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Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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Posted by DebbyO z5bIN (My Page) on Wed, Aug 25, 04 at 9:49
| I saw a post on gardenweb not too long ago,... but can not find it any more using the search option. I was wondering what is the best sure fire way to keep a bird bath from becoming so grungy and scummy during the growing season? I just cleaned mine the other day, and frankly it was beyond nasty. The algae was so think in it. I try to empty it every 3 days and add fresh water,...(to keep the water clean & avoid mosquitos) and but the algae is relentless. It just keeps getting worse. Is there a natural way to curtail the growth? And what are some of the safer means to clean the bird bath, when I can't stand it anymore? I tried a scrub brush, and a scraper this time, but I was wondering if there are some natural products out there I can use to make the job easier and more complete? Baking soda maybe?
Please advise if you can. ;o)
Thanks and sincerely,
Debby O |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Debby: Luckily I haven't had a problem with my birdbath so far. But if you go to your local pet store, you should be able to find an algae inhibitor. It's safe for fish and other pets, so it won't harm the birds if they drink it. I've used it in my aquarium with some success. It's not that expensive- probably $3 or $4 for a small bottle. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Ok thanks. ;o) That was a very fast repsonse! I appreciate the advice. I thought I had also read that one can put some lavender sprigs in the bird bath to minimize the algae growth. Is there any founded truth to that? Have you ever heard of that? Also, do you think baking soda is safe to use to clean the bird bath when it needs a thorough cleaning? It seems like it would be safer for the birds etc,... than maybe ammonia, clorine bleach or ajax cleanser. Thanks, Deb |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I was wondering the same thing. I did read someplace to throw a few pennies in it, because the copper retards the algae. I'm doing that, and it seems to help somewhat. The algae inhibitor from the pet store sounds good, too. Donna |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Treat your bird bath with bleach first (which will kill every algae around). Rinse well, and add fresh water. The problem is algae inhibitors may not be too good for birds to drink. YOu didn't mention how deep is the bath, but if you can bring in an aquatic plant that produces oxygen, it would help to prevent algae growth (regrowth). |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Besides bleach being good for cleaning there are donut things you can buy that inhibit the growth of mosquito larva and it will not hurt the birds. A tad of bleach won't either. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Thanks for the extra tips ;o) The idea of an aquatic plant is an interesting one. That would be very cool for many reasons. I have a pretty deep bird bath too,...... have you actually tried the aquatic plant method? I did clean the bird bath out with some bleach water and scrubbed it as much as I could.
I just didn't know how the bleach would affect the birds.
I figured I would rinse it out as best as I could and let it dry in the sun for a day. Now I can throw in a penny in for good measure (good luck), and hopefully we are good to go! ;o) Deb |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| When it comes to algae, let me tell you that it's tricky. There are the regular algae in which you can keep in check with fresh aerated water (lots of oxygen) and then there's the types that can suddenly bloom on you and get your water quite stagnant. The blue green algae is one such algae. It is very foul smelling and grows in thick slimy sheets. Interestingly, it is not a true plant form but somewhere half bacterium and half plant -- which is why, another way to kill off this type of algae is to use fish antibiotics. Antibiotics kill off bacteria. I'm an aquarium owner - I have what is called a nature aquarium, meaning I grow plants in it and have fish more for the decorative aspect of it. As I was growing, my parents kept at least 2 large fish ponds which had loads of valesneria(spelling), hygrophilla, water lettuce, water hyacinths, lilies and papyrus. There was no serious problems in algae. Algae is not somehting you can prevent, but only that you can keep in check. Algae spores travel through air and also in water. When it the conditions are right, they will grow quickly. They love low oxygen, stagnant conditions, and loads of sunlight. Also bird poops just adds to the conditions they will thrive in. There should be several type of pond plants that can grow in your bird bath and help to produce oxygen. Why don't you go and check your local pond suppliers for ideas if you wish to go with this idea. Or..... Another thought other than plant is to place a small fountain in your bird bath. That should be enough to oxygenate the water and help clear it of algae. There are several small types around that wouldn't be difficult to install. Ianna |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I spray mine with Tilex,then hose it off with water..done |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Brillo pads, and if it gets really icky - bleach! Sheila |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I found that scrubbing with toothpaste worked better than Brillo pads. