How to Prevent Slime Growth in a Birdbath

Along with birdseed to nourish them, wild birds need plenty of water for drinking and bathing. A birdbath with plentiful water is a good way to open your yard to avian visitors. Placing it away from bushes and shrubs helps keep the birds safe from hidden predators. But heat from the sun can promote the growth of slime and algae in the shallow water. You can't add any chemicals to the water to prevent this. The best prevention is cleanliness.

Mild dish-washing soap or bird bath cleaner
Scrubbing brush
Garden hose

Instructions

- 1
  Dump all the water out of the birdbath. Squirt a few drops of dish-washing soap into it. Or use a bird-bath cleaner that's available at pet stores and home and garden stores. Follow product directions for best results.
- 2
  Use a scrubbing brush to remove slime, algae, dirt and other debris. Do this every week--more often if necessary--to prevent slime and algae growth, the pet supply website Drsfostersmith.com advises. Rinse the brush out with clean water when you're finished.
- 3
  Rinse the birdbath thoroughly with clean water. Make sure no suds or residue remain, as wild birds are sensitive to chemicals, according to the University of Illinois Extension. Fill the birdbath again with fresh water for your feathered friends to enjoy.

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