Waxed canvas is a mid-weight cotton fabric that has been saturated with wax. When sewing, the teeth of the feed dogs scrape a little bit of wax off the fabric while it moves it through the machine. Here’s how we like to clean wax from our sewing machines at Klum House.
If you’ve ever sewn with waxed canvas, you may have noticed a small amount of wax that begins to build up on your sewing machine needle and feed dogs. We’ve found that we can generally make about five or six bags before the machine needs a good cleaning. But when that day comes, it’s a simple and satisfying task! All you need is an old toothbrush, a seam ripper, some rubbing alcohol, and a rag.
Here’s how we like to clean wax from our sewing machines here at Klum House:
You will need:
- New sewing machine needle
- Small screwdriver
- Dull seam ripper (or anything pointy you don’t care too much about)
- Old toothbrush
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Rag
1. Remove the presser foot, stitch plate, and needle. Most machines come with a tool to take these out with no trouble.
2. Use the pointed end of your dull seam ripper to gently scrape off as much wax as possible from the ridges of the feed dog teeth.
3. With a bit of rubbing alcohol, use the old toothbrush to brush the teeth of the feed dogs. The rubbing alcohol will break down the last bits of wax and will evaporate quickly.
4. We haven’t found a reason to worry about wax building up in the body of the machine. But if you’d like to, break down the bobbin casing pieces, brush them off, and give all those parts a rub down with a rag and the rubbing alcohol as well.
5. Ta da! Clean feed dogs! Install a new needle in your machine, and you’re good to go. Back to bag making!
Speaking of needles: ours aren’t just ordinary needles—they are SUPER NONSTICK needles, with a special coating that keeps them from getting gummed up from waxed canvas!
In just a few minutes, your machine will be all cleaned out and good as new—ready to dive into your next bag project. Learning to care for and maintain your sewing machine in this way can be really empowering. It also helps ensure that your machine will continue to last and make beautiful stitches for years to come!
Waxed Canvas
Waxed canvas has a “memory.” That means it retains markings from each bend and crinkle, giving it a lovely weathered patina over time. Want to learn more? Check out our Essential Guide to Waxed Canvas.
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