How to Clean The Ant-Mote™ Without Removing Your Bird Feeder
The Ant-Mote™ is designed to be cleaned without removing it from the pole completely. On a ⅝" or 1" pole, you can deep-clean the dish without taking down your bird feeder or removing The Ant-Mote™ from the pole. All it takes is a sponge, a soft brush, a drop of mild dish soap if you’d like, and fresh water.
Quick answer
To clean The Ant-Mote™ without removing your feeder, press up under the dish to release its seal from the rubber bushing, slide the dish a few inches up the pole, and tip out the water by angling the dish. Wipe the dish with a sponge, scrub any dirt off with a soft brush, and rinse it with clean water. Lower the dish back onto the bushing, press up and down simultaneously with two hands to reseal it, then refill The Ant-Mote™ with fresh water.
What you need
A clean sponge or soft cloth
A soft brush, such as a soft toothbrush
Fresh, clean water from a hose, watering can, or jug
If needed, a drop of mild dish soap
No tools or complicated cleaning products are required.
Refill daily, deep-clean as needed
For everyday care, there is no need to move anything. Tilt the rim to pour out the old water, then refill until fresh water runs over the edge. We change the water daily in our Ant-Moats to keep it fresh and to keep mosquitoes from breeding.
When dirt, debris, seed, or an algae film builds up, use the deep-clean method below. It is best to check on your Ant-Motes more often in hot, sunny, humid weather.
How to clean The Ant-Mote™ on the pole, step by step
Step 1: Release the seal between the dish and the bushing
Place both thumbs under the dish, close to the bushing, and press upward. When you feel the seal give in one spot, keep that pressure moving around the bushing until the dish releases completely.
Ready for a deep clean.
Note: This build-up is not typical if water is flushed from The Ant-Mote™ regularly.
Step 2: Slide the dish up and empty it
Slide the dish up the pole, away from the bushing. Tilt it slightly to pour out as much water as possible. A little water may stay in the dish, and you address it in the next step.
Released, raised, and tipped out. The feeder stays where it is.
Step 3: Wipe the dish with a sponge
Use the water left in the dish to sponge-wipe the dirt clinging to its surface, working all the way around the center.
The leftover water is all you need for a first wipe.
Step 4: Scrub away algae with a soft brush
On warm, sunny days, algae may form a film that a sponge alone will not lift. Scrub it gently with a soft toothbrush or similar soft-bristled brush. Use a soft brush rather than an abrasive pad to avoid scratching The Ant-Mote™.
A soft toothbrush handles summer algae.
Step 5: Rinse, then lower the dish onto the bushing
Tilt the dish and rinse it with fresh, clean water. Lower it back onto the bushing, then soak up any remaining water with a clean sponge or cloth.
Step 6: Reseal and refill
With one hand, press down on the dish. With the other hand, press up on the underside of the rubber bushing. Keep pressing until the seal is restored all the way around. A complete seal keeps The Ant-Mote™ secure and level, helping to maintain rigidity even when birds land on the rim to drink or bathe. Then refill The Ant-Mote™ with fresh, clean water.
Resealed and refilled with fresh water.
Back to an ant-free feeder
When your feeder is protected by The Ant-Mote™, it never has to come down, and the ants stay out.
If you use a camera feeder, see How to Keep Ants Out of Your Smart Bird Feeder.
Clean, sealed, and guarding the feeder.
When to take it off the pole instead
If The Ant-Mote™ has gone a long stretch without care, such as after a vacation in summer heat, a full clean at the sink may be easier. Remove the feeder, release the seal the same way as Step 1, slide The Ant-Mote™ off the top of the pole, and wash it with warm water and a soft brush. We typically only find this is necessary at the same frequency you deep-clean your feeder. In the very unlikely event that the bushing no longer seals tightly, a replacement rubber bushing is available.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to remove my bird feeder to clean The Ant-Mote™?
No. On both ⅝" and 1" poles, the dish releases from its rubber bushing and slides up the pole, so you can empty, clean, and reseal it with the feeder still mounted.
How often should I clean The Ant-Mote™?
Change the water daily. Deep-clean whenever you see dirt or algae, which usually means more often in hot, sunny weather.
Do I need soap or a special cleaner?
No special cleaner, but a little drop of soap is always welcome. A sponge, a soft brush, and clean water handle routine cleaning. When you clean on the pole, plain water avoids leaving soap residue in water that birds drink and bathe in.
Does this method work on both pole sizes?
Yes. The same method works for The Ant-Mote™ on ⅝" poles and on 1" poles.
Enjoy your bird feeder, free from ants. Still comparing options? Read Pole-Mounted vs. Hanging Ant Moats: What's the Real Difference?