Birds won’t want to drink from dirty or stagnant water and if they do, they risk catching harmful diseases and bacteria. To get the best out of your bird bath, keep your local garden birds happy by cleaning it regularly and keeping it topped up with fresh water. To find out how to clean your bird bath, follow our simple step by step method below.

 

Quick Weekly Maintenance Tip

Tip all of the water out of your bird bath and remove any debris. Wipe the bird bath over with a mild cleaning solution and rinse it thoroughly before topping it up with water.

Easy 10 Step Cleaning Method

1. Take out all of the attachments (such as a pump or other objects) and remove any debris or stones from the bird bath.
2. Empty all of the water out of the bird bath. It’s best to empty it either onto the lawn or down the drain so that birds can’t drink the dirty water.
3. Using a garden hose, spray down your bird bath to remove most of the dirt. If you don’t have a hose, use buckets of water instead to thoroughly rinse it down.
4. To make your own cleaning solution, mix 1 part white vinegar to 9 parts water. If you don’t fancy making your own, you could use a pre-made solution like our Fountain Safe Water Feature Cleaner. While you could use soap and water, we wouldn’t recommend it as this won’t remove algae. 
5. Scrub the dish part of the bird bath with your cleaning solution by using a stiff bristled brush. It’s optional to clean the outside of your bird bath but you can do so using the same brush method or wiping it over with a cloth instead.
6. If your bird bath is heavily soiled, leave the liquid to soak for 15 minutes. Cover the bird bath with a bin bag to ensure no birds can accidentally drink from it.
7. After the time has passed, uncover your bird bath and tip the contents somewhere away from children, pets or wild animals. Our Fountain Safe solution is safe for both children and pets.
8. Give the bird bath a final rinse over to remove any leftover residue. 
9. Ideally, leave your bird bath to dry in the sun to help prevent algae forming.
10. Refill your bird bath with fresh water and enjoy bird watching!

Spot Cleaning for Stubborn Stains

For particularly stubborn stains, mix a tablespoon of baking soda with water to make a paste. Scrub this over the stains and thoroughly rinse away. Repeat this step if necessary.

Commonly Asked Questions

Why is it important to clean a bird bath?

Due to fallen leaves, debris, feathers and droppings, bird baths can become very dirty over time. Not only will garden birds be less likely to visit, they’ll also risk catching and transmitting diseases from harmful bacteria if your bird bath isn’t kept clean. You may also find more pests are attracted to your garden, such as rodents.

What is safe to clean a bird bath with?

You can use our step by step guide above with a mix of 1 part vinegar to 9 parts water to clean your bird bath safely. For stubborn stains, try a paste of baking soda and water to scrub dirty patches. Alternatively, our Fountain Safe Cleaner is an already mixed solution that is safe for use on water features and bird baths, causing no harm to children or animals. 

How often should you clean a bird bath?

It’s best to give your bird bath a thorough clean at least a couple of times a year. Although the less you look after your bird bath, the more there will be to clean each time so it’s better to clean it as often as you can with our weekly maintenance method. During the hotter months, you may find that it needs more regular upkeep than during the winter.