A well-maintained machine is a happy machine.
To prevent premature wear, keep your machine clean and well oiled. Dust, yarn fibers and general dirt in between the needles increase friction and makes the machine underperform. How often you have to clean and oil your machine depends on how much you use it and the types of yarn you use. Some yarns leave a lot of fibers behind, others barely any.
Always clean before oiling and always oil after cleaning.
Always switch the machine to the symbol “O” position to turn it off when cleaning the inside.
Never use any (cleaning) liquids on the inside of the machine.
Cleaning the machine before oiling prevents dust from seeping between needles. There are different ways to clean the inside of your machine. You can use a vacuum cleaner or compressed air and a cloth or small brush. To apply oil, squeeze the included oil dispenser bottle lightly and move the brush head across the parts to be oiled.
Cleaning and oiling recommendation for everyday use:
| Exterior | When necessary |
| Needle beds | Weekly |
| Carrier rails | Weekly |
| Carriage rails | Weekly |
| Carriage knitting cams | Every 6 months |
In the first weeks after setting up your machine, oil it more frequently.
Only lubricants as provided or recommended by Kniterate may be used. Other lubricants may damage the machine, e. g. due to insufficient lubricating action, rust on metal parts or damage to the electrical cable insulation and the plastic parts. Using the wrong lubricant can void the warranty.
Read our guides below or watch our videos on cleaning and oiling:
The needle bed
When vacuuming, make sure to move around carefully and make sure you don’t break any needles or latches. If you have a compressor you can also use compressed air. Dirty oil or dust that's sticking to the machine can also be wiped with a dry cloth or small brush. Be aware not to rub any dirt into the needle bed. Using tweezers can help to remove clusters of dust in the grooves underneath the needle bed bar. Don’t worry if you push down the jacks, the carriage will push them up again.
The carrier and carriage rails
The yarn carrier rails and the carriage rails should be kept clean and well oiled so that the yarn carriers can slide over them without any friction. With a dry cloth, remove the dust and dirt from the rails. Then oil them slightly, there should be no oil dripping. If you applied too much oil, use a cloth to remove the excess oil. The safest way to oil the rails is to put some oil on a piece of paper or cloth and use that to oil the rails. This way you are sure there won't be any oil dripping.