Spring is the perfect time to clean your hard-working sewing machine. Periodic cleaning and preventative care and maintenance is important to keep your sewing machine in good working order. If you use your sewing machine frequently, dust, lint, or bits of thread can get stuck inside the machine and cause it to jam or work harder than necessary.
Many older sewing machines have specific maintenance and cleaning instructions for removing dust and lint, and for oiling specific machine parts to lubricate moving or rotating parts. This simple maintenance will protect connecting metal parts from excessive wear and tear and ensure freedom of movement.
- Unplug your sewing machine.
- Remove the needle and sewing machine foot, and unscrew the throat plate on the machine.
- Use a small lint brush to remove pieces of thread, lint, or dust inside the machine. Use if canned, compressed air is not recommended as it could blow dust further into the machine.
- Refer to your individual sewing machine manual for specific instructions for oiling your machine.
- Check the foot pedal for any accumulated dust or pieces of thread, especially if is resting on a carpeted surface.
- Replace the throat plate, sewing machine foot, and needle.
Some older sewing machine manuals might contain more detailed instructions for cleaning and oiling the tension discs, bobbin case, or slide plate. Newer sewing machines have fewer owner maintenance instructions, and recommend that the machine be professionally serviced at a local sewing machine dealer..
Most sewing machine dealers offer periodic professional check-ups and cleanings to help keep your machine in top shape, and to avoid voiding the manufacturer’s warranty through improper care.
A few minutes of basic spring cleaning and preventative maintenance will allow you to enjoy your sewing machine for this spring and many years to come.
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