Jakers1

I have a small, cheap Singer ($100). The manual did not say anything about cleaning. After reading about cleaning on the board, I emailed Singer and in a few days got the response. It is supposed to be cleaned and oiled regularly, depending on us, - and they gave me the information on how to find the method to do that from another model. I now clean and oil about once every 3 months or so, depending on the use and waht I am sewing (flannel and fleece more often). The machine runs a lot quieter and smoother after the cleaning - which involved taking out the bobbin race and taking off the plate. Now if I could just remember to change the needle as often.

crafty pat

My 401A I clean everything. I remove screws and get to all parts of it. The Brother computer one I just remove the bobbin case and clean what I can reach from there.I have taken all the top plates off and cleaned the foot feeds but that is as far as I am going with that one as I don't know that much about it.

Jingle

The older machines can be cleaned thoroughly and must be oiled.
The newer machines I use all the time must be oiled too. I go by the manuals. I clean all the lint under, around and above the bobbin, as far as I can reach to the right, behind the bobbin area. Once in a while I take screws out of the bottom and clean and vacuum that out too. Just don't take the top of the machine off. I did that once and messed up the fit. Had to take it to a shop and have it put back on. I never take these to the shop. I will if something goes wrong with them.

tetcha

I have a Bernina and I will clean the bobbin and oil the bobbin and hook. I leave the rest to the professionals.

cricket_iscute

For my vintage machines (about 25 of them - yeah, I know!) I take them apart and clean, lube, oil and fix if necessary. This might happen every three months or so or every year, depending on how much I use the machine. I oil all points for every eight hours of sewing. For my Pfaff and Bernina, I do not have the Pfaff and Bernina tools so must take them to be serviced. For my computerized machines not under warranty, I service all the mechanical parts and yes, do take them apart. I use all my machines. They all have different strengths and weakness in terms of what they can do well. I'm happy to say that all my machines run beautifully. There is nothing so aggravating to me as a sewing machine that is not cooperating! Sewing is supposed to be a pleasure and I'm willing to invest the time so that it is.

I took training to do this and am a certified sewing machine mechanic. People give me non-working machines, I fix and service them and give them to folks who cannot afford a new machine. I like working on machines.

For all machines, I clean the bobbin area every time I change a bobbin. I use a brush and q-tips unless more is required.

I love Tri-flow oil and grease. I do sometimes use regular sewing machine oil and Singer grease, however. People, please NEVER use 3-in-1 oil, DW40, or non-sewing machine oil on a sewing machine. It gums them up after a while and can do other damage. I ruined a good machine before I knew that.

Remember, oil places where metal touches metal and use only sewing machine grease on gears, not other grease. You only need ONE drop of oil per place.

I agree with not using canned air on machines.

Dolphyngyrl

Clean bobbin area meticulously every time I use my dreamy, vaccum if its been awhile, don't remove screws, leave that to the professionals and the yearly cleaning. My manual says do not oil so I don't oil anything, again leave that to the experts.

franc36

I oil my Bernina with every 3rd bobbin change. I clean the feed dogs and bobbin area each time I change the bobbin. I take it in once a year to be serviced. As for my Featherweight, I really take that machine apart and oil every place that needs oil. I also use Singer grease on the gears. Since I use the Featherweight daily, I service it once a week. There are so many places that need oil on the Featherweight that I use a check list and check off each place as I oil it.

linhawk

I just take the machine apart and blow it all out with a compressor. Then give it a bit of oil and put it back together.
I have the Elna Pro Quilting Queen 7300.
I watched the sewing machine guy when he cleaned my machine and decided I could do that myself
and save a few bucks. More than a FEW bucks.

gramquilter2

I have 2 computerized machines and take them in once a year for the "big" cleaning. I clean and oil the bobbin case after every project.

ShirlinAZ

I refuse to pay $100 to have my machines cleaned. They are out of warranty so I don't worry about voiding one. I have had the covers off the machines (even the computer machines) to expose all the internals and clean them all. I don't actually touch the electronics; when the guts are totally exposed I blow them off good with medium-low pressure air from my compressor. DH spent a career repairing nuclear reactor electronic controls for the Navy and he supervised my first few cleanings until I felt confident enough to do it alone.