Introduction: Simple Monthly Sewing Machine Maintenance

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Sewing machines, like every tool in a shop, work wonderfully when they are maintained and cleaned on a regular basis.  Although all sewing machines are set up a little differently, the basic elements are pretty much the same.

In this Instructable I am going to show you a simple way to keep your machine working in tip top shape.

At TechShop San Jose, we have Janome home sewing machines

Step 1:

First, remove the bobbin cover.

Be sure your presser foot and needle are raised as high as possible so you don't damage them.  You could also choose to remove them completely if your presser foot or needle don't lift out enough for you to reach all the parts you need.

Next, unscrew and remove the needle plate.  Your needle plate may have more screws, so make sure you get them all before trying to lift it.

Step 2:

Next, Remove the bobbin (if it is still in you machine) and the bobbin holder.  Make note of which direction it sits in your machine; you will have to put it back in at the end.

Step 3:

Clean off the lint from the bobbin holder as well as the hook race and off of the feed dogs.

 Lint is your machine's worst enemy and plays a big part in any sewing machine's malfunctioning.

You can use either a soft bristled brush, a soft cleaning cloth, or compressed air to get all the lint out.

Step 4:

Oiling you machine regularly will keep it in excellent condition for years.

When you look into the center of the bobbin raceway, you can see a series of metal circles which are the bobbin's bearings.  In the middle of these bearings is usually a small sponge.  

Place a few drops of sewing machine oil on this center sponge.  You want to make sure you get enough in there to oil the machine, but don't overfill it to the point where oil is pooling out of the center circle.  

Step 5:

Now Reassemble you machine.

1) Replace the bobbin holder
2) Reattach the needle plate
3) Insert bobbin and bobbin cover

Step 6:

Finally, test your machine to make sure everything was reassembled correctly by running the hand wheel on the side a few times.

This simple maintenance done once a month should keep your machine working for years.