How to Clean a Hummingbird Feeder

Naomi Judd

After a hummingbird feeder has been outside for a prolonged period of time, the sugary nectar inside can drip out onto the holes where the birds feed, possibly causing clogging. When you need to refill your hummingbird feeder it is a good time to clean it so the hummingbirds have an easy time accessing the nectar. A clean feeder also deters ants from the feeder.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Hot water Sink with good pressure Paper Towel
Hot water
Sink with good pressure
Paper Towel

Step 1

Take apart the feeder. There are several types of hummingbird feeders, but all of them have at least two main parts that screw together, as well as several feeder pieces (these usually are flower-shaped to attract hummingbirds).

Step 2

Turn on your sink's hot water at a high-pressure rate. Run the bottom part of the feeder under this so the water spouts through the feeder holes, thoroughly rinsing out the bottom portion, where food might have coagulated.

Step 3

Rinse off each of the feeder pieces to clear off any dried beads of nectar.

Step 4

Rinse out the body of the feeder. Let the water flow in and bubble over for about 1 minute.

Step 5

If you plan on putting the feeder into storage, lay all the pieces out to air-dry before putting them back together. If you are going to refill it and hang it outside again, just dry it off with a paper towel before refilling.

Tips & Warnings

When putting feeding pieces back in, make sure they snap in completely. This will prevent leakage.

Article Written By Naomi Judd

Naomi M. Judd is a naturalist, artist and writer. Her work has been published in various literary journals, newspapers and websites. Judd holds a self-designed Bachelor of Arts in adventure writing from Plymouth State University and is earning a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine.

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