How do you recommend cleaning a mesh finch feeder and how often?

Also, prior to the leaves coming out, I had finches eating out of my mesh feeder in a large Burning Bush. Now that the leaves are out, the finches haven't been eating out of it much. Should I move the feeder away from the bush or are they just not feeding much right now?
Thank you! C.

I don't know which mesh feeder you have. Wild Birds Unlimited sells 2 kinds of mesh (Copper top and Wild Birds Unlimited brand) and there are a variety of others. For the Copper top you lift the cover like you are filling the feeder and then pinch the clip on the center rod to release the mesh. For the WBU mesh you unscrew the four screws on the bottom, remove the metal bottom and take out the clear seed diverter.

In general feeders should be cleaned at least once a month, year round. Wild Birds Unlimited - East Lansing and Okemos- will clean your feeder for $5.00 and it is ready the next day. Or you can purchase professional cleaners like Scoot or Poop-Off at Wild Birds Unlimited, or use a mild one part vinegar to nine parts water solution to clean all of your feeders. Disassemble feeders and immerse them completely for five minutes. Scrub with brushes (we have these too), rinse thoroughly, and let air dry.

There is no one reason you have fewer finches. However make sure your Nyjer seed is fresh. One way to do this is to pinch the seed with your fingernails and see if any oil comes out. The finches use their bills to twist the seed and sip the oil and then drop the shell. If your seed has dried out your feeder will be skipped. (Wild Birds Unlimited receives a fresh load of seed each week).

Second, make sure there is no mold in the bottom of your feeder. In Michigan where it can rain several days in a row the seed may not get a chance to air out and begin to mold. This can be dangerous to the finches and they will avoid your feeder again. To prevent mold in bad weather use Feeder Fresh (a silica grit that absorbs water and humidity, is safe for birds, and made from non-toxic absorbent sand).

My favorite feeder is the Wild Birds Unlimited Lifetime Guarantee Mesh Finch Feeder. In the beginning of the year finches flock together and party hardy. It's impossible to keep the feeder full. Right about now you should expect a drop off in their feeding. First because there are other sources of food available. Finches are vegetarians. Their nickname is Lettuce bird because they will eat fresh greens. They will also eat seed heads from a variety of flowers.

Second the party is over. Goldfinches are late nesters and this is when they start to settle down and look for appropriate nesting territories. You will still have Goldfinches but not as many until late summer when the cute but loud babies are brought to the feeders. So now instead of filling the feeder every day I only have to fill it once a week.

Thanks so much for your response. My finch feeder is a mesh bag that I fill with the Nyjer seed. Should I wash that in the vinegar and water mixture? C

Mesh bags can be washed in the sink with the diluted vinegar or bleach water or thrown into the whites wash. Hang it up to dry and then refill. I started with the mesh bags too before I purchase the lifetime guarantee mesh feeders, but every spring I would watch a red squirrel shred it and then bundle it up in her mouth, I assume to build a soft nest for her babies. C'est la vie!

Thank you so much for the information. I want to keep my birdies happy!
I really appreciate your assistance. C