Originally Posted by
Cari-in-Oly
Be very careful with the soap and water. I cringe every time I see that someone is using it, especially on a black machine. You're very lucky you didn't permanently damage the machine.
Cari
Really? I've heard the opposite, that water and mild soap are usually the safest. Keep in mind that I didn't soak the finish, just ran a damp cloth or swab over it and quickly dried it with another, dry cloth. And certainly didn't use it on the mechanics!
Of course the scary truth is there's no garanteed safe way to clean an antique sewing machine. What works or doesn't work on one may not on the next.