Unplug the machine. Remove the needle, the presser foot, the throat plate and the bobbin case. Brush out the feed dogs and the bobbin race thoroughly — that is where the lint packs. Pick out what the brush loosens rather than blowing it further in. Wipe the tension discs by running a folded strip of clean fabric between them. Reassemble, fit a new needle, and check your manual before adding any oil: many current machines are sealed for life and must not be oiled.
Questions people actually ask
How often should I clean it?
Every time you change a bobbin if you sew often, and always after working with anything that sheds — fleece, flannel, wadding. It takes two minutes with a brush and it prevents the majority of faults people take a machine in for.
Can I use compressed air?
No. It drives lint deeper into the mechanism rather than removing it, and it can force moisture in with it. Use a stiff brush and pick out what it loosens.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11