Birds like potable Water over themselves to cool down on warm summer days while cleaning dust and dirt off their masks. Should they like to frolic on your fountain, steer clear of the harsh chemicals found in many business lime removers. These can harm the birds as they bathe. Instead, stick to a few more natural ways to eliminate the limescale deposits, which often appear as chalky white or light green streaks or lines on your fountain. Nearly any fountain material can suffer from mineral accumulation, such as copper, concrete, resin, fiberglass, ceramic and steel.
Altering the Water
A simple fix to help keep lime from building up on your own fountain will be to change the water you use. Water from the tap contains antioxidants which can lead to limescale deposits, but draining the reservoir and replacing the water using distilled water can stop the accumulation. Distilled water also will help keep other regions of your fountain clean, like the pump and tubes.
Scrub-a-Dub-Dub
If you are able to wash out the fountain frequently, like every few weeks, utilizing a nylon-bristled scrub brush may be all you need. The brush lets you scrub any lime accumulation before it can become a problem, but only as long as the deposits aren’t overly thick. Consistent cleaning, even if you don’t see any lime, can make sure it doesn’t become a problem. In addition, it will help remove algae from the sides. Keep away from hard-bristled brushes that could scratch the finish on your fountain.
Rubbing With Vinegar
When you must remove significant limescale buildup without undermining the birds that like to dip on your fountain, use household distilled white vinegar. If you drained the fountain before cleaning, use a diluted mixture of 1 part vinegar into 9 parts water. When there’s still water at the basin you are cleaning, only pour some vinegar onto a soft rag and rub away the lime. It must dilute itself at the rest of the water. You may need to scrub the exact same area many times to remove the mineral deposits using the soft rag; without using an abrasive pad, the deposits can sometimes be stubborn. Abrasive pads are acceptable only on stone flats, like slate.
Avoiding the Bad Stuff
Avoiding harsh chemicals may protect the birds, but it may mean you need to scrub a little more difficult to eliminate limescale deposits on your fountain. Stick with a soft fabric for many fountain materials, and be insistent rather than switching to a more abrasive scrubber, like many dish sponges. Also avoid scrub brushes with metallic bristles that can scrape your fountain. Based on the fountain substance, the scratches may be nearly impossible to repair once they’re made.