Last Updated on January 16, 2022 by Guillermina
If you care deeply for the hummingbirds around you, then you would always want to provide them with fresh and clean nectar always. Hence, we should imbibe ways on cleaning our feeders to provide healthy nectar for the hummingbird. One way of cleaning our hummingbird feeder is with bleach.
Maintaining a clean hummingbird feeder is very important for the health and well-being of your hummingbirds. We don’t want these sweet hummingbirds to get sick from unkempt feeders.
Also, hummingbirds may not visit feeders that are not kept clean and this tends to reduce the chances of witnessing more activities of these sweet hummers in our yard.
Therefore, let’s look into cleaning hummingbird feeders with bleach.
The Need For Cleaning Hummingbird Feeder
The hummingbird feeder is made up of sugar and water and unfortunately, these components are prone to fermentation. It is the sugar in the hummingbird feeder that breaks down eventually. This then causes all kinds of unpleasant things such as mold, bacteria, and fungus to be introduced into the hummingbird feeder.
This ends up contaminating hummingbird feeders. And the last thing we want is for our charming hummingbirds to unintentionally ingest these contaminated nectar solutions. Therefore, cleaning our hummingbird feeder should be encouraged always.
Again, the surrounding temperature is a major factor that contributes to fermentation and the development of different unpleasant things in your hummingbird feeder.
When the temperature is very hot, fermentation occurs more frequently. Hence, ensure you frequently clean your hummingbird feeders and replace them very often. Cleaning feeders regularly and properly reduces the likelihood of diseases spreading at feeding stations.
How Do I Get Rid Of Black Mold On My Hummingbird Feeder?
You may sometimes notice black stuff on your hummingbird feeder. Then you begin to wonder what that is. This black stuff may perhaps be mold. And once you get mold in your feeder, you will require a thorough cleaning method.
Black mold is one annoying element that bothers our hummingbird feeder. But mold mostly shows up on our hummingbird feeder when we don’t properly take care of these feeders. However, there are things you can do to eliminate black mold on your hummingbird feeder.
So, to eliminate mold on your hummingbird feeder, make a diluted solution of solution of ratio 2 parts water to 2 parts of hydrogen peroxide or use white vinegar. Then use this diluted solution to soak and scrub the hummingbird feeder.
Bottle brushes of different sizes should be used to clean to places that are hard to reach in the feeder.
All in all, when using bleach to clean your hummingbird feeder, ensure you try as much as possible to scrub off every last residue of bleach. Use lots of fresh water to rinse off the bleach afterward.
We don’t want our little hummers unintentionally ingesting any bit of bleach that may find its way into the feeder. This is because these little hummers are pretty sensitive to chemicals so we should take good precautions when using bleach as a cleaning method.
Causes Of Black Mold In Hummingbird Feeder
The cause of black mold in the feeder of hummingbirds is as a result of bad maintenance. This bad maintenance usually means you’ve left your feeder up for too long especially during the hot seasons.
How Harmful Is Black Mold To Hummingbirds?
When black mold is noticed on your feeder, it can cause potentially harmful sickness to hummingbirds. This usually causes infection to the tongue of hummingbirds causing their tongue to swell. This swelling up of hummingbird’s tongue is known as hummers Candidiasis.
Their tongue swelling means they will be unable to feed appropriately and this can go on for days. With the daily high energy requirement of hummingbirds that make them feed on nectar that provides them energy; their inability to feed for days can be pretty fetal. Hummingbirds may starve to death eventually.
How Do You Clean A Bird Feeder With Bleach?
When it comes to cleaning your bird feeder or hummingbird feeder with bleach, a solution of nine-part of water to one part bleach should be used. Use this solution to wash the bird feeder well then refill.
What Can I Use To Disinfect My Bird Feeder?
A messy feeder or moldy birdseed is usually a breeding ground for sickness to birds. It is mainly important to always disinfect bird feeders. Doing this won’t give the chance of unpleasant things like mold, fungus, or bacteria to thrive.
To disinfect your bird feeders, you can use 50 to 50 solutions of water and white vinegar. Alternatively, you can use 9 to 1 parts of water and bleach solution to disinfect your bird feeder.
Whether you’re using a solution of white vinegar or bleach solution to disinfect your feeders, ensure you rinse thoroughly after everything. This is to eliminate any residue of these disinfectant solutions.
Other Ways Of Cleaning Hummingbird Feeder
Apart from cleaning hummingbird feeders with bleach, there are other ways you can clean your feeders. They include:
- Using vinegar
One part vinegar and 2 parts water solution can be used to clean your hummingbird feeder. This is one simple and natural method you can go for. Vinegar is great in cleaning, sterilizing, and killing most germs.
- Hot water and a little dish soap
Another way of cleaning hummingbird feeders apart from using bleach is by using hot water and a bit of dish soap.
Although you can make do with just cleaning hummingbird feeder with hot water. But if necessary, you can add a little dish soap to assist sterilize any bacteria in your hummingbird feeder.
Final Thoughts
Not only will your feeder look better when you clean them regularly, then it will also reduce the likelihood of disease spreading.
The sugar in the nectar solution of our feeder is prone to fermentation that encourages the growth of the unpleasant mold. This fermentation is even more pronounced during hot weather days. This is why maintaining a clean feeder is paramount for the health of our sweet little hummers.
There are great ways of cleaning your hummingbird feeder and the use of bleach is one of them. Using the solution of white vinegar is another way of cleaning your feeder.
Eunice is a passionate lover of hummingbirds and all things nature. She loves to observe and study the tiny birds, learning about their unique behaviors and unique features. She has written a number of articles about hummingbirds and their habitats, which have been featured in a variety of publications. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting hummingbird sanctuaries and going on bird–watching trips in her local area. She also volunteers with local wildlife rescue organizations, helping to rehabilitate injured birds. When she’s not outdoors, Eunice can be found writing articles, creating bird–inspired art, and playing the flute.