BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Birding How to keep a bird bath clean?

I have a bird bath in my back yard because I've read that more birds die in the summer from lack of water than at any time for lack of food. I live in HOT Texas also where I'm sure they need water. I see many birds playing in the bird bath every day so know they use it.

Is there a good way to keep it clean tho? I get green mossy slime in it if I don't clean it all the time and I'm sure that's not good for the birds. What is a safe way to clean it that won't harm the birds?

Thanks,

Hi Joan,

The best way to clean your birdbath is with good old elbow grease, as my mother used to call a good bit of hard work. Use a stiff brush to remove the slime, perhaps even steel wool (the kind without added soap). Hope you get tons of birds. They'll love you, I'm sure for removing the slime.

Thanks so much! Yes, I do get lots of birds here. In Oregon I didn't so much because we were in the country near an irrigation ditch and creek. here in the city, I think the birds really need the water so much more. I see they out there playing and splashing so it's great!

We have a big concrete bird-bath, had a terrible problem with green slime all the time. My husband took a little bleach (about a 1/4 cup) with lots of water and a wire brush. It came clean, no problem, but you must rinse it very well. I flush it out every day, they love their bath-time. We had so many baby birds in our property this year, I have been going though 10lbs of seed a week, and we are having a little problem with the grackles, does anyone have any ideas.

When I clean the birdbath out, I use water and a scrub brush. It's not perfect but I find birds in puddles in the middle of a road so I know it doesn't have to be perfect.

This year I added a small bowl of water and placed it on the deck. The bowl is a saucer for a planter. It is not terra cotta but some other material. I placed it on a plant stand so it is up about 2.5 feet high. Because it is on the deck too, I can pour the water out regularly and add clean water more easily. I've had a ball with it watching the birds splish,splash and take a bath as well as drink.

We use dish soap and a high powered hose. It took years before the birds got used to this strange object sitting in the middle of the yard. We had to move around to find the right spot and now they Robins use it like crazy. I had to put a rock in the center for the smaller birds.

Hydrogen peroxide is better than bleach as far as being environmentally friendly. Bleach is a toxin. Whatever you use, do make sure it dries thoroughly before adding water.
From 1,029 birding secrets book, to stop algae from growing- bunch 6-8 stems of lavender flowers w/ a daylily leaf, replace every 2-3 weeks, put bundle on water.
We don't have a birdbath 'cos we have a nice river! but I do have all sorts of hints I use for other things.
Love,
Reina