Shredder Lubricant Sheets vs Oil: Which Is Better for Maintenance?

A paper shredder is a must-have piece of equipment for you to safely and securely dispose of personal information and confidential data around your home or workplace.

As shredders are high-performance machines with intricate moving parts though, regular lubrication is key to conditioning the cutters and extending the equipment’s lifespan.

When browsing our range of shredding accessories, you will find two primary methods for maintenance – bottled oil and lubricant sheets.

This guide explores the benefits of each and provides some other considerations to remember when optimising your shredder’s performance:

Why Is It Important to Maintain Your Shredder?

By not even having a shredder’s blades slightly lubricated, paper dust and other residue can build up and start to stick to the cutters.

Signs that your shredder is inadequately oiled and needs attention might include:

You notice fewer sheets of paper are being shredded per pass and per minute.
Machine jams become more frequent, stalling your workflow.
Your equipment squeaks or sounds laboured during use.

We recommend that you should be oiling your shredder every time you empty the waste bin, or at least twice a month. Waiting too long can cause damage and other long-term issues to your machine’s performance.

The Difference Between Maintaining Your Shredder with Oil vs Lubricant Sheets

We stock bottled lubricant oil and lubricant sheets when your shredder needs some maintenance. Here is how the two products differ:

Bottled lubricant oil is directly applied across the shredder’s paper entry mechanism.

Lubricant sheets have been pre-lubricated with oil, applying a thin layer of this solution to the shredder’s blades when each sheet passes through the machine.

Oils You Should Never Use on a Shredder

We always advise that Fellowes Shredder Oil is used when you are maintaining one of our shredders. This solution has been specially formulated to be used on our machines.

Vegetable-based oil can be an alternative as a temporary measure, especially to help soften a blockage on your shredder.

But these household oils should not be used on your shredder:

Aerosol oil, such as WD-40, or sewing machine oil as these are petroleum-based lubricants which can easily ignite even from a small spark.
Baby oil, as this is a light solution that does not have the high viscosity and heat-tolerant properties which make lubricant oil effective.

Feel that your paper shredder continues to struggle even after following these maintenance tips?

It may be time to upgrade to one of the world’s toughest shredders ^®.

Our Fellowes WorkLife Coach is also available to help recommend which paper shredder is right for you, so that you will buy the best machine for your requirements based on expected usage, security needs, and any special features that you will find very handy.

Sources:
https://the-shredder-warehouse.com/pages/why-oil https://www.shreddingmachines.co.uk/shredder%20oil.asp?cat=Why-Oil-Your-Shredder https://www.mybinding.com/blogs/paper-shredding/do-not-use-these-oils-for-your-paper-shredder https://www.fellowes.com/uk/en/catalog/business-machines/resources/pg/faqs

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Shredder Lubricant Sheets vs Oil: Which Is Better for Maintenance?

Shredder Lubricant Sheets vs Oil: Which Is Better for Maintenance?

Key takeaways from this article:

Why Is It Important to Maintain Your Shredder?

The Difference Between Maintaining Your Shredder with Oil vs Lubricant Sheets

Oils You Should Never Use on a Shredder