Spring is when you are likely to see more birds in your garden, so it is important to check your birdbaths now before spring to keep your local wildlife healthy.
Birds visit gardens more frequently in spring, so now is the time to clean your birdbath(Image: Getty)
Maintaining a birdbath stands as the most crucial way to support birds throughout winter, providing them with water access when ponds and puddles have iced over. Yet, with spring only weeks away, gardeners must recognise that birdbaths can cause illness or even prove fatal to birds if neglected during this period.
Bacterial development typically slows in colder conditions, but as temperatures rise, germs, algae and even mould will proliferate rapidly in stagnant water. Tracy Crosland, a gardener known online as Hey Honeysuckle, has revealed that drawing birds to your garden can be “as simple as cleaning the birdbath”, since they won’t drink from dirty water.
It’s worth noting that most conventional cleaning products aren’t suitable for birdbaths, as they can leave harmful residues, making vinegar a far simpler solution.
Birdbaths often become overgrown with algae during the winter months, which can harbor and spread disease among birds in the spring(Image: Getty)
Tracey explained: “Vinegar is a great natural cleaning agent for your birdbath…and is safe for your birds. I always make sure I rinse well after cleaning. And I don’t dump straight vinegar into my soil. Instead, I water it down considerably before dumping.”
Vinegar is non-toxic, making it safe around wildlife, whilst its high acidity means it’ll break down algae and other dirt with minimal effort, reports the Express.
It’s also antibacterial, meaning it can eliminate germs, destroy mould spores, and thoroughly clean a birdbath without resorting to harsher alternatives like bleach. Birdbaths ought to be cleaned at the beginning of March, precisely when prime bird season kicks off, as feathered visitors will be more drawn to gardens once insects and seeds begin emerging.
A neglected birdbath filled with winter debris can turn into a hotbed for illnesses such as Salmonella, which can rapidly spread and damage your local bird population.
White vinegar is the best product to clean a birdbath as it is non-toxic and antibacterial(Image: Getty)
How to clean a birdbath properly
Cleaning a birdbath is remarkably straightforward and should take around 10 to 15 minutes, as all that’s required is a bottle of white vinegar, typically available in the condiment section of any supermarket.
Start by emptying all the water from the birdbath and clearing away any debris, including leaves or twigs. Then, use a hosepipe or a bucket of water to rinse the birdbath and eliminate any algae accumulation.
Following this, combine one part vinegar with three parts warm water in a bucket. Pour the mixture into the birdbath and use a sponge to gently scrub the surface.
If your birdbath is especially dirty, pour some vinegar straight over the bowl, allow it to sit for 10 minutes, then scrub once more. The white vinegar will have broken down much of the grime, making the cleaning process simpler.
Lastly, rinse the birdbath multiple times with fresh water until the vinegar smell has completely disappeared. You’ll then have a sparkling birdbath, prepared to be refilled for spring.
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