a small amount of sewing machine oil on a soft cloth will clean off sticky residue also---and if you are having problems removing your bobbins they are being wound too tight- make sure to use all of the guides- and have the thread under the foot (if threading bobbins from a threaded needle) to help loosen up that tension a bit....the dealer where i bought my viking actually YELLED AT ME one time when i took the machine in because i could not get the bobbin off the spool....toooooo tight