My sewing machine is my most treasured possession, short of my car, it is the most expensive thing I own. I not only make my living off of my machine, but in many cases it is my best friend and therapist; the last thing I want or need is for her (yup, my machine is a her and her name is Roz from Monster’s Inc.) to become jammed up and broken. Like any piece of machinery, a sewing machine needs to be cleaned and maintained in order for it operate properly. There are a few easy things that you can do to make sure yours stays happy and healthy between major services.
I should add,my machine is a front loading machine. The other type is a top loading machine. With the exception of a few things, it's done just about the same way. If in doubt, RTDM!
Get Out Your Manual
Seriously that massive book thingie that came with the machine? Go get it and go read it the cleaning requirements. Boaring….Yeah, but you would be totally surprised what you will find in there. Mine suggests that my machine be oiled every 3-5 bobbins! Here is a list of a few of the machine manufacturers where you should be able to get a PDF of your machine.
Supplies You Will Need
- A stiff-bristled lint brush
- Sewing machine oil
- The screw driver or alan wrench that came with the machine
- A toothpick
- A pair of tweezers
- Paper Towels
- Vacuum cleaner (optional)
Using your machine's maintenance guide from your book as your guide, you can follow the same type of steps to clean your machine.
Disassembly
- Make sure the power to your machine is off and pull out plug from electric outlet.
- Remove presser foot and needle and dispose of your needle in your sharps bottle.
- Remove stitch plate and set it aside.
- Remove the bobbin and set it aside.
- Remove the hook (if applicable) and set it aside.
Dusting
Look at that! All opened up and it wasn't all that scary! This is where I yell, "Naked Baby!"
With your stiff-bristled lint brush, clean the bobbin area. Don't forget to clean under and around the feed dogs. My brush is long and rather stiff and it allows the bits of lint to kind of stick to so I can pull them out. Then take a paper towel and clean off all the edges that had the dust collections. In other words, gently wipe everything down with a dry towel.
Best bit advice I was given: Brush OUT of your machine not into it. If in doubt take your vacuum with the attachment and place it in the bobbin area so it will help pull out the lint and yuck. You can also use your tweezers to pull out the stuck lint wad thingies and threads that got lodged, but be gentle when pull them out. Never blow at the dust with your breath and never used canned air. You really want to tick off your machine maintenance person? Tell them you used canned air to blow out your machine. You run into the chance of lodging lint further into the machine instead of out, your breath contains moisture which can create more problems, can canned air has the very quick ability ot get cold fast and damage metal parts.
Cleaning and oiling
Now the fun parts! I take things a step further than most "normally run" sewing machines. I run my machine every single day, so I like to look at and check over all the moving parts.
I dust off the bobbin case and check that my tension is set correctly (make sure you talk to your maintenance person when you service the machine and have them show you how to set it.) If the case is skunky, I use a dry paper towel to clean it up and my tweezers to help gently pull things out.
I very lightly run the end of a toothpick with a small wad of paper towel along the hook race (where I put my oil). Your machine may or may not have it, so look at your book. This allows me to get at any build up or find burrs that need to be addressed.
Next clean off the needle clamp and check for threads that got jammed.
Clean off the stitch plate both the front and back sides. Be sure to look for any new strike marks or wear marks that might need to be address with your machine maintenance person.
Now, here's where information gets varied, so make sure you refer to you your book. *I* place 2-3 drops of oil on the hook race and 2-3 drops of oil on the back of the bobbin case. Again I can't stress enough, talk to your machine maintenance person and look in your book for reference. Some machines don't even get oiled by you, some do.
Putting It All Back Together
Now that you've cleaned off and oiled your machine, now's the time to put is all back together, sans threads.
First the hook goes back in (if applicable)
Next the bobbin case and lock in as needed.
Pop the stitch plate back into place.
Attach the presser foot, but don't add a needle yet.
I then plug my machine back in and run it for a few moments to move the oil around so it won't skunk up my threads. I can then listen for any new noises or sounds.
Once I'm satisfied with that, I move on to the next step.
The Sewing Machine Wash
Lots of folks forget that the outside of the machine is just as important as the inside. Now's the time to haul out a damp towel and clean off the outside of the machine, dust off the fan intakes, clean out where the lint gathers at the thread pins, and clean out the thread cutters. I take a lightly dampened towel and clean off the buttons and screens as well as the table.
Put on your new needle and there you go! All cleaned, oiled and purring like a happy kitten! And the best part is YOU did it! Now, time to move on to a few other important sewing bits and bobs.
With your stiff-bristled lint brush, clean the bobbin area. Don't forget to clean under and around the feed dogs. My brush is long and rather stiff and it allows the bits of lint to kind of stick to so I can pull them out. Then take a paper towel and clean off all the edges that had the dust collections. In other words, gently wipe everything down with a dry towel.
