3 Ways To Clean A Hummingbird Feeder - WikiHow

Home » How To Clean A Hummingbird Feeder » 3 Ways To Clean A Hummingbird Feeder - WikiHow

Maybe your like

Skip to ContentQuizzes
  • Home
  • Random
  • Browse Articles
  • Quizzes & Games
  • All QuizzesHot
  • Love Quizzes
  • Personality Quizzes
  • Fun Games
  • Dating Simulator
  • Learn Something New
  • Forums
  • Courses
  • Happiness Hub
  • Explore More
  • Support wikiHow
  • About wikiHow
  • Log in / Sign up
Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Clean a Hummingbird Feeder PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Jeff Jones

Last Updated: July 3, 2025 Fact Checked

PDF download Download Article
  • Doing a Routine Cleaning
    • |
  • Treating Mold
    • |
  • Maintaining Your Feeder
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Expert Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Warnings
    • |
  • Things You'll Need
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Jeff Jones. Jeff Jones is a Bird Specialist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the writer of BirdOculars, a website dedicated to helping people become better birders. He has over 18 years of experience and specializes in feeding birds and wildlife. Jeff experiments to find ways to encourage birds he wants to study and his website helps others to do the same. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 210,486 times.

A hummingbird feeder should be cleaned regularly to make sure it's safe for birds. Rinse the feeder with hot water each time it is filled. For regular cleanings, you can boil your feeders in a pot of water if they can handle that without deforming. This removes sugar residue well. Rinse the feeder after boiling because some sugar liquid will remain in the water used to boil. If your feeder can't be boiled then you will need to use mild cleaners such as white vinegar or peroxide more often. However, in the event you see black mold, you will need to soak with vinegar and peroxide for a longer time — until the residue has been destroyed. Alternatively, you can use diluted bleach but it is very important to remove all bleach residue before refilling the feeder. Work on maintaining the cleaner after cleaning it by changing the nectar regularly and deep cleaning it once a month. If you don't keep the nectar fresh it will ferment. This will damage the birds' organs. Fermented liquid can remain clear. You can't rely on cloudiness to tell you it's time to change it. Black mold will happen if a feeder has been neglected even more and it will kill the birds more quickly than spoiled nectar will.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Doing a Routine Cleaning

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Pour out all the nectar. 1 Pour out all the nectar. As you likely stock your feeder with nectar, make sure to remove that before cleaning the feeder. You should simply pour the nectar down the drain. Once birds have fed in the liquid it will contain mold and other contaminants so do not save unused sugar liquid from inside of the feeders. You can make more nectar later with simple sugar and water or restock the feeder with store-bought nectar. If your buy nectar from a store choose the colorless kind, not the kind that is dyed red. Birds are attracted to the red feeder parts and do not need to ingest unnecessary petroleum dyes. The birds prefer cane sugar over beet sugar and you should never use anything except cane or beet sugar.[1]
  2. Step 2 Disassemble the feeder. 2 Disassemble the feeder. You may need the manufacturer's guidelines to disassemble your feeder. However, disassembling a feeder is often self-explanatory. You can usually see the knobs and screws that must be undone to take the feeder part.
    • If you are at all unsure, however, you should consult the guidelines to make sure you do not damage your feeder. If you lost the guidelines, you can type the name of your feeder into a search engine. You may be able to find a copy of the guidelines online. Some feeders, though, recommend using soap. Soap is not effective at removing black mold and soap is hard to remove without leaving residue that will harm the birds' stomachs.
    Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Select a cleaner. 3 Select a cleaner. Usually, bleach is not necessary unless there is black mold in the feeder. For the most part, weaker cleaners like peroxide and vinegar work best as they're less likely to leave behind harmful residue.[2]
    • Unless you see mold, opt for white vinegar or 3% hydrogen peroxide as your cleaner. Vinegar should be diluted with water. Use two parts water to one part vinegar.
    • You can also use simple dish soap. However, you should boil your feeder in a large pot of water to remove all soap residue because even a small amount of soap damages the stomach lining of the birds by attacking the stomach cells. If your feeder can't be boiled without deformation then don't use soap or use very little and soak the feeder in a large pot of water, stirring occasionally. Then rinse it very thoroughly.
  4. Step 4 Soak your feeder. 4 Soak your feeder. Fill up your sink with your chosen cleaner. Allow your feeder to soak for several hours. This will remove any toxins and make it easier to scrub off any grime.
  5. Step 5 Scrub down the interior of your feeder. 5 Scrub down the interior of your feeder. You will need a thin bottle brush to get into the various nooks and crannies of the feeder. Scrub the interior of your feeder with the bottle brush. You want to remove any nectar or sugar residue, as this can spoil and contaminate new nectar. Boiling the feeder, if it can be boiled without deforming, is a way of removing sugar residue without scrubbing. If you prefer not to scrub and have some mold, you can soak the feeder in an active chemical bath like vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. If soaked long enough, all biofilms (mold and such) should be destroyed. Remember that scrubbing does not always remove microscopic material.
    • After being soaked, residue should come off easily. You should not have to scrub with too much force.
  6. Step 6 Rinse the feeder completely. 6 Rinse the feeder completely. Rinse the feeder under hot, running tap water. Rinse each part of the feeder until the water runs clear. It's very important to rinse the feeder completely in order to keep harmful residue from getting into hummingbird nectar.
  7. Step 7 Allow it to dry completely. 7 Allow it to dry completely. Set the feeder in a dry, safe place in your home. Allow it to air dry completely before reassembling it and putting it back in place. How long this will take depends on the humidity of your region. It can take anywhere from a few hours to overnight.
    8. Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Treating Mold

