4 replies to this topic

[cwj2323]

Is there any possible way to do this for the bird baths and feeders? I really do not care about if anything kills the lawn, but I want to avoid using anything that is harmful to the environment. For household cleaning baking soda and vinegar as good substitutes, but do they kill bacteria? The hanging feeders can be brought in and washed well with hot water, but how about the cement bird bath and platform feeders?

Thank you for any suggestions.

[dklucius]

just about all water systems have clorine (Bleach) put into the water systems. about the only way to get clorine free water is to have a private well or a rainwater collector or a pond. the clorine does evaporate out over a short time in a bird bath or standing water, So if you wash your stuff with tap water you are useing bleach. but also there is bacteria in the air and the ground on the birds or even on you so the bird baths or feeders or platforms have to be cleaned often. there are people that collect rain water or pond water or have a filter system to get the chlorine out so that the sensitive plants or pets or the birds get chlorine free water but then it would need to be changed often anyway. vinager or soda or just plain scrubbing does help get rid of bacteria or mold

[meghann]

Vinegar kills just as much bacteria as bleach, I don't even keep bleach in the house anymore usually.

[DianeD]

Not all bugs are killed by vinegar. Peroxide kills more, bleach still more. I don't know what pathogens are most prevalent/problematic on birdbaths, or how much disinfecting is needed vs. cleaning. I know bugs more than birds.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/19610330

[spongee62]

Just to chime in. I have about 20 feeders, (10 feeding stations) that I use and they are rotated constantly. This definitely helps in my opinion. I try to gauge the temperature and leave out enough nectar for no more than two days. After the two days, I pull out a clean feeder, fill it and hang it. The "used" feeder can then be put into a bucket of water and soak. I know it costs more and is more work, but, in my opinion, if you spend the time and a little more money (on feeders), you will not regret it.