Bird feeder spring clean in Exeter
Professional bird feeder spring clean services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
30-45 mins
Location
Exeter, Devon
Bird feeders cleaned, sanitised, and refilled with fresh food. Old moldy stuff removed, feeders washed properly, hung back up securely. Give your garden birds a proper spring clean.
Your Bird Feeders Need Attention
You put those feeders up months ago with good intentions. Now they're full of old moldy food, covered in bird droppings, and probably harbouring all sorts of bacteria. The birds are still visiting but they deserve better.
💡 Pro tip: Clean feeders in spring before nesting season kicks off. Parent birds need clean, reliable food sources when they're feeding chicks. Moldy food can make young birds seriously ill.
Clean vs Neglected Feeders
| ✅ Properly Cleaned | ❌ Left Too Long |
|---|---|
| Fresh food visible and appetising | Old moldy seed stuck inside |
| Clean surfaces, no disease risk | Bird droppings and bacteria buildup |
| Attracts variety of birds | Birds avoid it, food wasted |
| Hung securely at right height | Wonky, too low, or falling down |
What Gets Done
🔧 Bird Feeder Spring Clean
| Task | What I Do |
|---|---|
| Take down | Remove feeders safely from wherever they're hung |
| Empty | Dispose of all old food (moldy stuff, wet seed, etc) |
| Clean | Wash thoroughly with hot soapy water, rinse well |
| Sanitise | Quick sanitising rinse (bird-safe) |
| Refill | Fresh food appropriate to feeder type |
| Rehang | Securely fixed at right height and location |
📦 You Get
- Clean, sanitised feeders
- Fresh bird food
- Securely rehung in good spots
- Happy, healthy garden birds
Pricing
| Service | Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 feeders cleaned and refilled | 30-45 mins | £60 |
| 3-4 feeders cleaned and refilled | 45-60 mins | £60-£85 |
| Multiple feeders + new hanging | 1+ hrs | £85+ |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Bird food charged separately if I supply it.
Perfect For...
✅ Spring prep - get feeders ready for nesting season
✅ High or awkward feeders - you can't safely reach them
✅ Neglected through winter - moldy food and grime buildup
✅ Multiple feeders - too much faff to do yourself
Why Choose Us for Bird feeder spring clean in Exeter?
Feeders properly cleaned and sanitised
Old moldy food removed safely
Refilled with fresh bird food
Hung securely at right height
What to Expect
Step 1: Take Down & Empty
I'll get the feeders down (using a ladder if needed), empty out all the old food, and assess what cleaning they need.
Step 2: Clean & Sanitise
Wash each feeder thoroughly in hot soapy water, making sure to get into all the corners where mold grows. Quick sanitising rinse, then dry.
Step 3: Refill & Rehang
Fill with fresh food appropriate to each feeder type. Hang them back up securely - right height, safe from cats, in spots birds actually use.
🔧 DIY Tips
Cleaning your own feeders? Here's how to do it properly:
🔧 What you'll need
- Hot soapy water
- Bottle brush or feeder cleaning brush
- Bucket
- Mild sanitiser (diluted bleach or pet-safe disinfectant)
- Fresh bird food
- Rubber gloves
🧼 Cleaning process
- Empty completely - dispose of all old food (don't compost it)
- Dismantle - take apart as much as possible
- Soak - hot soapy water for 10-15 minutes
- Scrub - use a bottle brush to get into tubes and corners
- Rinse thoroughly - any soap residue is bad for birds
- Sanitise - brief soak in weak sanitiser solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water)
- Rinse again - very important to remove all sanitiser
- Dry completely - damp feeders = mold growth
🐦 Refilling tips
- Only fill what birds will eat in a few days
- Different feeders for different foods (seed, peanuts, fat balls)
- Check food is fresh - old seed can go rancid
- Don't mix old and new food together
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Not rinsing sanitiser off properly (can poison birds)
- Refilling before feeder is completely dry
- Using too strong a cleaning solution
- Forgetting to clean the hanging mechanism
- Overfilling (food goes off before it's eaten)
💡 Pro trick: Clean feeders on a sunny day so they dry quickly and naturally. Also, birds recognise clean feeders and will visit more enthusiastically when they can see fresh food clearly through clean plastic or mesh.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Multiple bird feeding stations? If you've got several feeders, a bird bath, and maybe a bird table, I can clean and service the lot in one visit. Much more efficient than doing them one at a time.
What food to use? Depends on what birds you want to attract. Nyger seed for goldfinches, peanuts for tits and woodpeckers, seed mix for general birds, fat balls for winter energy. I can advise what works best for Devon gardens.
Squirrel problems? If squirrels are raiding your feeders, I can reposition them somewhere more difficult to access, or install squirrel baffles. They're persistent buggers but there are ways to outsmart them.
Exeter gardens attract brilliant variety of birds - you'll get the usual sparrows, robins, and tits, but also woodpeckers, nuthatches, and sometimes even goldcrests. Clean feeders keep them all coming back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do bird feeders need cleaning?
Old food goes moldy, droppings build up, and bacteria grows - all of which can make birds sick. A spring clean gets rid of the winter grime and gives birds a fresh, healthy feeding station. Plus, clean feeders attract more birds because they can see the food properly.
Can't I just empty and refill them myself?
You absolutely can. But if they're awkward to reach, you're not steady on ladders, or you just can't be bothered with the faff, I'll sort it. Takes me half an hour to clean them properly, refill, and rehang securely. One of those jobs that's easy to put off but makes a real difference.
Do I need to provide the bird food?
Either way works. If you've already got it, great - I'll use that. If not, I can pick up a bag when I'm coming and add it to the bill. Just let me know what type your birds like (seed mix, peanuts, fat balls, etc).
How often should bird feeders be cleaned?
Spring and autumn are the main times - that's when old food has been sitting through winter or summer. If you've got busy feeders with lots of birds, more often is better. But realistically, most people do it once or twice a year.
My feeders are really high up - can you reach them?
Yes - I'll bring a ladder if needed. As long as they're accessible from the ground (not in the middle of a massive tree), I can get to them. Just mention when you book if they're particularly high or awkward to reach.
Bird feeder spring clean Also Available In:
Get a Free Quote in Exeter
Call us today for a free, no-obligation quote for your bird feeder spring clean job in Exeter.
01392 964094Request Online QuoteOur Rates
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
Why Trust Us
Need Bird feeder spring clean in Exeter?
Get a free quote for your bird feeder spring clean job in Exeter today.