Originally Posted by miriam

3-in-1 oil is very bad - when it dries it sets up like varnish - it is pretty hard to get off too - ask me how I know this. Please use Sewing Machine Oil. It should be clear liquid. If you have used 3-in-1 and it has dried up you can get it off by using kerosene if it doesn't work try denatured alcohol - better be very careful of your paint or any plastic parts. I had a machine I very liberally soaked with 3-in-1 oil. After it set a while nothing moved, it looked like it had an orange coating of gunk. It took a lot of work to get it all off. The machine is fine now.