Screens:
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Window screens can get absolutely filthy. Not surprising when you consider that their job to keep dust, pollen, bugs, and other airborne detritus on the outside looking in. Clean screens at least once a year, preferably when the weather first turns balmy and it's time to put them up.
To clean window screens, move them to a flat surface, being careful not to place them where underlying objects can damage them. If you lay them in your yard, remove rocks or other sharp objects underneath. Placing them atop a large drop cloth or old shower curtain is a good idea, or just lay them on a paved driveway.
In a large bucket, mix 3 parts warm water with 1 part ammonia and 2 tablespoons each of liquid dishwashig soap and borax. (Or purchase an all-purpose cleaner at the hardware store.)
Wearing rubber gloves, pour the mixture into a trigger spray bottle. Wet the screens thoroughly with a garden hose. Spray the cleaner onto the screens thoroughly with a garden hose. Spray the cleaner onto the screens, front and back, being careful not to miss those grimy corners. Allow the cleaning solution to sit on the screens at least five minutes, to better
penetrate the mesh and do the dirty work for you. The less scrubbing you do on screens the better, for they get brittle and often loosen with age.
Scrub both sides--gently--with a soft-bristled brush, using an old toothbrush to get into grimy corners. Rinse the brshes as you toil so that you won't smear around more grime than you remove. Rinse the screens thoroughly with the hose and then air-dry them in the sun, propped up against the house or bushes.
Sewing Machines
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Isaac Merrit Singer, whose name was once synonymous with the sewing machine, would be spinning in his grave if he knew you has a dirty sewing machine. Take care of that machine. It will last longer, you'll sew better, and the old boy will rest in peace. The instructions
below apply primarily to traditional mechanical sewing machines operated by an electric motor. To clean the more fragile computerized machines, follow the directions in your owner's manual.
For a mechanical sewing machine, be sure you use the right oil to keep it humming. Use sewing machine oil (available at fabric stores and sewing machine shops). Other common lubricants, such as 3-in-One oil and WD-40, dry too fast and will eventually cause the machine to seize and stop. Put no more than one or two drops of sewing machine oil in each of the 30-odd holes that pockmark your machine.
Floss your machine to banish the fuzzies and keep it running smoothly. Slide the edges of a thin peace of muslin between the tension disks (those metal pieces the thread passes through). Be sure the presser foot it up to slacken the tension springs.(If you have no muslin, gently slide a credit card between the disks to loosen dust and dirt caught between them.)
Remove the machine's cover. Using a can of compressed air or a hair dryer, hit movable parts with a stream of air, from back to front, to remove any loose threads, lint, and fuzzies.
WATCH OUT
Never oil a computerized sewing machine or use any kind of liquid any where near it. (Oil and liquids can irreparably damage circuit boards.) Use a hair dryer to blow away lint. If you're unsure about cleaning your computerized sewing machine, take it to a sewing machine repair shop.
Take off the throat plate (sometimes called the needle plate), paying close attention to how it is removed and replaced. On some models, it screws in. On others, it's spring-loaded. Same thing goes for the bobbin, bobbin case (also called the shuttle), and hook race--watch what you're taking apart, or you may not get it together again. Use compressed air, the hair dryer, or a small stiff-bristled
nylon brush to clean these parts. In a pinch, a pipe cleaner will extract small fibers from moving parts. So will a dental pick. Don't use toothpicks--they're too flimsy and could break.
Dust the outside with a clean cloth.(Microfiber cloth works well.) A mild household cleaner such as Formula 409 or Windex does the job on grimy fingerprints. Spray first on a cloth and then wipe. If the case is metal, sewing machine oil or WD-40, sprayed first on a rag, will shine it up.
