Originally Posted by Judebug

I read through several of the replies on this thread and I do understand the 'risk' of using canned air. I think it is a matter of preference and common sense. If you don't do a preliminary lint removal before using canned air, then certainly you increase your chances of blowing excess junk into unreachable areas of your machine. However... I have put a lot of mileage on my Bernina 1090 when I bought it new in 1995. I routinely oiled and lint brushed my machine as recommended all those years and NEVER have had a single malfunction on my machine! I lightly sprayed canned air into the bobbin case area and under the presser plate - the areas I couldn't reach with the brush.

Since I'm being honest here, I'll admit I never had my machine serviced or cleaned BECAUSE I'd never had any problems with it, so didn't think I needed to. When the Bernina tech cleaned my machine for the first time, 22 yrs later, he said I had a lot of lint in areas I would never have been able to get to without taking the machine apart. I asked him about using canned air, and if that might have added to the buildup and he said it wouldn't make a significant difference and I didn't need to worry about using it. The biggest concern is not spraying it so long in one area that you 'freeze' the surface you are spraying. This doesn't happen unless you are overdoing the spraying. Thus the common sense factor. If you feel the can getting cold. Stop spraying!

I have more of an issue with the Q-tip and paintbrush users. Q-tip fibers can snag and get hung up in small areas and paintbrush bristles can fall out and do the same. The pipe cleaner method seems a bit less risky in that regard. Getting oil in areas that don't require it can attract thread fiber residue buildup. I'm not keen on that idea for obvious reasons. I recently read an online tip about bending a pipe cleaner in half and poking the two ends into a coffee stirring straw. Use it awhile and then toss. They are cheap to replace. Straws are free at the coffee shop and pipe cleaners can be found easily ~ probably at the Dollar Store.

Like I said - its all about personal preference, but I thought it only fair to speak up for the canned air users. I'm not ashamed and haven't been penalized for doing so by the sewing Gods.