| Just like any other piece of outdoor equipment, your | | | | of bleach into one gallon of water, then scrub the |
| bird bath will need to be cleaned time to time. In | | | | bird bath well. Be sure not to use a stronger solution |
| order to prevent your fine feathered friends from | | | | or any other chemicals or cleaners on your bird bath. |
| becoming ill, be sure to clean your bird bath at least a | | | | Also, avoid using common dish soap to clean your |
| couple times each season, especially if you regularly | | | | bird bath, as any algae growing in the basin will not |
| store you bird bath during the winter months. Also, it | | | | be killed. |
| is critical you use bird-friendly cleaning products, as | | | | 4.) Soak the bath: If your bird bath is especially dirty |
| those used to clean pools or pond can potentially | | | | or has a large amount of algae growth, let the bleach |
| cause birds to become sick or even die due to the | | | | solution sit in the basin of the bath. Be sure to cover |
| chlorine and other chemicals in these harsh cleaning | | | | the bird bath with a piece of wood or plastic so that |
| agents. When cleaning your bird bath, follow these | | | | birds will not mistake the solution for water. After |
| five easy steps to ensure the bath is clean and | | | | allowing the solution to sit approximately 15 minutes, |
| ready for your local birds to bathe and play. | | | | scrub the basin again with the brush. If the basin is |
| 1.) Empty the bath: Tip the bird bath to the side or | | | | still not clean, repeat this step using fresh solution. |
| remove the drain plug on the underside of the bird | | | | 5.) Rinse the bath: After your bath is clean, be sure |
| bath. Ensure you remove all dirt, leaves, and other | | | | to thoroughly rinse the bleach solution from the basin. |
| debris that may be in the bath before continuing. | | | | If any bleach is allowed to remain in the bird bath, |
| 2.) Rinse the bath: Use a water hose (preferably one | | | | the birds that bath from the basin may potentially fall |
| with a high-pressure nozzle) to spray the bird bath | | | | ill. Many bird bath owners choose to keep their bird |
| down. You may need to do this a couple times until | | | | bath covered for a couple of hours so that fresh |
| the water draining from your bird bath is clear. | | | | water can sit in the basin. |
| 3.) Scrub the bath: Take a stiff brush and begin to | | | | 6.) Refill the bath: Once the bird bath is clean and |
| scrub the bird bath. For algae or any stubborn stains, | | | | thoroughly rinsed, refill the basin with clean, fresh |
| mix up a weak bleach solution. Mix three-fourths cup | | | | water. |