How do I oil my shredder?

If you have a paper shredder, chances are you use it pretty frequently. Whether you use it to shred personal documents to prevent identity theft or use one at work to protect business information, shredders have become some of the most commonly used machines. If you want to keep your shredder in good shape you need to oil it on a regular basis. Here is all you need to know about how to do it:

• Get some shredder oil. The first thing you need to do is make sure you have a good supply of shredder oil. This is a type of lubricant that is specially formulated for paper shredders so you can use it and not damage your machine. Shredder oil is produced by manufacturers such as Fellowes, Martin Yale, and Dahle and it’s affordable so you won’t blow your budget. Whatever you do, don’t use other kinds of oil (i.e. vegetable, sunflower, WD-40). This can be hazardous and may damage your shredder.
• Choose one of two methods. There are two ways you can oil your shredder. The first way is the easiest: just dribble some oil directly into the machine. Oil the entire width of the feed opening and then put the shredder in the reverse mode for several seconds. Then run a few sheets of paper through the machine to soak up the lubricant. And the other way to oil your shredder involves pouring some oil on a sheet of paper. You should do this in a zigzag pattern and be sure to not totally saturate the sheet. Then shred the sheet and run a few dry pages through the shredder. You can then go back to using your shredder like you normally would.
• Do it often. Since you want to keep your shredder in good shape, you’re going to need to oil it on a regular basis. Depending on your specific machine and how often you use it, you may need to oil it a few times a day or just once or twice a month. Generally speaking, the more often you use your device, the more often it needs to be oiled. You should consult the shredder’s instruction manual for specific guidelines on how frequently it needs to be oiled.
• Consider an automatic oiler. If you use your shredder a lot and find that you’re oiling it frequently, you may want to consider getting an automatic oiler. An automatic oiler is simply a device that can be attached to your machine that will lubricate the gears on a regular basis. All you need to do is ensure the oiler is full to get the most out of it. The one problem associated with automatic oilers is that they’re not available for all shredders. It’s usually only the large shredders that can be equipped with these devices. Nonetheless, you should look into getting one if you oil your machine a lot.