How To Maintain Your Sewing Machine

Before you jump to conclusion, I'm not a sewing machine specialist, just a woman who has done this for the first time. So I'm not an expert but I'd like to share with you my experience and convince you with my post to take care of your sewing machine as much as possible and don't be afraid to do it. It's totally doable, if I could do it, you can too.

Why Clean & Oil Your Sewing Machine

I'm still learning and have read in a blog post that we need to keep our sewing machine clean if we want it to work. It's logical, it's a machine that needs maintenance from time to time in order to work well.

I got mine three or four years ago from Germany, it's a second hand item in very good condition. It was sitting in the closet since then with a few exceptions, this year I was forced to use it and what seemed to be constraint, slowly became a passion and a lifestyle.

I've been using it almost daily for the past two months and cleaning only the part where the bobbin and the bobbin case is, I thought it's time to see in what state it is. Even more because I don't know when was the last time it has been oiled, if ever as I don't know the previous owner.

What You Need

After talking to my sister in law who has experience I got my hand on this oil. They say you need special oil for sewing machine, not olive oil or other related. (I wanted to order from the supplier I bought my other sewing things a week or so ago but the oil was sold out, so because of the lockdown this has to do. It's for general purpose, it's good.

You also need some screwdrivers. These came with the sewing machine but I've got some at home for any purpose.

The Process

Mine is a Privileg, so this is the part of the case it needed to be removed.

Case removed.

My purpose was to oil the sewing machine but what I saw after I took down the case literally shocked me.

This was the first time I saw the inside of a sewing machine but I'm pretty sure those yarns shouldn't be there. I'm guilty as charged, as far as I can remember there were two times when the yarn has jammed and had no alternative, just to cut it but have never imagined this has happened. Now I know.

If you're a beginner like me and the yarn jams, you need to know this may happen to your sewing machine.

To protect the bottom part, where the bobbin is from the dust and dirt that was going to come down from there, I applied a plastic bag over it.

After an hour of struggle, this is what I was able to take out from there. 😱 It's been literally a struggle as it wasn't easy at all but I did it in the end.

I'm cleaning the bobbin compartment regularly when changing yarns bit today I thought if I'm doing maintenance, I might as well disassemble that part as well and see if it needs cleaning. The photo above was taken last week while cleaning the bobbin case.

And this is what I got after dissembling the upper part of the needle plate or bobbin cover (or maybe both, I'm not really familiar with these terms in any language, I'm still learning). Shock, shock, shock!!! 🤦‍♀

At this point I had no other choice then to use the vacuum cleaner and clean it.

This is after, good as new as it's clean!

As these parts were finally clean, it came the lubrication. As far as I know, there are two essential parts where the sewing machine needs lubrication.

One drop of oil is enough, no need for more.

Why I Did This Myself?

Yes, maybe you're asking yourself why on earth I did this as I could have taken it to a shop and let professionals do it. The answer is because I don't like to depend on others, don't like to wait a week or two and pay a small fortune to someone to do it in 5 minutes. I'd rather be in charge and learn to do it myself. It's not complicated, so why pay a lot and wait a lot. These maintenance guys are often take advantage of women who have no clue.

So this was my adventure for the sewing machine. It wasn't fun at all but satisfying at the end. Now I know what to do, need to do this every month or so and most of all, I know if the yarn jams and breaks, I need to clean it asap.

I know a few of you said you're interested in this, (@neumannsalva, @cassidydawn, @shanibeer) so here it is. If I'm doing something wrong, please tell me so I can make it right.