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Dilute your bleach. 1 Dilute your bleach. If there is black mold in your hummingbird feeder, you will need to clean it with bleach, peroxide, or vinegar. You should never use bleach without diluting it first, as this can be dangerous.[3] You should also make sure to wear gloves when handling bleach and have adequate ventilation. Vinegar and peroxide are weaker so they will take longer to remove the black mold. However, they have the advantage of not creating toxic dioxin chemicals by reacting with organic compounds like sugar.
    • To dilute bleach, mix a quarter cup of bleach with a gallon of water. It's easiest to put your bleach and water in a large bucket.
  2. Step 2 Soak the feeder in the bleach for an hour. 2 Soak the feeder in the bleach for an hour. This is important to remove any mold and spores that could potentially harm hummingbirds. Submerge all parts of your bird feeder in the bleach solution.[4] Allow them to sit for an hour.
    • Remember to wear gloves when working with bleach.
  3. Step 3 Clean the feeder with a bottle brush. 3 Clean the feeder with a bottle brush. Keeping your gloves on, remove the parts of the bird feeder from the bleach. Clean each part of the feeder with a bottle brush.
    • Make sure to scrub off any traces of black mold. You do not want any black mold on the feeder when you put it back in place.
    • Where gloves for the duration of the cleaning process.
  4. Step 4 Rinse the feeder thoroughly. 4 Rinse the feeder thoroughly. It's vital to rinse the feeder as bleach can be dangerous to birds. Run the feeder under hot water until the water runs clear. Because bleach reacting with organic compounds like sugar can create very toxic dioxin chemicals, it is highly-recommended to boil the feeder in a large pot of water after rinsing it to ensure all traces of bleach residue are removed. If your feeder has a type of plastic that cannot be boiled then soak the feeder in a large pot of water for several hours, stirring periodically.
  5. Step 5 Refill the feeder. 5 Refill the feeder. After bleaching a feeder, you do not need to let it air dry. You can simply refill it and put it back in place. However, if the feeder is very wet, you can pat it dry slightly with a towel before putting it back in place.
    6. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Maintaining Your Feeder

