How to safely clean a birdbath

Birdbaths are popular in container gardens, but the water can get pretty scuzzy in a short period of time. But some are worried about possibly causing harm to their feathered friends by using cleaners to disinfect the birdbath while cleaning. So how should you safely clean a birdbath?

Empty the birdbath of water, either by tipping or using the plug, if your birdbath came with one.

Using the sprayer on your hose, spray it out using the jet stream setting. Then, using a stiff brush, scrub the birdbath with a small amount of warm water. Rinse.

Then, to safely disinfect it, mix 3/4 cup of chlorine bleach with 1 gallon of water. Scrub well again and let solution sit for ten to 20 minutes, covering birdbath if possible. Rinse againn thoroughly to remove all bleach. Fill with fresh water and the birdbath is ready for feathered friends once again.