Have you invested in a sewing machine and use it to make a living? If so, you have to take good care of it and proper maintenance is essential. Performing a routine maintenance check is vital if you want it to have your sewing machine for a long time. After using it, clean the sewing machine of thread and other particles before covering it up to prevent dust. Here are the best tips on how to care for the machine:
1) Cover It After Use
Regardless of the quality of the machine, dust remains its worst enemy. Clean the sewing machine after use and cover it with either a dust cover or a hard case. You should also use a quality thread to prevent building up of the interior lint. Also, use a cosmetics brush to dust the inner part of the bobbin case. Moreover, to get some quality insights on how to undertake this practice or to gain more knowledge in sewing in general, you could seek guidance from reputable platforms such as www.grandmalikestosew.com.
2) Compressed Air
Using quality thread is one way of reducing lint buildup. Unfortunately, it is not a way of eliminating it. That is where an air compressor comes in. Apart from removing the lint, it also removes the thread from the tension disk and bobbin area, not to mention the feed dogs. Avoid pointing the nozzle closely to your air compressor. Otherwise, it will introduce moisture to your sewing machine. Whenever you are using it, always spray from a distance.
3) Annual Servicing
No matter how much you clean your machine at home; there are parts you will never manage to clean. That is why experts’ advice is that once a year, take the machine for annual servicing. The guru will dismantle the whole machine and clean each part. That will give your machine a longer life.
4) Change the Needle Regularly
The more you continue using your needle; chances of forgetting to change it are high. After working with it for a long, it becomes dull. It causes skipped stitches, also results in looped threads not to mention potential damage to your machine.
Once you finish working with your machine, you have to change the needle. You can also do so if you have a long project, preferably after every eight hours. This also applies if you are sewing different types of fabric, depending on the weight and the weave of the fabric.
5) Oiling the Machine
Any machine with internal moving parts requires oil. Your sewing machine is not an exception. Oiling reduces friction making internal parts move smoothly for long. Note that sewing machines have oil specifically designed for them. It is clear, and it will not stain your clothes. Whenever you are putting oil in the bobbin case, you must clean it first. If you have no idea how to use it, read the manual.
Luckily, not all sewing machines require oiling. Some self-lubricate making it unnecessary to add more oil. Read the manual to know if your machine requires oil or not. If you have to use oil, avoid sewing your cloth immediately before running some few stitches on scrap fabric. It helps to remove the extra oil in your machine.