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Clean the feeder at the right frequency, depending on the season. 1 Clean the feeder at the right frequency, depending on the season. In the warmer months, feeders will need to be cleaned more often. In 90F or higher weather it may even be necessary to replace the liquid twice daily. Fermentation happens very quickly. Do not place hummingbird feeders in locations where they receive direct sunlight as it greater speeds up spoilage. In weather with temperatures in the 80s it is a good idea to change the liquid daily. In the 70s the liquid may last more than a day. Remember, you can't rely on liquid cloudiness to know it's time to change the liquid. Clear-looking liquid can be too fermented already. Beer looks clear but it's extremely fermented. [5]
    • Check the hummingbird feeder each morning and evening. If it looks yellow or you see bugs in the nectar, change it.[6]
  2. Step 2 Replace the nectar regularly. 2 Replace the nectar regularly. Watch the nectar closely and throw it away when necessary. How long nectar lasts depends on the ambient temperature, how clean the feeder was before it was refilled, how many ports are open to let air in, and whether or not it gets direct sunlight.
    • In high heat situations or when the feeder is in direct sunlight, nectar can go bad in less than a day.
    • At a minimum, you'll need to change the nectar every 3-5 days.[7]
  3. Step 3 Deep clean the feeder at least once every seven days in hot weather. 3 Deep clean the feeder at least once every seven days in hot weather. Check the feeder periodically for a greasy residue. This can indicate that there is black mold. The feeder should be boiled, if it is made of parts that can be boiled, more often than it is deep-cleaned. When you deep clean the feeder periodically you have the option of boiling the feeder three times in a row for 30 minutes each time, allowing it to cool. This will kill mold spores which are very resistant to being killed by boiling. You can also soak the feeder in hydrogen peroxide or vinegar for an hour or more. If you notice black mold growing on the feeder that is especially bad and requires soaking in vinegar, peroxide, or a 1 part bleach 10 parts water liquid. You should not see any black mold on the feeder after soaking. If you see it then continue to soak until it has dissolved.
    4. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search Add New Question
  • Question How often should you clean your feeder? Jeff Jones Jeff Jones Bird Specialist Jeff Jones is a Bird Specialist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the writer of BirdOculars, a website dedicated to helping people become better birders. He has over 18 years of experience and specializes in feeding birds and wildlife. Jeff experiments to find ways to encourage birds he wants to study and his website helps others to do the same. Jeff Jones Jeff Jones Bird Specialist Expert Answer Clean it at least once a month with a 10% bleach solution. You can also use vinegar. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 8
  • Question How often should you change the nectar? Jeff Jones Jeff Jones Bird Specialist Jeff Jones is a Bird Specialist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the writer of BirdOculars, a website dedicated to helping people become better birders. He has over 18 years of experience and specializes in feeding birds and wildlife. Jeff experiments to find ways to encourage birds he wants to study and his website helps others to do the same. Jeff Jones Jeff Jones Bird Specialist Expert Answer Check your hummingbird feeder each morning and evening, and change the nectar if it looks yellow or if there are dead bugs in it. Otherwise, change it every 3-5 days. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 11
  • Question Can I keep extra hummingbird nectar in my refrigerator? Community Answer Community Answer Yes, but I would not recommend keeping the nectar for more than one week. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 0 Helpful 20
See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Video

Tips

  • Have several feeders, so that you can have at least one in use and one ready to substitute while the other one is clean. That way, you won't feel tempted to postpone cleaning the one in use. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
  • To make cleaning easier and to ensure most of the nectar is consumed between feeds, only fill the feeder partially full. You will need to monitor the feeders to determine how little can be added before they are run dry by the birds' feeding. The goal is to find the least amount of nectar that can be used, to minimize waste, while also not leaving the birds with a dry feeder. For many smaller feeders, one third full is enough in northern areas where birds are territorial. For areas with communal southern species, more liquid may be needed because more birds will share the feeder. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • A dirty feeder can grow mold, which can harm or kill the hummingbirds. Clean nectar feeders regularly. Fermentation happens even more quickly than black mold growth. Even clear liquid can be fermented. You should be able to smell it if you open the feeder after the liquid has begun to ferment. Hummingbirds are very small and fermented liquid is bad for them, not just black mold. And, contrary to popular belief, you can't wait until the liquid is cloudy to know it's time for it to be changed. Clear-looking liquid can be too fermented for the health of the birds. Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 1
  • City water has chlorine gas or chloramine in it. Boiling the water or leaving it out to evaporate the chlorine out of does not work with chloramine. It stays dissolved. Well water is sometimes contaminated with arsenic in agricultural areas as well as other chemicals. Well water also often contains too much iron for the birds. Thanks Helpful 18 Not Helpful 3
  • Birds will nest near feeders so it's necessary to keep them clean and full of nectar for the entire season the birds are there. They will also return to the same location the next season. Many common species, especially more to the north, are competitive about feeders so if you want to serve more birds you will need to have more feeders — spaced far enough away so the birds can't see the other birds feeding from "their" feeders. Thanks Helpful 17 Not Helpful 4
  • Bleach residue creates highly-toxic dioxin molecules when it reacts with organic compounds (like sugar) so bleach residue should never come into contact with the sugar liquid in the feeder. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 2
  • Some companies sell nectar with red dye. This does not attract the birds more than red plastic feeder parts and the extra chemical is not going to make the birds healthier! These dyes are petroleum-based. Some are also selling copper compounds to add to nectar to slow down spoilage. This will cause a zinc deficiency in the birds because animals maintain a copper–zinc equilibrium. Do not add copper to your nectar. Do not use preservatives. Boil the sugar + water liquid and use distilled water as the water source. Thanks Helpful 13 Not Helpful 3
Advertisement

