Things You'll Need:
- Flathead screwdriver
- Canned air
- Tweezers
- WD-40
- Sewing machine oil
- Rags
- Murphy's Oil Soap
- Lemon oil
- Treadle belt
- Icepick or awl
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Step 1
Start with a treadle sewing machine in relatively good condition if it is your first time repairing a treadle sewing machine. Turn the handwheel and make sure that all the parts on the machine still move and operate, even if slowly or with difficulty. Unless you are interested in restoration, look for a cabinet with no significant damage and a machine that still has a nice finish.
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Step 2
Remove the machine head from the cabinet. It will be secured by pins or hinges. Take the throat plate off the machine to clean the inner workings. Dismantle the machine as much as you are able, being careful to note what goes where. Pick out any lint or thread in the inner part of the machine.
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Step 3
Use a rag soaked in WD-40 to thoroughly wipe down all gears and inner workings. WD-40 cleans and degreases the gears and working parts of the treadle sewing machine. Apply sewing machine oil as needed to the moving parts of the sewing machine and reassemble.
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Step 4
Clean the workings of the treadle in the same way, using WD-40 as a cleanser and then sewing machine oil as needed on moving parts.
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Step 5
Use warm soapy water to clean any surface dirt and shellac off the exterior of the sewing machine. Removable metal parts, including the throat plate, can be cleaned in a mixture of water and all-purpose household cleaner. Rub down the surface of the machine with sewing machine oil, buffing in well. You can also use wax, like Turtle Wax, on the outside of the sewing machine.
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Step 6
Clean the sewing machine cabinet with a gentle product like Murphy's Oil Soap. Treat the wood with lemon oil. Reinstall the machine head into the treadle sewing machine cabinet.
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Step 7
Replace the treadle sewing machine belt. This is one of the most common things you will need to do when you repair a treadle sewing machine. Use pliers to remove the staple holding the belt together. Feed the new belt onto the machine until it is comfortably snug. Cut off the excess from the end without the staple. Use an icepick or awl and a block of wood to poke a hole and secure the staple through the belt.
