Bread Machine Maintenance
While you will not find this in your bread machine manual, it is a good idea to periodically oil your bread pans kneading shaft(s). This helps keep it moving freely, it helps kill any rust that may have formed and it will even help make the machine run quieter.
Think about it. This post spins and spins and spins and then they are subjected to the humidity in the machine, and the temperature when the unit bakes the bread. This takes a toll on those shafts and any lube put there by the manufacturer.
I don’t know why bread machine manufacturers don’t tell you to do this in the owner’s manual, but it has kept my 30+ machines running smoothly and quietly for years. This is a simple thing to do. We recommend that you do this at least once every six months or more often if you do a lot of baking. If you only use your machine for making dough, you can do it once per year.
You must and I repeat must use 3-in-1 oil or sewing machine oil. Do not use cooking oil, mineral oil or WD-40 type products. The cooking oil gets gummy, the mineral oil can cause rust and it can damage the rubber seals, WD-40 and other such products are lacquer based and become hard when exposed to heat. They are also poisonous. So, please use the 3-in-1 or sewing machine oil and don’t go over board with it and only apply it where indicated.
WARNING: Read the container of 3-in-1 oil or sewing machine oil before using. Heed all warnings. These oils are generally poisonous and should only be used on the outside of the pan where indicated in the diagram. Always wash you hands after handling the oil and I recommend that you use a napkin or paper towel if you have to handle the areas of the pan that you oil in the future.
Oiling Your Pan
To oil your pan you will need to turn the pan over. There you will see the kneading shaft, wing nut doohickey (go to love these technical terms) and the doohickey-retaining clip. You want to put a drop or two of oil between the shaft and the retaining ring (see image below). Then turn the wing nut doohickey a few times to work the oil in. Repeat once more. If your machine has two kneading blades like the Zojirushi V-20, Breadman TR-810 or some of the West Bend machines do, you will need to do both shafts.
That is all there is too it, doing this once every six months or so will extend the life of your machine and the pan.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Never, never, never get the outside bottom of the pan wet, this will cause rust to form and the shafts will seize up and the pan will become scrap.
Cleaning the Interior of Your Machine
Crumbs and Flour Dust
Generally cleaning the inside of your machine is easy. I use a cheap paint brush and turn my machine on its side and then slowly brush the crumbs in to a pile and then sweep them out of the machine.
Spills
Use a damp towel with a mild detergent to clean the spill. If needed dab a small amount of warm soapy water on to the spill and let it sit for a minute or two and then wipe up.
WARNING: Do not get the spot too wet. It is better to just dampen the area then the wipe and repeat. You do not want water standing in the bottom of your machine and you certainly don’t want it to seep through cracks and crevices in to the inner workings of your machine.
Bread Dough
Sooner or later you are going to end up with a loaf of bread that gets overly rambunctious and ends up stuck to the lid of your machine. If this happens remove the pan and leave your machine open and let the stuck on dough dry. It will then come off quite easily. For any that doesn’t come off simply dampen a paper towel and stick in over the doughy area and allow the dough to soften and then wipe it away.
WARNING: Never use anything abrasive to clean the inside of your machine. This can scratch it which not only makes it less attractive it will make clean up next time harder because there will be many more little pits and scratches for the stuff to get in to and to stick to.
I, for one, appreciate the tip on oiling the Blade of my machine… it is an invaluable tip and I shall do it to my pan.
Judy May 15th, 2008 at 7:12 pmThank you very much.
Judy
Hi,
This is one thing i never thought of doing to my machine it has made hundreds of loaves, over 6 years.
what about using silicone spray, and i am sure there is a food grade silicone.
it should take high temps.
steve May 30th, 2008 at 10:21 pmI have an old DAK Turbo IV machine…Can you oil this machine –after you take out rubber seal and oil?? Any suggestions. Thank you. Had it for years and starting to go I think…thank you.
carol August 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pmI have a dak and I know if bread isn’t baking right there is a test you can run on it but I have lost the instructions and don’t know what buttons to push to start the test. Can you help me–thanks
Diana September 24th, 2008 at 5:29 pmI just have my machine for 4 months, and the kneading blade was spilled with black oil from the bottom of the pan, which ruined my loaf. Any suggestion I can do?
