP 1

First, you take the baking soda and sprinkle it all over your hummingbird feeder. Get a scrub brush of your choice; I prefer using a toothbrush to get into the tiny nooks and crannies. The baking soda will bond with the sugar and start lifting off of the feeder.

STEP 2

Fill your sink enough to submerge your birdfeeder's washable parts, with equal parts warm water and vinegar. I don't believe it matters what type of vinegar you have. Whether it's white or yellow, just use what you have.

STEP 3

Let the parts soak in the warm water vinegar soak for 30 minutes.

STEP 4

Scrub the parts one more time while they are soaking, and then rinse with warm water. Let all the parts dry before you put the feeder back together.

STEP 5

Remember that it's important to clean your feeder each time you need to refill it. Algae, mold, and germs can build up in your feeder, and those can pass on to your visitors. This is SO IMPORTANT. If you are going to take the time to purchase a feeder and fill it up regularly for your birds, please make sure you don't skip this very important step. Hey! If the instructions on your feeder say you can wash it in the dishwasher, do it!