Things You'll Need

  • Bottle brush
  • Water
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Bleach
  • Hummingbird feeders
  • Hummingbird food

You Might Also Like

Keep Bees Away from Hummingbird FeedersHow to Keep Bees Away from Hummingbird Feeders How toMake Sugar Water Clean Out a New Water BottleThe Best Ways to Clean & Sanitize a New Water Bottle Clean a Moldy Water BottleHow to Get Rid of Mold in a Water Bottle How to Clean Top and Bottom-Loading Water Coolers Clean a BirdcageHow toClean a Birdcage Clean a Humidifier FilterHow toClean a Humidifier Filter Clean a Nalgene BottleHow toClean a Nalgene Bottle Keep Algae from Growing in Bird BathHow toKeep Algae from Growing in Bird Bath Clean a BirdHow toClean a Bird Feed Bees Sugar WaterHow toFeed Bees Sugar Water Clean a Plastic Bottle6 Quick and Easy Ways to Wash Your Plastic Water Bottle Clean a Hydration BladderHow toClean a Hydration Bladder Clean Plastic ContainersHow toClean Plastic Containers Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://spca.bc.ca/faqs/hummingbird-feeders/
  2. ↑ https://www.audubon.org/magazine/hummingbird-feeding-faqs
  3. ↑ https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/how-to-clean-your-bird-feeder/
  4. ↑ https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/how-to-clean-your-bird-feeder/
  5. ↑ https://www.audubon.org/magazine/hummingbird-feeding-faqs
  6. ↑ Jeff Jones. Bird Specialist. https://www.birdoculars.com/summer-bird-feeding-tips/
  7. ↑ Jeff Jones. Bird Specialist. https://www.birdoculars.com/summer-bird-feeding-tips/

About This Article

Jeff Jones Co-authored by: Jeff Jones Bird Specialist This article was co-authored by Jeff Jones. Jeff Jones is a Bird Specialist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the writer of BirdOculars, a website dedicated to helping people become better birders. He has over 18 years of experience and specializes in feeding birds and wildlife. Jeff experiments to find ways to encourage birds he wants to study and his website helps others to do the same. This article has been viewed 210,486 times. 34 votes - 93% Co-authors: 12 Updated: July 3, 2025 Views: 210,486 Categories: Bird Feeders | Bird Breeds Article SummaryX

To clean a hummingbird feeder, start by pouring out all of the nectar inside and taking the feeder apart. Then, mix 2 parts water and 1 part white vinegar to make a cleaning mixture. Avoid using dish soap if possible since the leftover residue is bad for hummingbirds. Once you've prepared the mixture, soak each part of the feeder in it for several hours. Then, scrub the pieces before rinsing them thoroughly with hot water. To learn how to get rid of mold on a hummingbird feeder, scroll down! Did this summary help you?YesNo

In other languages Spanish French Russian Dutch
  • Print
  • Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 210,486 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Debbie Sheegog

    Debbie Sheegog

    Mar 24, 2017

    "Great help! I hang my hummingbird feeders in early spring for our little local residents, and had noticed a black..." more Rated this article:
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story

Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Jeff Jones Co-authored by: Jeff Jones Bird Specialist Co-authors: 12 Updated: July 3, 2025 Views: 210,486 93% of readers found this article helpful. 34 votes - 93% Click a star to add your vote Debbie Sheegog

Debbie Sheegog

Mar 24, 2017

"Great help! I hang my hummingbird feeders in early spring for our little local residents, and had noticed a black..." more Rated this article: Elizabeth Fallon

Elizabeth Fallon

Jun 14, 2017

"I have several hummingbird feeders and I have found that sometimes the birds will stop, stick in their beaks and..." more Rated this article: Carl Barta

Carl Barta

Mar 13, 2020

"This is the first really useful article about disinfecting hummingbird feeders and changing the liquid. I used to..." more Rated this article: Debbie Sheegog

Debbie Sheegog

Aug 24, 2018

"The detailed cleaning information for hummingbird feeders is great! My preference will stay vinegar and H2O, not..." more Anonymous

Anonymous

Aug 4, 2016

"What helped me most, I would have to say, is that now I know I have been cleaning my feeder properly. I wasn't..." more Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

Quizzes & Games

What Bird Am I QuizWhat Bird Am I QuizTake QuizHow Good Are My Survival Instincts QuizHow Good Are My Survival Instincts QuizTake QuizHow Disgusting Am I QuizHow Disgusting Am I QuizTake QuizGuess the Animal Photo QuizGuess the Animal Photo QuizTake QuizDo I Smell Bad QuizDo I Smell Bad QuizTake QuizWhat's the Best Meal Kit for Me QuizWhat's the Best Meal Kit for Me QuizTake Quiz

You Might Also Like

Keep Bees Away from Hummingbird FeedersHow to Keep Bees Away from Hummingbird FeedersMake Sugar WaterHow toMake Sugar WaterClean Out a New Water BottleThe Best Ways to Clean & Sanitize a New Water BottleClean a Moldy Water BottleHow to Get Rid of Mold in a Water Bottle

Trending Articles

How Weird Am I QuizHow Weird Am I QuizHow Sexual Am I QuizHow Sexual Am I QuizAm I Autistic QuizAm I Autistic QuizDiscover the Secret Meaning of Your First NameDiscover the Secret Meaning of Your First NamePractice KissingHow toPractice Kissing5 Different Types of Butts: Find Your Shape5 Different Types of Butts: Find Your Shape

Watch Articles

Amazing Super Bowl Party Ideas Guests Will Cheer ForAmazing Super Bowl Party Ideas Guests Will Cheer ForDevelop Listening SkillsHow toDevelop Listening SkillsNot Lose Your GirlfriendHow toNot Lose Your Girlfriend Draw an OwlHow to Draw an OwlTreat AllergiesHow toTreat AllergiesIntroduce Friends to Other FriendsHow toIntroduce Friends to Other Friends

Trending Articles

What Would My Nickname Be QuizWhat Would My Nickname Be QuizCan We Guess How Tall You Are QuizCan We Guess How Tall You Are QuizCan We Guess If You're Single or Taken?Can We Guess If You're Single or Taken?Depression Test for TeensDepression Test for TeensSCP Fight Simulator: Who Will Win?SCP Fight Simulator: Who Will Win? Sleep Next to a Snoring Husband: Our 8 Best Tips & TricksHow to Sleep Next to a Snoring Husband: Our 8 Best Tips & Tricks

Quizzes & Games

What Skin Type Do I Have QuizWhat Skin Type Do I Have QuizTake QuizImpossible English TestImpossible English TestTake QuizCan You Spot The False Climate Claims QuizCan You Spot The False Climate Claims QuizTake QuizWhy Can't I Sleep QuizWhy Can't I Sleep QuizTake QuizFinish the Phrase QuizFinish the Phrase QuizTake QuizWhat Dirty Soda Am I QuizWhat Dirty Soda Am I QuizTake Quiz wikiHow
  • Categories
  • Pets and Animals
  • Birds
  • Feeding Birds
  • Bird Feeders
wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.
  • Home
  • About wikiHow
  • Experts
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Info
  • Not Selling Info
  • Contribute

Follow Us

×

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

Subscribe You're all set! X --796

Tag » How To Clean A Hummingbird Feeder