How to Oil a Shredder

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Oiling an office shredder is an important part of your routine. While the frequency of oiling depends on the type of shredder and how often it is used, it is inevitable that you will need to oil the machine at some point. When a shredder is used, paper dust is created and can coat the blades of your paper shredder. By following a few simple steps you can keep your shredder maintained.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Using the Paper

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  1. Place a sheet of paper (letter size or A4 is best) on a surface that can be cleaned from oil. Oil may spill on this surface so make sure it cannot be damaged if it does spill. [1]
  2. Purchase the oil recommended for your paper shredder by the manufacturer. [2] Different shredders will use different oils and will usually sell the oil where you purchased your shredder.
    • If you are using an old and/or out of warranty paper shredder, you can use canola oil as a substitute rather than purchasing oil. The oil produced by some brands is actually just repackaged canola oil so you can save a little money by using canola oil.
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  3. Drizzle the oil over the paper in a zigzag pattern on one side of the paper. [3] Try not to saturate the paper or put too much oil or else it can get a little messy.
    • Make sure the zigzags stretch all the way from side to side to ensure sufficient coverage.
  4. Shred the oil-covered paper by running it through the machine. As the paper gets shredded the oil will coat the blades, which then redistribute the oil. This keeps the shredder operating smoothly.
    • Ensure that paper is not creased and damaged or it may cause a malfunction in the machine.
  5. Pass a few more pieces of paper into the shredder so that they absorb the extra oil left on the blades.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Oiling the Shredder Without Paper

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  1. Purchase the oil recommended for your paper shredder by the manufacturer. Different shredders will use different oils and will usually sell the oil where you purchased your shredder.
    • If you are using an old and/or out of warranty paper shredder, you can use canola oil as a substitute rather than purchasing oil. The oil produced by some brands is actually just repackaged canola oil so you can save a little money by using canola oil.
  2. Setting the shredder to manual mode allows you to control the direction that the blades are rotating and the length of time that they are moving. You will need this for oiling the paper.
  3. While the paper shredder is off, squirt a line of oil lengthwise across the paper entry. [4] This puts oil along the entire length of the blades.
  4. Start the paper shredder in the reverse direction and keep it in motion for 10-20 seconds before stopping the blades. [5] This way the oil is spread and redistributed around to the entire cutting assembly.
  5. Turn off manual mode and restart the machine in automatic mode for normal use.
  6. Pass at least two or three more pieces of paper into the shredder so that they absorb the extra oil left on the blades.
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  • Question
    What kind of oil should I use for Ativa shredder?
    Community Answer
    Office Depot recommends using 'Office Depot' brand shredder oil. Available in 4oz size only, it is nothing more than "vegetable oil" according to their MSDS.
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    Not Helpful 5 Helpful 33
  • Question
    Would avocado oil work to oil shredder blades? Avocado oil can withstand higher heat than canola - just wondering if it matters?
    Community Answer
    Just used it and it fixed my shredder just fine! Don’t know about long term effects, but I was ready to buy a new one and now I don't have to!
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      Tips

      • Cross-cut shredders will need to be oiled more often because they have more blades and create more paper dust.
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      • Oil according to how often you use the paper shredder. Shredders that are used heavily in office settings will need to be oiled several times per week while those used at home may only need to be oiled a few times a year. Manufacturers usually recommend oiling the shredder every 30 minutes of cumulative use.
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      • Shredding large amounts of paper at once or using particular types of material can also create the need for oiling more often.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://fellowes.knowledgeowl.com/help/how-do-i-oil-the-cutters-of-my-paper-shredder
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJul28qN9_Q
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJul28qN9_Q
      4. ↑ https://fellowes.knowledgeowl.com/help/how-do-i-oil-the-cutters-of-my-paper-shredder
      5. ↑ https://fellowes.knowledgeowl.com/help/how-do-i-oil-the-cutters-of-my-paper-shredder

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To oil your shredder, start by drizzling manufacturer-approved oil across a piece of plain, printer paper in a zig-zag pattern. Next, turn the paper shredder on and feed in the oiled piece of paper. Once this first sheet has been shredded, feed it a few more pieces of paper to absorb any excess oil. As you feed paper to the shredder, make sure the sheets are not creased or damaged, as this could cause the machine to malfunction. To learn how to oil the shredder parts directly, without paper, read on!

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      • Anonymous

        Aug 6, 2016

        "The step-by-step directions made it easy to oil my shredder correctly, and I appreciated the recommendations on how ..." more
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