How to clean and oil a sewing machine

Chug-a-chug-a-chug…Taking the time to clean and oil a sewing machine is the best way to extend the life of your machine… and save your hard-earned dollars for buying fabric!

I just did mine, and I got this disgusting fuzz out of the bobbin casing. And from around the hooks. And from the spaces around the hooks and bobbin casing.

If you sew several hours a week, you NEED to clean your machine on a regular basis. I have worked out a system to remind myself: when I run out of bobbins, I clean the machine!

I aim to clean and oil my machine every three bobbins, so when I sit down to wind bobbins, I ALWAYS only wind three of them. W hen I am out of bobbins, it is time to do maintenance on my sewing machine.

You should never blow into your machine!

The moisture on your breath can cause damage to the inside of your sewing machine! I clean my machine with a little nylon-bristled brush and makeup brush. Any size makeup brush from eye-shadow size to foundation size will work, so long as it has never actually been used for makeup. You do NOT want that mess in your machine!

If you are looking for the right tools for this task, these are what I reach for:

Nylon-Bristled Brushes Makeup Brush

Here’s an easy step-by-step guide:

1. Open up the bobbin hatch and use a screwdriver to remove the throat plate. (Assuming you have a top-loading bobbin casing.)

2. I have found that a stiff-bristled brush works the best to clean between the feed dogs. Then I use a makeup brush in the bobbin casing, across the hooks, and in the space around the hook assembly.

3. With the machine disassembled, hit all of the oil points with a few drops of sewing machine oil. These are different for every machine. They should be found in your machine’s manual.

(I also highly recommend consulting your local sewing machine mechanic regarding how to clean and oil a sewing machine, specifically, your machine. The manuals are a little vague and so are easy to misunderstand. Your mechanic may also know of one or two other spots that, while might not be essential, will make your machine purr like a kitten!)

4. While the oil is soaking in, wind the next three bobbins on your stand-alone bobbin winder so that you won’t just be sitting and watching the oil soak into the machine. (It makes me feel like I am saving time!!!!) Put the wound bobbins away someplace separate from any other bobbins you might have.

5. Use a tissue to wipe away the excess oil, reassemble the machine, and you are back in business with a healthy sewing machine!

But Beware…

Some fabrics are more linty than others. If you are sewing with flannel, batik, or precuts such as charm packs or jelly rolls, you will need to clean your machine more often. (Once every bobbin is best!)

So, when’s the last time you cleaned and oiled your machine?

Happy Sewing!

Jan

P.S. I found this great deal on machine oil on Amazon, in case you are out of oil:

Zoom Spout Sewing Machine Oil on Amazon

PPS. Want more inspiration to put your sewing room in order? Check out my blog post on my Quilting Studio Spring Clean!!!!