Best bit advice I was given: Brush OUT of your machine not into it. If in doubt take your vacuum with the attachment and place it in the bobbin area so it will help pull out the lint and yuck. You can also use your tweezers to pull out the stuck lint wad thingies and threads that got lodged, but be gentle when pull them out. Never blow at the dust with your breath and never used canned air. You really want to tick off your machine maintenance person? Tell them you used canned air to blow out your machine. You run into the chance of lodging lint further into the machine instead of out, your breath contains moisture which can create more problems, can canned air has the very quick ability ot get cold fast and damage metal parts.
Now the fun parts! I take things a step further than most "normally run" sewing machines. I run my machine every single day, so I like to look at and check over all the moving parts.
I dust off the bobbin case and check that my tension is set correctly (make sure you talk to your maintenance person when you service the machine and have them show you how to set it.) If the case is skunky, I use a dry paper towel to clean it up and my tweezers to help gently pull things out.
I very lightly run the end of a toothpick with a small wad of paper towel along the hook race (where I put my oil). Your machine may or may not have it, so look at your book. This allows me to get at any build up or find burrs that need to be addressed.
Next clean off the needle clamp and check for threads that got jammed.
Clean off the stitch plate both the front and back sides. Be sure to look for any new strike marks or wear marks that might need to be address with your machine maintenance person.
Now, here's where information gets varied, so make sure you refer to you your book. *I* place 2-3 drops of oil on the hook race and 2-3 drops of oil on the back of the bobbin case. Again I can't stress enough, talk to your machine maintenance person and look in your book for reference. Some machines don't even get oiled by you, some do.
Now that you've cleaned off and oiled your machine, now's the time to put is all back together, sans threads.
First the hook goes back in (if applicable)
Next the bobbin case and lock in as needed.
Pop the stitch plate back into place.
Attach the presser foot, but don't add a needle yet.
I then plug my machine back in and run it for a few moments to move the oil around so it won't skunk up my threads. I can then listen for any new noises or sounds.
Once I'm satisfied with that, I move on to the next step.
The Sewing Machine Wash
Lots of folks forget that the outside of the machine is just as important as the inside. Now's the time to haul out a damp towel and clean off the outside of the machine, dust off the fan intakes, clean out where the lint gathers at the thread pins, and clean out the thread cutters. I take a lightly dampened towel and clean off the buttons and screens as well as the table.
Scissors
Periodically wipe the inside blade surfaces to keep them free of lint; add a small drop of household oil at the assembly point to maintain smooth cutting action.Consider applying a light coating of oil on the scissors' blades and edges to prevent rust, especially if you live in a coastal area, use the scissors in a humid environment, or want to store them for a long time.
I send my good scissors out 2 times a year to be professionally sharpened. My Ace Hardware here only charges me $5.00 per sharpening, so it's not a massive expense and it's worth keeping your good sheers maintained.
Rulers
My edges get yucked up fast, so I like to take cool water and a small splash of white vinegar and gently wash them off, rinse them in cold water, and gently dry them with a soft cotton towel. It seems to help get the ink off the edges, and as long as you are not "scrubbing" you won't rub off the lines.
Self-Healing Cutting Mat
This jewel of information was given to me year ago from my quilting instructor who got it from an Olfa dealer.
Fill you bathtub with room temperature water (not hot, not warm, and not cold).
In the water add 1/4 cup of white vinegar and a squirt of dove dish soap for a good lather. Use a very soft bristle brush and scrub the mat gently getting a good lather with the soap.
Rinse the mat with cool water getting all residue off the mat.
Dry it with a cotton towel, or air dry flat. Do not dry it in direct sunlight or it could damage the mat, and don't put it in the oven to "heal out" the cuts.
General Sewing Stuff
Always Use The Right Needle For the Right Project
Using the wrong size needle will put unnecessary stress on your machine and it will break. Broken needle bits in your machine will cause serious problems! If in doubt as your local LQS shop what would work best in your machine for that project. Schmetz Needles has a great needle guide as well where you can look up questions. I was taught to swap needles from every 8 hours to whenever you complete a project. Needles are cheep, machines aren't.
Clean off your iron plate and wash your ironing board cover.
You'd be surprised how fast your iron will get grossed up and get water deposits in it blocking steam. Each manufacture has the how to clean the plate and inside. Also, if the plate is really messed up go take a look on Pinterest for some neat ideas to help get it sparkling clean. Also, don't forget to wash your ironing board cover. Between the flatteners and starches and steam, it needs to be clean and fluffed to not damage your fabrics by getting the supporting metal bace too hot.
Check Out Your Seam Ripper
Keep your seam ripper clean and use it only for sewing tasks to keep it sharp. Keep it covered when you are not using it to prevent injuries and damage. Seam rippers are an inexpensive sewing notion. They are worth replacing as soon as they start to become dull.
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