Keep your machine clean by covering it when you're not using it. Ready-made plastic covers are sold at notions and sewing machine shops. Or make one yourself from an old pillowcase. Keep the machine away from heat, light, and open windows.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Window screens can get absolutely filthy. Not surprising when you consider that their job to keep dust, pollen, bugs, and other airborne detritus on the outside looking in. Clean screens at least once a year, preferably when the weather first turns balmy and it's time to put them up.
To clean window screens, move them to a flat surface, being careful not to place them where underlying objects can damage them. If you lay them in your yard, remove rocks or other sharp objects underneath. Placing them atop a large drop cloth or old shower curtain is a good idea, or just lay them on a paved driveway.
In a large bucket, mix 3 parts warm water with 1 part ammonia and 2 tablespoons each of liquid dishwashig soap and borax. (Or purchase an all-purpose cleaner at the hardware store.)
Wearing rubber gloves, pour the mixture into a trigger spray bottle. Wet the screens thoroughly with a garden hose. Spray the cleaner onto the screens thoroughly with a garden hose. Spray the cleaner onto the screens, front and back, being careful not to miss those grimy corners. Allow the cleaning solution to sit on the screens at least five minutes, to better
penetrate the mesh and do the dirty work for you. The less scrubbing you do on screens the better, for they get brittle and often loosen with age.
Scrub both sides--gently--with a soft-bristled brush, using an old toothbrush to get into grimy corners. Rinse the brshes as you toil so that you won't smear around more grime than you remove. Rinse the screens thoroughly with the hose and then air-dry them in the sun, propped up against the house or bushes.
Sewing Machines
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Isaac Merrit Singer, whose name was once synonymous with the sewing machine, would be spinning in his grave if he knew you has a dirty sewing machine. Take care of that machine. It will last longer, you'll sew better, and the old boy will rest in peace. The instructions
below apply primarily to traditional mechanical sewing machines operated by an electric motor. To clean the more fragile computerized machines, follow the directions in your owner's manual.
For a mechanical sewing machine, be sure you use the right oil to keep it humming. Use sewing machine oil (available at fabric stores and sewing machine shops). Other common lubricants, such as 3-in-One oil and WD-40, dry too fast and will eventually cause the machine to seize and stop. Put no more than one or two drops of sewing machine oil in each of the 30-odd holes that pockmark your machine.
Floss your machine to banish the fuzzies and keep it running smoothly. Slide the edges of a thin peace of muslin between the tension disks (those metal pieces the thread passes through). Be sure the presser foot it up to slacken the tension springs.(If you have no muslin, gently slide a credit card between the disks to loosen dust and dirt caught between them.)
Remove the machine's cover. Using a can of compressed air or a hair dryer, hit movable parts with a stream of air, from back to front, to remove any loose threads, lint, and fuzzies.
WATCH OUT
Never oil a computerized sewing machine or use any kind of liquid any where near it. (Oil and liquids can irreparably damage circuit boards.) Use a hair dryer to blow away lint. If you're unsure about cleaning your computerized sewing machine, take it to a sewing machine repair shop.
Take off the throat plate (sometimes called the needle plate), paying close attention to how it is removed and replaced. On some models, it screws in. On others, it's spring-loaded. Same thing goes for the bobbin, bobbin case (also called the shuttle), and hook race--watch what you're taking apart, or you may not get it together again. Use compressed air, the hair dryer, or a small stiff-bristled
nylon brush to clean these parts. In a pinch, a pipe cleaner will extract small fibers from moving parts. So will a dental pick. Don't use toothpicks--they're too flimsy and could break.
Dust the outside with a clean cloth.(Microfiber cloth works well.) A mild household cleaner such as Formula 409 or Windex does the job on grimy fingerprints. Spray first on a cloth and then wipe. If the case is metal, sewing machine oil or WD-40, sprayed first on a rag, will shine it up.
Keep your machine clean by covering it when you're not using it. Ready-made plastic covers are sold at notions and sewing machine shops. Or make one yourself from an old pillowcase. Keep the machine away from heat, light, and open windows.
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