annievee

I am thinking I read something on this board that 'Air in a Can' causes rust on machines?? I have a Singer Touch and Sew with top loading bobbin that I use constantly. I do a lot of crafts, baby quilts, use loads of batting, etc. so therefore my bobbin area seems to collect a lot of dust. I have been using 'Air in a Can' for years now and never had a problem. DH takes sewing machine outside a couple times each year and uses his machine to gently blow the whole inside workings clean, then oils it very well. Until this happens, I use 'Air In A Can' and my small machine oil bottle. Machine just keeps on running like a John Deere-lol ! No gears on this machine are plastic or computerized-just plain ole sewing machine. Is this rusting something I need to worry about? We have never seen any rusted places or pitted areas. Other than "Air In A Can', what can I use to thorough clean the bobbin area?
TIA, Annie

ckcowl

I purchased the little vacuum attachments and vacuum out my machines. Works great. I was always told to not use canned air because instead of removing the lint you are forcing it into areas it would never go on its own. The little attachment kit cost about $20 and works great on my sewing machines and computers. And I save having to buy more air

Mdegenhart

I think you are not supposed to use it because it has moisture in it.

Belfrybat

I hadn't heard of it causing rusting, but that it forces the lint back into the machine and it could cause problems. But it seems with your husband doing a thorough cleaning and oiling periodically, you probably won't need to worry about it.

One story about air in a can. I was using it to clean between the keys on my very dirty computer keyboard and after I'd finished, two keys were impossibly stuck -- wouldn't work at all. When I popped them off I discovered an accumulation of debris that apparently the canned air had forced together. I haven't used it since.

quiltedsunshine

If you live in a desert, you don't have to worry about canned air causing rust. But if you live where it's humid, and you have to keep your bread in the refrigerator to keep it from molding, then yes, you should worry about it.

When we service the machines at the shop, we use an air compressor. BUT... we have the covers off the machine, so the lint will blow out, not back into the gears.

Funny story about canned air... Our embroidery teacher was showing the ladies how to use canned air on their embroidery machines. After they had been running the machines for a couple hours, they were blowing the lint out with the canned air, and the machines caught fire! So don't use canned air on a hot machine.

EasyPeezy

The problem with canned air...if you don't hold the can upright you will be spraying liquid
in your machine. That's another reason why it's not recommended.

I use a paintbrush and half a pipe cleaner (used for crafts). Takes just a minute and
it's cheap. I can reuse the pipe cleaner over and over.

Nurse Jan

I've never heard that it causes rust but I have been told not to use it except to blow treads away from the surface of the machine. The service man advised me that using the canned air to clean the inside of the machine just blows quite a bit of the dust and threads into me mechanism of the machine and gums up the works AND he showed me all the thread bits and lint IN the works. I don't use it for that purpose anymore.

ManiacQuilter2

Yes and somewhere in this apt I am certain that my rusty bobbin ensemble that had to be replaced because of rust is somewhere here. I used air in a can on my Bernina 1530. WORST thing. It is the ONLY part I have ever had replace on my baby. Check into some of the small attachments that are made to attach to your vacuum cleaner. Or go searching for a small vacuum that the techies must used when working on computers.

isewman

I wouldn't use air. I was told it has moisture. And trying to spray the dust out of the bobbin case can force dust in the gears(?)/bottom of the sewing machine. I again will say NO