I use basting spray and have never had a problem with the needle gumming up. Basting spray washes out of the fabric when you wash the quilt, and seems to wash off of hard flat surfaces easily.
I don't recommend spraying around your sewing machine. The vapor may penetrate the insides of the machine and gum that up.
I sweep the garage floor, lay out my batting, spray one side, turn it over and spray the other side. It is all done in the garage with the garage door open - has to be a warm, wind-free day. I am supersensitive to odors and stuff that can get into my sinuses, and this minimizes that problem.
I also spray the backs of my cutting rulers with basting spray. At first, it is difficult to reposition fabric under the rulers - a small pain in the butt, but much better than the ruler slipping and fabric getting cut wrong. After a few uses, the basting spray starts to rub off and repositioning fabric is easier, plus the accuracy of my cuts is much improved.