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I have an unfinished cement birdbath that has this same problem. The more the birds use it, the harder it is to clean. But since I have to fill it with water at least every other day, I just bought a scrub-brush from Walmart and scrub it out every time I fill it with water. I had to try a couple of scrub brushes before I found the one that works the best. My birdbath has a raised design on the inside, so the best brush for me is one with a long handle, bristles that are plastic and round like a half-baseball, and a small 1-2 inch long brass-bristle scrubber. I think they called it a potscrubber and it cost me about $2. The brass bristles are the best for getting down inside the design and cleaning out the mold. Now it takes me just a couple of minutes every day or two to keep the birdbath clean. If you wait until it gets really dirty, though, it's much harder to clean. I would be very hesitant to use any kind of chemical cleaner, even bleach or toothpaste. Our wild birds are already exposed to more than enough chemicals, in my opinion. I have also wondered whether adding a glaze or finish to the inside surface of the birdbath might help. I have a glazed pottery one, but I've been using it as a pot base for the last few years (it's impossible to find anything else big enough to fit under some of my large pots). I've never noticed mold or algae growing on the edges of this ceramic birdbath (that's all I can see for the pot.) |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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- Posted by Pesky1 7, Pacific NW (My Page) on
Wed, Sep 22, 04 at 15:13
| Putting a sealer will help make it easier to clean. Frequent scrubbings with a brush and the occasional bleach water solution and let it dry in the sun for a day should help. Mostly keeping the water fresh by using a dripper is the best bet. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Pennies work great for me. I put 3 copper pennies in mine and only have to dump the water to put fresh water in. It keeps any dirt very loose and does not stick to the cement. Try it!!! It sounds to easy, but it works... |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I have a bird bath question also. Mine is made of concrete that seems to be extremely porous. Is there something I can paint on that will keep it from being so porous but will not hurt the birds? |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| The chlorine in bleach will evaporate in no time after cleaning and rinsing, especially if your birdbath is in the sun, and is not going to be around long enough to harm anything. I'm glad this thread got started as I am having the same problem and am tired of scrubbing. Prevention of bloom to start with would be great. Mike |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I must be the only person who power-washes my birdbaths, My resident algae is reddish brown and sticks like glue. No amount of scrubbing removes it, short of power washing. I make mosaic bird baths and if the tesserae can stand up to a power wash, I figure it's a keeper! |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I use vinegar once every two weeks. My bird bath is a terra cotta planter resevoir -- and it can get a buildup of salts from our alkaline water. I remove the birdbath, dump in some vinegar and let it soak an hour. Come out, scrub it out with a toilet brush and rinse it out. Works great at that nasty stuff from the bird doo. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Apple cider vinegar is good for the birds, a source of vitamins and minerals. It also keeps the algae and slime down. I got this from a poultry forum, and have been using it in my bird waterers now. Just a teaspoon or so in a gallon. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I just put a piece of copper pipe in my birdbath and it stayed clean all summer. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I use a terracotta saucer as a birdbath and it gets green fast. I dump the water. Add a teaspoon of baking soda with enough water to make a thin paste. Crumple up a plastic grocery bag, or similar item I was going to throw away anyhow. Use the crumpled bag to scrub out the algae with the paste of soda and water. Takes just a few seconds. Rinse out the soda with clear water. Soda is a mild abrasive. You could then rinse with vinegar and water which dissolves any soda traces and also kills germs. I read somewhere that straight vinegar kills more germs than lysol but there is no money selling vinegar as a cleaner. If you want to test how well vinegar dissolves soda, wash your stovetop with baking soda and water. Rinse well. Let it dry. The stovetop will still have a baking soda 'haze' that is almost impossible to rinse away. Now sprinkle the stove top with a bit of vinegar and wipe down with a wet sponge. Rinse off with water. The soda haze will be gone and the stove will sparkle |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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- Posted by shirl36 zone 5 Illinois (My Page) on
Sun, Jan 23, 05 at 18:09
Our birdbath got to looking so bad I was seriously thinking of doing away with it....Mentioned this to our daughter and she said she heard put a copper penny in it.
