Once every two weeks, after scrubbing the bath, fill it with a ten percent bleach and water solution. Let it stand for three minutes, pour out the water, and let it air dry. Rinse well with water and let it air dry again before refilling with water. Prevent diseases by taking these steps, and don't wait until you notice sick birds. Tell your neighbors who feed birds about these precautions.
Birds move among feeders and spread diseases as they go.
Feeder nectar ferments in two to three days. Drinking fermented nectar causes enlarged livers in hummingbirds, and may have the same effect on orioles. Buy nectar feeders that come apart so that all surfaces can be scrubbed. Nectar feeders should be cleaned and disinfected every two days, as already described. Be sure to rinse the nectar feeder after it has been immersed in the bleach-water solution.