If nothing else, this post is a friendly reminder to take some time and care for one of your best friends: your sewing machine!
The first thing I should note is that all sewing machines are made a little differently. For reference, I sew on a Juki TL-2200QVP Mini.
After every bobbin, I like to use a small paintbrush to remove the dust and lint that is easily accessible. After every project, I remove the needle plate from the top of my machine and do a more thorough cleaning using the paintbrush.
Sewing Machine Cleaning Tip
And about once a year, I gently lay my sewing machine on its back. Have you taken a peak at what access you have underneath your bobbin casing area?
Sewing Machine Cleaning Tip
On my Juki, the access panel is sneakily tucked around two of the feet, so it takes just a bit of patience to wiggle the panel from between them (and then again to insert and close the panel afterwards).
Sewing Machine Cleaning Tip
With the access panel removed, I can reach areas for a much better cleaning with my small paintbrush than I can otherwise reach. Be sure to check with your specific sewing machine’s owner’s manual for information about cleaning and access panels.
After a good cleaning, I add a few drops of oil to all the oil ports on my machine and I know that it’s ready to work with me again!
Scrap Batting for Dusting
One last tip: I keep the very small batting scraps that I create on hand to use as dusting rags. With my sewing machine out of its normal position, I was able to remove all of the accumulated lint that found its way and settled underneath my machine over the past year.
Do you have any specific cleaning routines that you follow with your machine? Share them below in the comments!
I place a pipe cleaner folded in half into a straw so a loop is sticking out at one end. I use that to get down into places a brush cannot. You won’t believe how much lint this method obtains.
I have a very small vacuum I picked up on Amazon last year. I adore it for keeping my workspace clean.
My newer Bernina is very fussy and gets oiled and cleaned nearly every other time I sit down to sew.
Thank you Yvonne for sharing your quilt related tips. I too have a Juki TL2010Q and have been confused about how often I should oil the machine. How often do you oil the hook in the bobbin area? Do you oil in the 6 designated holes only once a year? I’ve been using your tip for the batting pieces. Thanks!