See the FAQ at the link below ...

Here is a link that might be useful: hummer FAQ

I have 2 glass bottle feeders which sometimes develop tiny spots of dark fungus/mold on the inside where I can't reach it with a brush. (Whatever this is, it happens without any visible cloud of fungus floating in the nectar.)

Lee Valley Tools used to have (maybe still has) a kit in their catalog for cleaning the insides of dirty bottles by shaking tiny bb's inside the bottle. They say it doesn't harm the glass, but I haven't tried it.

I made my own version with some dry rice. Soapy water and uncooked rice grains and a lot of shaking removed all the fungus.

Thank you for the link, but it doesn't clarify how to clean a feeder with mold inside the glass.

I will try the soap and dry rice idea. Thank you!

The FAQ does include this statement:
"Feeders washed with warm water or warm water and soap can then be sanitized by soaking them in a mild bleach solution (in a 1:10 ratio = one part bleach, ten parts water..."

So, wash, rinse, then sanitize any remaining bits with the bleach solution. (Might even allow it to stand 15 minutes prior to emptying.).
Next, rinse well, probably 3 times, with plain water.
Finally, fill& hang.

Full info about cleaning is near the end of the info at the link.

You can likely locate additional links with the search phrase "how clean hummer feeder of mold" -- but omit the quotes.

Here is a link that might be useful: clean it

We have been feeding Rufous and Anna's for 20+ years using several different types of feeders. Bernie stopped using any feeder other than the Humzinger flat type feeders because they are so much easier to clean.

She sprays them with vinegar and uses an eyelash type brush to clean the holes. Rinse well with water and they are ready to go. Once or twice a year she soaks them in a 4 to 1 solution of bleach and water for about 10 minutes before rinsing well in water.

I like that type of feeder as well. Especially when it gets below freezing. Glass bottle types can break under some situations. The flat type feeders have a 'dead air' space between the solution and the top where the feed holes are. The solution freezes from the bottom up leaving the top like a slushie. They can still feed from at least one of the holes until it freezes solid which we try not to let happen. I don't know for a fact, but I suspect it raises the sugar ratio as the water freezes. That would give them more calories per feeding.

When the temperature is going to be in the high 20s or lower we change the ratio to 3 to 1 and bring them in at night. We have them hanging from the eves of our old house in front of windows to see them from inside. The radiant heat helps and one is usually not effected by wind chill.

Enjoy your hummers and Merry Christmas, Bob & Bernie Renton, WA

{{gwi:2126705}}

I have a few narrow brushes with wire stems, I can twist the wire to suit any bends needed for cleaning. Using nothing but a strong solution of baking soda gives me ultra clean glass feeders.. I also change food every few days and keep the feeder out of the sun.
This past season a hummer took up nesting in a tree close to the feeder.