Autumn Is The Perfect Time To Do Some House Cleaning. Bird House Cleaning That Is!

All spring and summer customers told us of the nesting birds in their yards. Some birds, like Cardinals and Robins, built open nests in tree branches and in bushes. Others built their nests in tree cavities or in nesting boxes/bird houses. These birds include Woodpeckers, Bluebirds, Wrens and Chickadees. Having birds nest in your yard is quite a thrill, but if they nested in your houses, it’s time to take them down for a fall cleaning.

First you’ll need to open up each house and remove all the nesting material and scrape out any feces that may have accumulated on the walls or floor. Use a plastic bag to best dispose of this matter and wear plastic gloves. Dirty bird houses can attract rodents, mites, and bacteria that can be hazardous to birds. Next you’ll want to scrub each house with a solution made up of one part chlorine bleach and nine parts hot water. Once clean, rinse the houses with hot water to make sure all the bleach solution is removed. Before you put the houses back up, let them dry throughly in the sun. This last step will ensure that no mold or mildew grows on the inside of the house. Now your houses are ready for next spring! You might even attract some birds to roost this fall and winter! A clean bird house makes a safe shelter for roosting birds!