Kerosene wont cut it.
 

The Singer 127 I picked up a couple weeks ago is soooooo very filthy up underneath and on other parts I decided so soak the bottom of the machine and the peripheral parts in kerosene to loosen up and get rid of the ancient oil.
It won't touch it.

So, before I try my next idea, what would you try next?

I'll do a pic in a bit. I'm moving real slow today.

Joe

My first though would be HOT water and Dawn - it's a pretty amazing combination when it comes to grease. I'm sure something more heavily caustic - say, Liquid Plumber - would work better still but you'd have to be so careful of the decals.

The old hard oil really looks like baked on oven grease. I'll bet oven cleaner might work on that, I'm still cogitating on what to try next.

Joe

Stay away from the decals, but a good solution of OxiClean and Hot water does it for me. Then a good wipe / rinse with hot water to clear the Oxi away.

It's possible the oxi wouldn't have taken the decal off my 127, but the OxiClean and a microfiber cloth did. I noticed quickly, it's about 3/8" sq, but still. The underbits should be totally fine as long as they're well oiled afterward. I always use the air compressor to blow out as much water as possible, then oil immediately afterward.

OMG, Joe, I was going to pm you with the same question. I have a 127 that is gummed up just like yours. I've used kerosene and WD40. I'm about to pull my hair out. They're so many parts that I can't reach. I was going to ask you if I could spray oven cleaner up inside her, then flush with hot water. She is frozen up, not rust, just gunk. I've also tried to use a blow dryer to heat her parts up, but that didn't work. She's a treadle. I was going to put a handcrank on her. HELP!!!!

mawluv,

My machine has been soaking in kerosene for about a week now. Well, just the bottom gears and such and the crud is still not coming off most of the parts. In some places where it wasn't oiled as much it's beginning to come off. Internally it's a mess too, but not seized up. The insides of the plated parts are untouched by the kerosene.

I won't use water on a sewing machine cos of rust. I just can't be sure I've gotten all the moisture out of it, or enough oil into it to prevent rust.

So, in a day or so I'm going to crack open the last quart of Hoppe's #9 I've got and clean that gunk off. I hate to use it, but it works and won't hurt the decals if you don't leave it on for a long time.

Joe

Joe,

I have had great success with 90% ( or 99%...can't remember) ethyl alcohol. BUT can't let it touch the paint. I use lots of q-tips and lots of patience. The q-tip should be wet, but not dripping.

Cathy

Cathy,

Another idea to keep in mind.

Joe

Joe, would ammonia work? I know you can use it to clean baked on crease from ovens and the oven racks. Mawluv

Not Joe, but ammonia should do well. Be VERY careful not to get it on japanning/decals, though - ammonia cuts right through shellac!