Avoid Using These Cleaning Staples On Your Bird Bath & What To Use Instead

Having birds in your yard can have many benefits for your garden as they can act as pollinators and often eat certain insects that can damage plants. Because of this, there are lots of birds that you should be glad to see in your garden, and you may even want to attract more of them by making your outdoor space more inviting. One way to do this is to add a bird bath to your yard in order to provide your avian friends with fresh drinking water and a way to wash and maintain their feathers. However, the one downside of having a bird bath in your yard is that it can quickly become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This is one reason why some people think twice before installing a bird bath; however, this problem can be easily solved with some regular cleaning.

When it comes to cleaning a bird bath, it is important to be careful with the cleaning chemicals you use. While it may be tempting to reach for an insecticide to help kill mosquito eggs or use bleach or another harsh chemical to help kill bacteria, this method is not recommended. The reason for this is that these harsh chemicals and insecticides can easily harm birds. You should also avoid using all synthetic soaps, like dish soaps, as any residue in the bath can strip the oil from a bird's feathers. 

For the health of your garden birds, you should either use just a bristled scrub brush and water or, if the bird bath is particularly dirty, you can add a little bit of diluted vinegar for some extra oomph. A mixture of nine parts water and one part vinegar should do the trick. If you want something more powerful, then you can turn to a biodegradable soap that contains all natural ingredients. However, you will want to do your research to make sure that the soap you choose is truly safe for wildlife before using it.

For more cleaning power, some sources also recommend using a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to scrub your bird bath and remove mineral deposits. That said, if you use anything other than water and a scrub brush on your bird bath when cleaning, it is very important to rinse the bath out well with water and then dry it out with a towel or rag to ensure all residue is gone before refilling it with fresh water for the birds.

However, it is also true that many of us have busy work and home schedules and may not always remember to clean the bird bath as often as necessary (once a week). If that's the case, then one hack to help prevent mosquitoes in the bird bath and also disrupt algae growth is to add a water agitator or fountain to assist in water circulation. With this method, you will still need to regularly clean your bird bath, but you will at least buy yourself a little more time and keep the water fresher for longer.