I use a cosmetic brush. It works pretty good.

I have an adapter for my vacuum, and I should use it more often!!

I've gotten in the habit of vacuuming my machine everytime I vacuum the house. I have one of those attachments for machines, but never was happy with it. I just use the regular machine hose without anything attached to the end. More suction that way. I've often found lots of lint under the throat plate so just snap it out vacuum and snap it back in. Works for me.

You can get vacuums for cleaning computers and electronics. They are small to get into the smaller spaces.

I have had a micro vacumn I bought many years ago to clean between the keys and peddles on my organ. Works great on my machines. computer and those little places on my windows that catch everything.

My husband went to Harbor Freight and bought me my own compressor to blow out my machines. It works!

I just bought a small vacuum cleaner from nancy's notions for this but the attachments on it aren't very small either. I'm disappointed because that's obviously what they sell it for, but they won't even fit down into my bobbin area enough to suck anything out. I haven't decided yet if I want to return it (will cost me $$ because I'd have to pay to ship it back I'm sure plus not get shipping I already paid back) or try to tape something on it that will take smaller attachments. The way it is now, the hose end is not even round (it's a moon shape) so I can't use my existing tiny attachments on it. My attachments won't fit on my regular vacuum cleaner either.

I thought that you shouldn't blow air into it or you risk forcing the dust in even deeper. I know I read that somewhere...

I use a small vacuum attachment from Clotide.
Also take it apart when it is really dirty and use the compressor to blow it all out.

You should not use air to blow out lint in your sewing machine. It may work on computers but you could be forcing the lint into area's that could cause you further problems. Vacuums are the best way to get that lint out.

Yes. I have one. It attaches to your regular vac. A big nuisance to drag out the big one all the time, so I only use mine occasionally. Marge

Ladies, this is Off-The-Wall usage - okay -- but, next time you go to your gynecologist to get a pap smear, ask him/her if you can get some of the wands they use to give pap smears. They about the length of a soda staw, about the width of the little plastic coffee stirrers, and have a wand on the end that sort of looks like a mascara brush. They're completely flexible and can get in all sorts of nooks and crannies on your machine to pick up lint.

If you take the brush off the small vaccuum that you bought from Nancy's Notions, you will be able to get it into the bobbin area. If you brush around the bobbin area with a cosmetic brush or a brush that should have come with your machine first to loosen the dust and threads, the little vacuum will pick it all up afterward. Works for me! You're right about blowing air into the machine to get rid of lint and dust. You should not do it!

I use my husband's electric shaver cleaning brush". It's a brush at one end and a baby-bottle brush at the other of the wire handle...but "teeny weeny" - about 4" long! It really gets into those small crevices below the needle/bobbin case and pulls up all sorts of "debris".

Ages ago I found a battery operated Mini Vacuum cleaner - Halloa seems to be the only thing like a brand name can find on the package. It was sold in a computer shop for vacuuming keyboards but works very well on sewing machines.

Because I have invested many dollars into Bernina sewing machines, I also have purchased an apparatus for cleaning with tiny attachments. The large end of the hose fits directly onto my ordinary floor vacuum while the tiny end has various tools for getting into the lower portions of the machine. Works like a charm! Caution ahead for those who blow into their machine either by mouth or by compressed air cans. This can cause damage beyond a repairman's expertise.

I use q-tips making sure they are tightly wound and my sewing machine brush seem to do a good job.

I got this for my hubby for Christmas to use on his computer and with some other projects he has. Guess what.....I think he's going to have to share it! It's about the size of a banana and has pretty good suction power.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

I've never posted a link before. Hope this works.

I have one of those things that you hook to the vacuum. When I clean out my machine I always forget I have it. LOL

I didn't read thru all the messages but they have a mini kit at LOWE'S..by the shop vac's. I also use a pipe cleaner that I put thru a straw so that the fuzz end pokes out and the straw gives it stability..you would be amazed what that thing can find in lint. I swipe my bobbin area everytime I change bobbins.

http://www.amazon.com/Micro-Vacuum-A...ref=pd_sim_k_1

Amazon also carries the Vacuum Micro Attachments, and if you have an order over $25.00 you get free shipping.

Going to order this for 9 bucks and a couple of books I want to make it $25.00.

I wouldn't "Blow" any air into a machine since it can get lodged in places that can cause it to get jammed. I know you can get little vacuums for computers and I think they would work for machines too. That is on my list for the future.

canned air

I bought an attachment that fits on my regular vacuum. It cost me $14.95. It works great.

I rigged up a clear 1/4 " tubing to a nozel that fits the vaccume,The tube is about a foot long and flexable enough to wiggel around with out dammanging anything.

Wow you are ambitious. I just use a small thin brush.

Not very amb. this also cleans out the runners for sliding windows. :-)

Eddie, love the profile pic of you and the Mrs.
Very nice!!

Linda

On computer keyboard and sewing machine I use a long, curved eyelash brush. It gets masses of stuff when I can twirl it around. On the keyboard it gets clouds of white Persian hair because a certain cat walks back and forth in front of me when I'm on the computer, crying for attention and tries to do the same when I'm sewing.

I can pull out threads and hairs from the sewing machine and it gets pretty far back down there. I think I'll try to see if the bottom will come off, never thought of that before.

I have this one too.

I received this micro tool kit in my Christmas sock (It came from Harbor Freight and cost $5.99) good place to shop for quilting incidentals if you have one close by!

I wish I had a Harbor Frieght nearby. I understand those stores have some pretty nifty household tools. I looked at the internet store and was not impressed. There is a store by where my daughter lives. May have to go there when I visit her.

When I bought my Bernina the dealer said to use Q-tips to clean my machine.

I have a set of small attachments which I attach to my vacuum cleaner. They are great for my overlocker (serger) and machines. You can order them online.

I also have a small set of attachments to vacuum out my sewing machines. I clean my machines...bobbin area after each quilt. It is a great way to keep you machines in top running order. I also clean my bobbin area out throughly after each bobbin change. Course with King Tut thread I rarely have any buildup but do this out of habit.

What a great idea, never thought of that one.

Connie F. that is the attachment I bought at the Viking sewing center. I think it was the same price.

The compressor is a great idea. Thanks, I glad to know that big thing in the garage is good for something.

Won't the compressor just force lint and threads deeper into your machine?

I was told by dealers to NEVER blow into your machine and never use the compressed air. Both the compressed air and your breath contain moisture.
I use a small artist brush.
Before I learned the correct way to clean my latest machine, I had used it for about three months, I only used an artist brush and when I went to my first class, I was happy to see very little lint when we were taught how to take it apart to clean it.
I had not even taken off the throat plate in all that time as I couldn't figure out how. It was clean there too as I had used the tiny artist brush up under the plate. I had just finished sewing with flannel and fleece before my class so I was really pleased that it was clean.
Moisture will ruin your machine.