How to Restore a Singer Sewing Machine

Clean the inside. Even if you have kept the Singer machine indoors in a temperature-controlled environment, there will still be dust and lint left over from all the fabric it's sewn over the years. Carefully remove as much of the outer plating as you can with a screwdriver. Make a note of what screw goes where for easy reassembly. Gently remove dust, lint and dirt using a 1" paintbrush.

Scrub off any rust. If any of the inside parts are rusted, gently remove the rust with a fine grade steel wool and sewing machine oil. Put more oil on a clean rag or the paintbrush and oil the interior moving parts of the machine. Manually turn the wheel on the right to check if it and all other parts are moving smoothly. Replace the outer plating.

Replace worn out parts. Even if the needle in the machine looks fine, replace it -- it could be rusted, warped or dull. Examine the rubber drive belt that goes around the wheel. If it is cracked, loose or brittle, replace it. Your local Singer dealer will have drive belts or know where to get them.

Polish the outside with a damp cloth and wipe it dry.