Clean Your Knitting Machine Making Your Own Cleaning Solution

To make your own cleaning solution you need:

Denatured Alcohol: DO NOT use any other type of alcohol. Denatured alcohol can be purchase in hardware and lumber stores in the paint section. Just ask for it.

Knitting machine oil that came with your machine. Do not use any other type of oil.

Flannelette Pads: You only need two or three. Use an old piece of flannelette folded as follows: Cut an 8 to 12" square of cloth. Fold two opposite cut edges to meet in the middle of the square. Repeat for the other two raw edges. Now fold the piece in half to form a rectangle. Then fold again to form a square. None of the raw edges are exposed. Wet the pad with solution and use this to wipe down any parts that need extra attention. Use a dry pad to polish cleaned needles or other parts. Keep used pads in a baggie for next time. Old ones work better than new ones.

Make your cleaning solution: Measure out one 8 oz cup of denatured alcohol. ad 1/2 tsp of knitting machine oil. Place solution in a tightly capped bottle to store.

To use the solution, you can place needles, or other parts you need to clean into the solution and soak them. Remove parts from the solution an place them on an absorbent surface. Paper towels place on top of an old towel works well. Polish with flannelette square (see following).

The under side of the knitting machine carriage should have any lint brushed out first. Use a small soft brush dipped in solution to clean. Use a flannelette pad to remove dirt and grease.


Plastic parts that have no metal attached to them from the knitting machine will come clean in warm water with a good degreaser and a light bristle brush like a tooth brush or soft nail brush.  Make sure there is no water remaining on plastic parts when reassembling your machine.

Once reassembled, re oil your machine according to the instructions in your manual.