RSPB Bird Feeder Cleaning Kit
Buy everything you need to keep your bird feeders clean together in a pack, for £9.
Find out more about some of the most pressing threats affecting wild birds and how you can help.
Advice
Keep your garden birds healthy
Outbreak of the disease trichomonosis can be spread by contaminated food and drinking water. By keeping our feeders and bird baths clean, we can help to keep our garden birds, fit, healthy and disease free. Here’s how!
On this page
Greenfinches are in serious trouble, but together we can help by keeping feeding stations clean to stop disease spreading. This beautiful little bird was a common sight in gardens but has seen a dramatic decline of 63% since 1993. It has now been moved from the Birds of Conservation Concern’s green list to the red list. One of the reasons for the decline is because of a severe outbreak of the disease trichomonosis, which can be spread by contaminated food and drinking water.
What you will need:
- Rubber gloves
- Bottle brush
- Sponge
- A bucket of warm soapy water
- An animal safe disinfectant spray
Cleaning your bird feeders
Our step-by-step guide
- Put your gloves on and empty any old food from the feeders into a bin - Do not reuse the food or compost it.
- If possible, take the feeders apart to make them easier to clean.
- With hot soapy water and a brush, scrub and clean the feeders, removing any old food or residue.
- Rinse thoroughly with cold water, preferably outside.
- Let it dry completely, again ideally outside.
- Spray with the disinfectant, following the instructions.
- Rinse again and then let it dry out once more before refilling.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I do it?
At least every few weeks, but ideally once a week if possible.
How long will it take?
Unless you have lots of feeders, no more than 15 minutes.
Can I use bleach?
We recommend using an animal safe disinfectant but a weak solution of domestic bleach can be used as an alternative.
Should I clean my bird bath?
Yes, cleaning any space where birds congregate will help them stay healthy. Ideally, clean water should be provided every day.
What else can I do?
- Don’t overfill feeders – try and make sure they are being emptied every few days.
- If possible, set up several different feeding stations to reduce the number of birds in one place.
- Move your feeders, to prevent the build up of bird food and droppings potentially contaminating the ground below.
- Avoid putting feeders under where birds roost, such as under trees, to avoid droppings.
- If possible clean away any old food or droppings from beneath feeders too.
If I see a sick bird what should I do?
If you think the birds have been affected by disease, it is best to stop feeding for at least two weeks and empty any bird baths. Only start feedings again if you are no longer seeing birds with any signs of disease.
Can I help the sick birds?
Treatment for wild birds is rarely an appropriate action and often it may be in the bird’s interests to be left in the wild.
Please report sickness or death of any garden wildlife to the Garden Wildlife Health (GWH) project. This is a collaborative project between the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Froglife and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), that aims to monitor the health of, and identify disease threats to, British wildlife.
Declines, disease and dangers – the issues facing birds