josephine March 19th, 2009 at 8:45 pmI noticed a spot of oil/black goo on a pizza dough I made with my Cuisinart CBK200. The unit was just two months old with 2-3 loaves a week produced. After reading this maintenance tip I put some 3-in-1 oil on as instructed. I then noticed even more oil on my pizza dough. I used several tissues on the inside of the pan where the shaft met the pan and turned the shaft from the bottom and got plenty of oil from the shaft. I treated this pan like a fragile egg and can’t believe it is marking my loaves/doughs after just 20-30 cycles. Is getting oil from the shaft normal? Just how long are the pans supposed to last?
Charlie April 6th, 2009 at 10:10 amCuisinart is sending me a new pan under warranty (oil/grease leaking from shaft. I starting to think my over zealous cleaning ritual accelerates pan failure. By over zealous I mean cleaning the pan while it is still hot…immediately after removing the hot bread. Soap sizzling on contacting the hot insides of the pan. With the new pan I’m going to wait until the pan cools then clean it (inside only of course). By cleaning while hot I’m thinking the shaft seals don’t like the sudden temperature change. We shall see.
Charlie May 15th, 2009 at 10:53 pmI experienced the ‘stuck’ paddle several times over the past year and did not know what caused it. I also found my bread was coming out tough. Unfortunately, before finding the above maintenance tips I DID try the WD-40. It did improve matters but, as indicated in the article, only in the short term as the condition reoccured.I have now used the 3-in-1 oil and look forward to many more yummy loaves of bread from my West Bend Machine. Thank you.
Jenny R. August 25th, 2009 at 8:01 pmHow do you remove a kneading blade that is stuck in the machine? This is the second machine I’ve had this happen on. The first time, I took the machine back and exchanged it. This time that’s not an option.
Debbie G. October 15th, 2009 at 3:39 pmI may have found this site one cycle too late. I learned that my blade is in need of oiling after my Breadman Ultimate put off a how burning odor during the knead cycle. The blade was not spinning. Has anyone burned out a motor or had a similar experience? — Thanks!
Greg B, October 24th, 2009 at 7:45 amDo I have to grease the inside of my pan before I make bread? I just made a loaf & its stuck to the pan. Any aideas would be apprecited!
Elizabeth November 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pmThank you so much for the oiling tip. The blade was so stiff it must have been compromising the engine. I have tried so many different things, which I dont dare tell you about. But this really has worked in a jiffy. So Grateful. Thankyou
celia November 20th, 2009 at 5:31 amI made dinner roll dough in my Zojirushi bread machine. When I went to take the dough out there was black “oil” -it looked thick like tar – throughout my entire ball of dough. This machine is fairly new; I just got it this year and I’ve only used it 7 or 8 times, maybe less. I am returning this machine. I have never ever had this problem with my Wilbilt that I had for 10 years; or my Williams Sonoma brand that I had for 10 years. So much for having dinner rolls with my Thanksgiving dinner. How disappointing.
Patti Piper November 26th, 2009 at 3:48 pmI made a big oops…I baked a loaf of bread and forgot about it. Summer came and I put the machine away. I took it out and saw the horrible mess inside. I was able to chisel most of the bread out but there is still a good 1/4 inch layer of gray hardened material on the sides and bottom of the bread basket. I have tried soaking it in very hot water, using various cleaners and nothing is loosening that stuff. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Erica Ploski December 1st, 2009 at 10:44 pmHave a zojirushi and one of the blades stopped turning – where can I find instructions for changing out a belt? Hank
Hank December 8th, 2009 at 8:03 pmHank,
Steve December 25th, 2009 at 11:11 amWe have the same problem and have had no luck getting help. The manufacturer will sell you a belt, but will not tell how to install it. I tried removing all the screws around the blades, but the unit does not lift out. If you ever get an answer, would appreciate hearing from you.
Thanks,
Steve
So I have a Oneida bread maker and i can not figure out how to get my pan to come out…Any ideas?
