Sewing Machine Cleaning and Oiling
Regular cleaning and oiling of your machine will keep it running in tip top shape for many years. There are just a few basic things to know about caring for your BERNINA sewing machine with the BERNINA hook, featured in our 7 and 5 Series machines.
Remove hardware
Before you start your machine cleaning, remove the needle, presser foot, stitch plate, and bobbin case from your machine. Removing these accessories will give you better visibility for cleaning and make access to certain hardware that should be maintained.
Clean the cutter
Many of our newer machines have an automated thread cutter. This will sometimes leave thread snip debris in the hook area and occasionally some thread gets stuck in the cutter. It is easy to clean this device.
Go into your Setup display and select “Machine settings.”
Then select the “Cleaning/Update” icon.
Now select the brush icon to clean the thread catcher.
Touch the link to move the thread catcher out. This will open the cutter up and leave it parked open so that you can remove threads caught in the cutting mechanism.
Once you have removed debris from the thread cutter, select the link on screen to move the thread catcher in. You can then take a soft brush to remove lint and clean the feed dog.
Oiling the Machine
Now you can turn your machine off to lubricate the hook. Be sure to use the oil that comes with your machine, as this is lighter oil specifically for this hook system.
Open up the hook area and wipe everything down with a cloth. Remove the hook and oil the two felt pads inside the hook with one drop on each.
Place one drop of oil into the hook race as shown in the illustration. Do NOT add oil to the red marked reservoir under the stitch plate, as this can lead to over-oiling the machine.
Once you have finished with oiling the hook and everything is back together, sew a few seams on a little on a scrap of fabric to absorb any excess oil.
General Tips:
- Microfiber cloths
Investing in a pack of microfiber cloths is great for any sewing studio. A quick dusting with this cloth is pretty much my daily practice for any machine that I have used. They also work great for dusting off work surfaces.
- Changing Needles
Changing Needles regularly and frequently is one of the least expensive ways you can keep your machine sewing a perfect stitch. Needles become dull, bent or burred with extended use. I recommend changing needles with each new project or about every 8-10 hours of sewing time.
- Regular Scheduled Service
Scheduling annual maintenance and servicing with a certified BERNINA technician is as important as taking your car to the mechanic. They are able to run diagnostic tests on the machine and update the software. In addition to that they open the machine up entirely and clean out any lint that has built up. Take any concerns or stitch samples with you to share with the sales staff and technician at this time.
- Keep it Covered
When you are not using your machine, it is always a good idea to keep the machine covered. This protects the machine from sunlight and dust, or your four-legged feline friends who might have a thread fetish.
