Purchasing a sewing machine is an investment no matter how much you spend. Taking care of it is tantamount in getting the best performance out of it. Follow my 5 Easy Steps for Sewing Machine TLC and show your machine some love today.

5 Easy Steps for Sewing Machine TLC

Cleaning

It is important that you take the time to clean your bobbin case and under the needle plate at least every 2 bobbins. Depending on the thread and the fabric you use, you can end up with a lot of lint in these two locations.

Use any of the following to clean in these areas:

Q-tip
Makeup brush
Artist brush
Sewing Machine Cleaning Brushes from Quilt in a Day

There is lots of talk about whether you should use canned air inside a sewing machine. I choose not to because I don’t want to potentially push lint back into the machine to places I can’t reach to clean. It is up to you whether you choose to use canned air or not on your machine.

Oiling

Not all sewing machines take oil. Please review your sewing machine manual before adding oil. Many newer machines come with an enclosed oil tank inside so you do not need to add oil.

If your machine takes oil, it is a good idea to add oil when you do your cleaning.

Storing Machines

It is best to store your sewing machines away from sunlight and extreme temperature changes. Both of these things can damage your machines. When I say extreme temperature I am talking about cold and high humidity.

I frequently hear ladies who have built a “She Shed” in their backyard for their hobby. That is great, but the shed will need to be climate controlled or risk damaging their machines. Also, do not store sewing machines in a storage unit for the same reasons.

Manufacturer Feet and Bobbins

close up of a sewing machine with a needle down in the fabric. Text says Presser Feet

Always use the presser feet and bobbins manufactured for your machine. They were made for your machine and will work best with it.

I KNOW how tempting those Generic Foot Sets look on Amazon, but please don’t go up that road. At best, they will work ok on your machine. At worst, they will damage your machine.

You spent good money for your machine, treat it with respect and use the feet that were made for your machine. You won’t regret it!

Do Not Store your Machine For Prolonged Periods of Time

Do not store your machines for prolonged periods of time such as a year or more. Take out the machine from time to time, turn it on, make sure it is lubricated and working well. As stated above, do not store your machines in extreme temperatures.

My Final Thoughts

I hope this gives you food for thought on how to provide some TLC to your sewing machine. It’s a few simple steps you take to make your machine happy.

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