Well I cleaned it one day, filled with new water and dropped the 4 " copper tube my husband had cut for me....Last summer the birdbath looked good, When watering the flowers I would swish out the old water and fill with new. I am a believer in that copper story. Saf |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Kaymidga, to answer you question about a porous birdbath, I found a type of paint/sealant just for that purpose. I don’t remember the brand name, but found it in the paint isle of a home improvement mega store. It is specifically for sealing water prone areas like pools. My concrete birdbath would empty itself after a few days due to a hairline crack, after applying the sealant two years ago it’s not leaked since. Also, I can’t wait to try some of the great ideas posted to keep alge down! Hurrah! I had given up on it being clean between scrubbings. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| Does it matter where you put the birdbath? Does it get more algea in full sun........part sun.........shade? I just got one for sweetheart's day and don't know where to put it..... |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I hope that copper trick works. I mosaiced my old birdbath and made a couple of the pieces pennies |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I put water plants in mine . I gathered them when we took the canoe out on the river last month. I have water lettuce and a water hyacinth and some other tiny green plants. It has been three weeks and the plants are still alive and the bird bath is clean. I just keep adding more water. Funny thing- the birds don't seem to mind the plants at all. I had a robin and two gray tufted titmice there yesterday -- all splashing around at the same time ! Sometime soon I will have to gather more but only because the birds splash them over the sides. Some one else suggested this and it really works- especially if you live in a warm climate. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| I've found bleach to be the only real help and then, in my case at least, it only lasts for a few days; and of course the bath should be thoroughly rinsed before putting it out again. The pennies/copper idea is interesting, presuming that it doesn't harm the birds at all. I guess if the bath is flushed and renewed every day it should be ok. Must try that. Bob |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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- Posted by lellie z9 Anna Maria Island (My Page) on
Fri, Jun 1, 07 at 19:47
I must be the obsessive-compulsive type (LOL), cause I empty, rinse and refill my birdbaths every day.
I normally put a half a bucket of water from the pool in them along with tap water...seems to keep down the algae.
I'll be adding a couple of pennies and some water plants........what a capital idea! |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| pennies dated before 1982 are 95% copper. 1982 and later are 97.5% zinc. So use copper pipe instead. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| A million thanks to the person who suggested copper! We have 2 solar powered birdbaths that were just disgusting from the algae. I had tried everything I could think of — scrubbing them every day, and periodically cleaning them with vinegar or Clorox. Nothing worked. I went to the hardware store and got some copper tubing and put a circle of about 18" in each birdbath last weekend. The results have been nothing short of miraculous! Not only did the algae stop growing, but every day a little bit more of it scrubs off the bottom of the birdbaths. It's even coming up out of the little indentations where the scrubby doesn't reach. The birds don't seem to be bothered in the least by seeing it either. (I did have some concern that it might say "SNAKE" to them, but apparently not.) It sounds like an old wives' tale, but it works like a charm. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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- Posted by kaia Zone 8 (My Page) on
Tue, Sep 1, 09 at 0:24
I have had a terrible time all summer long keeping my new bird bath clean. I have had another bird bath for years without any problems but it has been in the shade of a large pine tree and the new one, I put in the sun very near my bird feeders. I just cleaned out the bath tonight & I am going to try the copper penny - sometimes the "old wives' tales" are the best, greenest and most frugal hints of all! I love them! Thanks for the suggestions.
I know this is a bit off the subject but does anyone have any suggestions on ridding the bird bath of the yellow-jackets? I have them in the water ALL DAY LONG and worry that someone is going to get stung! I have counted more than 18 at one time getting water. We have grandchildren here a lot and it's hard to keep them away from the bird bath. Thanks for any help. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| re yellow-jackets: If you can find their nest (see where they are coming and going from the ground since they nest underground), you can kill them by pouring something down the hole after dark (I think my DH used a little bit of gasoline which may not be so environmentally sound, but we couldn't risk the yellow-jackets stinging wee neighbors or stinging me when I inadvertently got too close to the nest which had happened before-use a flashlight!), then cover the hole with a narrow-necked empty bottle (beer bottles are perfect because you can kind of twist it down into the soil) to keep the fumes or whatever in. That got rid of the entire colony for us and we haven't had another since, luckily. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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I agree with cleaning them with vinegar. I keep hummingbird feeders and thats what I clean them with. I dont think bleach would be very healthy. I will have to try the copper trick tho. I have a 3 tiered fountain that is constantly getting algae.
tammy |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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| For all of the scientific minded out there... not me... I recall hearing that with a copper ring or connected band creates some type of current ( not much by any means ) that is just enough to keep algae at bay. This holds true, if true, for A/C drainage/ condensation pipes. Something like this also works around the base of tomato plants for slugs or something. Now that I think of it, I think it was an A/C repair guy from a church I use to work at. He had the top end of the drain pipe copper then pvc after that... anyway.. I hope you all have good success. |
RE: Keeping/cleaning a bird bath
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- Posted by kimcoco Zone 5, Wisconsin (My Page) on
Thu, Nov 12, 09 at 14:43
| I read that scrubbing with silica sand, found at your local hardware store, helps to remove the algae without the use of harsh chemicals of course. This isn't a preventive, but a good cleaning tip. I'm going to try the copper trick in the spring. |
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