Best way to clean Hummingbird feeder
What is needed to clean a hummingbird feeder in a proper yet effective manner is not really much, with a simple dish soap needed.
Best way to clean a hummingbird feeder is by dunking it in a hot soapy bowl of water for up to 20 minutes; in this time the residue can be softened up to wipe away, while it is sure to clean up any sticky nectar. Clean the interior or exterior with a soft bristle brush, while using a vinegar disinfect to kill germs.
Unfortunately there can be a down side to feeding hummingbirds in a feeder within your yard, unless of course you commit to cleaning your feeder up to three times a week.
Its vital then you know the best way to clean a hummingbird feeder that is quick, easy and with no extra cost involved... and too avoid you getting bored in the process.
Refer to my top hummingbird feeder cleaning tips as it goes into more detail, but here I hope to outline only the simplest yet most cost effective ways you can clean a feeder.
To clean a hummingbird feeder is essential, or else you can attract bees and other insects, or indeed the scent can be picked up by bears who do drink its sugary contents - so keep the feeder clean regularly as to prevent pests.
With many types of hummingbird feeders featuring various bug and insect deterrents, its important to clean any built-in ant moat or indeed a suspended-style ant moat that hangs above nectar-filled feeders.
In addition, individual bee guards must be thoroughly cleaned, to rid it of mold which can develop here and within other insect deterrents.
What you only need to focus on is only washing out the hummingbird feeder in a soapy bubble bath, using a cheap dish soap.
Nectar is basically sugar water, so if you clean the feeder as often as you can, the sugar content can be washed out with soapy water only, rather than committing to something more stronger, with cleaning equipment needed.
Mold can grow on the interior of a hummingbird feeder just as mold can be seen on the outside, its important then to avoid this by cleaning the feeder two to three times weekly.
Optional is a disinfectant of a specialty bird feeder cleaning agent, or you can use a simple to make at home part vinegar solution, as the acid can kill germs or lift off grime.
Submerge feeder in bowl
Quite possibly the best way to clean a hummingbird feeder, is to submerge it in a bowl of hot soapy water.
This method alone as you may know is not going to be enough to clean and disinfect a hummingbird feeder, but its certainly a start.
Unlike regular bird feeders for hard peanuts, sticky seeds or greasy suet; hummingbird feeders in effect only hold sugar water. In a way then you only need to clean hummingbird feeders by submerging it in a soapy bath.
It would need to be a long soapy bath as to lift off the sugar that sticks to the inner feeding wells, but overall it can be all you need if you clean the feeder twice weekly.
Give the hummingbird feeder a bath for up to 20 minutes, and if the water temperature lowers quicker than you need to refill or top off with fresh boiling water.
Don't waste any time once you remove the hummingbird feeder out of its soapy bath, as you don't want the left over soap to settle in hard to reach places. Its vital you wash the complete feeder through a water only bath.
No nonsense soap dish only
While its possible to use something a little more stronger to clean with, such as a bleach formula for an hummingbird feeder, all that is needed is plain old soap dish.
Make no mistake, soap dish is designed to kill off bacteria while washing away germs on the surface of the dishes and cutlery we use to feed off.
Why then shouldn't generic soap dish be used for what hummingbirds use to feed off.
Soap dish quality can have its say with only well known household brands a must, with no skimping on how much you use.
Simply use how much dish soap you pour into the sink to do the washing up, and so this is all that's needed for a thorough hummingbird feeder clean.
Hummingbird feeders can get quite messy, but this can relate to a residue build up only, its therefore easy enough to wash off this sticky mess with dish soap.
Soft bristle brush or rag
What equipment is used to clean a hummingbird feeder with must be considered, but a soft bristle brush or a soft rag is a safe bet.
Hummingbird feeders made with a clear plastic tube that holds the sugary water can indeed be damaged with a hard brush, or indeed to brush to vigorously can scratch up the inside of the tube.
To wash the inside of the clear plastic tube go carefully, but do use a soft bristle brush as its likely to leave a fine but visible mark, as seen under certain lighting.
What applies less is washing a made in plastic hummingbird feeder exterior, but you can be a little more forceful as you'd need to clear off the sticky mess that can attract bees to it - all while making sure to remove any bacteria.
To clean a made in glass hummingbird feeder is made far easier, as the glass can hold a vigorous wash with no marks or scratches possible.
And so to if the red glass hummingbird feeder is made with a metal exterior, to which can be clean thoroughly but do be careful of any delicate parts.
Remove soap residue
What is essentially the best way to clean a hummingbird feeder can become your worse enemy, with soap residue a big issue in cleaning anything.
When you clean a feeder, or a hummingbird feeder in partially is the long soak in a hot bubble bath to allow the soapy water - and so to the bubbles - in hard to reach areas and so too as areas go unnoticed.
And while you'd naturally wash off soap on a feeder as you would on drinking glasses to prevent rings or spots - this can be overlooked with a hummingbird feeder.
Feeders for hummingbird do have few areas that are hard to reach, so therefore often forgotten.
What you must do then is focus on clearing out the feeding well ports of any soap residue, by filling up the nectar bottle with clean hot water, while splashing it through the wells if it doesn't empty on its own.
In this process the soap will be washed away so you don't prevent hummingbirds feeding if soap mixes in with their nectar.
Optional sanitization
Dish soap is the best and safest way you can clean a hummingbird feeder, with even the kids joining in.
What is not so safe is using a part 1 to 9 bleach cleaning solution. Effective as the bleach solution is, it can be risky to a hummingbirds health if remnants of any bleach residue is not washed away.
Similar to cleaning up soap residue, but left over bleach can indeed be deadly.
Bleach with kill off germs with any bacteria present, so to will it lift off any hard to remove muck - as seen on the outside of the hummingbird feeder.
To be safe I recommend you forget cleaning hummingbird feeders with bleach, while going for the safer for birds, and you as it happens - a part 50 vinegar to part 50 water.
Clean the feeder as you would with dish soap first to soften up any stubborn grime, allow to dry a little then wash the hummingbird feeder through with a cleaning agent made in a less smelly, white vinegar
To clean a hummingbird feeder with vinegar uses a powerful solution of acetic acid.
Obviously, this vinegar solution would need washing off again, as it could have lasting smells.
Conclusion
While hummingbird feeders tend to hold a no nonsense sugary water blend, its only the sugar residue that needs cleaning up.
To deal with that, you need to submerge the feeder in a hot soapy bowl of water using a generic dish soap if you wish.
Up to 20 minute soak would be needed, but a little scrub with a soft bristle brush or a rag if you can to reach the interior - could be needed to wipe off any marks.
Less so an issues with glass hummingbird feeder but a hassle with all plastic feeders.
Once the 20 minutes or so is up, quickly wash the hummingbird feeder with running hot or cold water to wash off any hard to see or reach soap residue.
Best way to clean a hummingbird feeder is with a soft bristle brush as to prevent the hard brush type damaging the soft plastic body or nectar bottle - while a soft rag can be used if a brush is not available to you.
Soap residue must be wash off as it risks doing just as much damage as the grime.
And that is all you need really need to know to clean an hummingbird feeder the best way you can.
But I would leave you with the suggestion of using a part vinegar, part water solution to remove stubborn grime, while killing off any bacteria present.
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