If
you read my blog from February, Feed the
Birds, Not the Squirrels!, you should be all baffled & ready to go for
the Spring & Summer bird feeding season. Now is the time to clean the
feeders & get them ready to go. I usually take advantage of a warmer day
when I can drag out the hose & get some good water pressure going. I try to
use as few cleaning products as possible. So begin with some water hose
pressure to loosen up dried & caked on seed. Then, if necessary, use a
little dish soap & a scrub brush for the stubborn stains. Your suet feeder
can be trickier. I find there can be some mold there from the moist suet cakes.
In that case, a little bleach in a bucket & a good soak is necessary. Then,
rinse with soapy water & rinse, rinse, rinse. Last year I gave my suet
feeder, which is sun shaped, a fresh coat of spray paint. Let it air out a few
days of any remaining fumes & then load it up. Your hummingbird feeder
should be ready to go from last year (because we always clean them before we
pack them up!). If not, a little bleach in a bucket soak will work well here on
mold, but be sure to rinse well. A bottle brush will keep the glass portion
sparkling. If you have a thistle feeder or thistle sock, replace all the old
food with new food. Goldfinches are very finicky about having fresh food. I use
the socks because I find the feeders tough to clean. And get those clean birdbaths
out & ready to go also! Not all birds come to feeders, but they all need a
drink & a dip now & then!
Keeping all your feeders clean will keep
your birds healthy, happy & keep them coming back for more!
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