How to Care for a Sewing Machine? – 6 Factors to Look after

Last Updated on August 9, 2022

How to Care for a Sewing Machine? Cleaning and lubricating are the first steps in sewing machine maintenance. The equipment’s mechanism will last longer and function better if you carry them out on time and at regular intervals. Consider the specifics of maintaining a home sewing machine next.

How to Care for a Sewing Machine

So the long-awaited event happened, and you bought the sewing machine that you wanted, as a rule. The history of the machine develops according to a banal scenario: without really reading the instruction manual, we feverishly start trying to sew all kinds of materials on it, trying out all the functions of the machine, using “at random, which is absolutely in vain. 

How to Care for a Sewing Machine? – What are the main factor to maintain?

The main and most common cause of breakdowns of sewing machines is their improper use and untimely care for them. Whether your machine is electromechanical or a computer, a sewing machine is primarily a mechanism that requires timely lubrication, cleaning, and strict adherence to instructions. If the instruction manual says that you should not sew thick fabrics on this machine, then there is no need to conduct near-scientific experiments on this topic. 

You must follow the following guidelines for your sewing machine to last for a long time; let’s look at them more closely:

1. Cleaning

The bobbin compartment is the most contaminated during sewing since this is where thread remnants and material lint fall, preventing the bobbin from moving freely. Cleaning the shuttle once a month is advised. Before beginning work, carefully read the machine’s instructions and gather a soft piece of cloth, a brush, or a brush with firm bristles.

After prolonged work, the remnants of piles and threads may accumulate in the shuttle compartment of the machine – clean it on time. It is convenient to do this with a hard synthetic brush. Also, inspect the entire machine for thread and tow residues, oil stains, dust, and other types of dirt – they should not be. It’s good if the machine has a cover to protect it from dust.

2. Lubricant the machine

Not all sewing machines need lubrication. Old-fashioned machines are lubricated every six months. Modern machines – in different ways, depending on the hook, brand, and model type. To understand whether your sewing machine needs to be lubricated, read the operating instructions carefully. If this is necessary, then the manufacturer, as a rule, even recommends the brand of oil for these purposes.

Use for work you need only special machine oil for sewing machines, which you can buy in the departments of sewing accessories. 

3. Regularly Checking the Needles

Regularly check the needles you use on your sewing machine to make sure they are appropriate for the type of fabric you are working with. Needles can also bend. It is easy to determine by running your fingernail over the needle. If its integrity is broken, it must be replaced.

4. Cleaning the cloth feed conveyor

It also needs cleaning. Unplug the sewing machine from the mains, and it is advisable to remove the needle and foot and clean the teeth of the conveyor with a stiff brush from all kinds of lint.

5. Replacement & maintenance of defective parts

For the productive operation of household units, it is necessary to follow simple steps that will help keep the mechanism in working order. Some beginners do not know how to replace machine oil for a sewing machine. But the masters engaged in repair work do not advise using other means. The lack of the necessary funds often pushes needlewomen to use sunflower oil. It becomes the main cause of the jamming of parts that cannot rotate.

  • In addition, certain compounds dry out over time on the surface, acting as an adhesive. As a result, spare parts cannot work, as they are “tightly” glued together. Therefore, you should not violate the operating rules prescribed in the instructions from the manufacturer.
  • A modern sewing machine does not always need this processing method. It is due to the use of modern technologies when developers use special polymer compounds in places of friction (instead of metal elements). In this case, the use of lubricants, on the contrary, will only harm the structure. Therefore, before buying, you must study the instructions in detail.
  • If something burned out and broke in the sewing machine, do not wait; change immediately, and do not use faulty equipment. If the light bulb burns or the needle breaks, you can replace it yourself. If the breakdown is more serious, and you are not a sewing machine repairman, contact the appropriate service center for help.

6. Proper storage

Competent care will help eliminate the old plaque of rust and dried oil film. To figure out how to rinse the sewing machine, you must disassemble it and treat all individual parts with alcohol. It is the most gentle method.

Store equipment in a dry and cool place, Optimum indicators of humidity in the room – a guarantee of the absence of corrosion. If the device has not been used for a long time, then before starting, it will need to be prepared: cleaned of possible rust and evenly coat all working components for smooth movement.

How Will You Care for and Maintain Your Sewing Machine at Home?

Like any piece of equipment, the sewing machine needs special care. When acquiring a new technique, most of us try to study the principle of its operation by the method.

  • Regardless of the purpose you purchased a sewing machine (for home amateur use or a professional atelier), read the instructions before using it. After all, the most common cause of malfunctions in sewing machines is improper use and poor-quality care for them.
  • Proper care and respect are the keys to your sewing equipment’s long and reliable operation. 
  • The most important thing is cleaning. Be sure to clean the sewing machine on time and ensure the threads, pile, and dust do not clog in the shuttle and other parts of the machine. It will be best to clean with hard and soft brushes and a soft cloth – for wiping parts, tweezers, and needles – to remove debris from hard-to-reach places. You may also need screwdrivers to access the internal mechanisms.
  • To reduce soiling, cover the machine when you are not using it. The feed dog teeth also need to be cleaned. It must be carried out with a stiff brush, removing the needle and foot. Do not forget to turn off the machine from the mains when cleaning!
  • It is crucial to lubricate the sewing machine’s parts in time, ensuring its reliable, smooth, silent operation and reducing the mechanisms’ wear. The frequency of lubrication depends on the degree of load on the machine. You can read more about the methods and rules of lubrication in the operating instructions for the model. It also indicates which oil is best to use for your machine.
  • Be sure to monitor the integrity of the sewing needles in the machine. They should be even, without bends. If you find that the needle is bent, you should replace it immediately. Use only needles appropriate for the types of fabric you are working with.

If faulty parts are found in the machine, you must replace them. Otherwise, their presence may lead to equipment malfunction. If the breakdown is not severe, do it yourself. Otherwise, be sure to call a specialist. Easy to use and long years of service to your typewriter!

Conclusion

Proper and careful operation of your machine is the key to long and happy work on it. Treat it with attention and care, and it will repay you with continuous work.

Timely cleaning and, if necessary, lubricating the main components are the essential elements of caring for a sewing machine at home. Read the instructions to learn how to lubricate a particular sewing machine properly.