Rebecca March 6th, 2010 at 7:17 pmI have always had the most wonderful service from zojirushi. When I had a problem I shipped my machine from Massachusetts to California. The service technician called me personally to discuss the repair. He replaced the belt which had worn out and then suggested replacing all the belts while it was there and open. When there was a problem with UPS and the return of my machine I received a new machine promptly and with no questions asked. I make at least two loaves of bread a week and often up to 6 as gifts. the repair was $40.
Linda OCallahan April 29th, 2010 at 7:17 amI have had my bread machine for many yrs,except for the very beginning,the bread gets stuck so that I hesitate to bake remembering the effort of
Marvin August 18th, 2010 at 8:56 amremoving the loaf and the resulting mess left in the pan
I am trying to find where I can order a belt for my West Bend Breadmaker Cat #41073 it is about 12 years old but works fine except belt is stretched so it slips Thanks
Ellie October 30th, 2010 at 9:10 amI noticed black oil through my dough in my Breadman machine. What I’m wondering is, If I haven’t noticed this earlier while making other breads, how much oil has been consumed ? I am concerned.
Laurie March 17th, 2011 at 4:30 pmI have a Breadman, and my bread got a little too excited and spilled over. Now I have a mess in the inner chamber. How do I clean it? Can I use over cleaner? Thanx for all the other great info!
April Bartlett July 13th, 2011 at 5:46 amEvery few weeks, I remove the bread pan from my West Bend breadmaker, and vacuum out the inside with my shop vac. Much more efficient than brushing! Some breadmakers have an 0-ring on the shaft where it goes through the bearing, and this needs to be replaced periodically. Just pull out the shaft and take it to a hardware store. When an o-ring breaks down, it can cause a black residue to show up in the bread.
Al Newhall July 21st, 2011 at 5:59 pmHello, I have a Breville BB290 machine. Recently it has been leaking at the bottom of the break pan and end up with quite a bit of water under the pan in the bottom of the machine. I just add extra water to compensate and bread comes out fine. Is there a quick way to fix this though or do I need a new pan? Thanks so much,
Sarah
Sarah December 27th, 2011 at 12:23 amThank you for the clear picture of where to put the oil. My machine has started squeaking after a peiod of non-use. Just needed to know exactly which “DooHicky” to put the oil on. Thank you very much!!
Jacquie January 28th, 2012 at 9:31 amHi. I melted my breadman tr875 bread pan gasket with wd-40. I know I know. Lesson learned. Now I’d like to repair it, but I can’t find any information on where to get a replacement part. Any ideas? Any help is appreciated!
Jason March 2nd, 2012 at 6:54 pmI have a Sunbeam bread machine. I pulled the shaft out to clean and lubricate it. The shaft was quite snug but came out. I slid it back in but.. NOW it won’t stay in the bread pan. It is quite loose. How can I tighten it up?
peter purawec March 9th, 2012 at 1:36 pmthanks
As for the messy lid, on the Black and Decker, I took the 4 screws out (after the cool down!) and cleaned the metal inside lid with soapy brush, then the plastic outer part with soapy brush. I cleaned the class with hot water and soap. After making sure that all the parts were super dry, I reassembled it, carefully lining up all the holes and screws. I have an older Black and Decker, which is working very well. I do wonder if there is a way of cleaning the inside/ oven walls. What about few rust spots?
Dorota Smith June 16th, 2012 at 4:29 pmDesperate for advice please- I have a Prima ABM6 that I purchased second hand- it was still packaged and unused- I excitedly set about baking my 1st loaf- all the programmes work- the machine gets warm and the bread rises, but the machine does not Cook, I have to remove the dough and cook in a conventional oven. I have removed the element and a local electrician tested it- telling me there was nothing wrong with it- please can anyone advise what the problem could be, as Prima have ceased trading. I understand that all Breadmakers use the same or very similar componants please can anyone help me? Thanks in anticipation
Barbara June 17th, 2012 at 6:02 pmDoes anyone answer any of the questions?
ManInTheKitchen July 31st, 2012 at 3:15 pmWhen you say “all the programmes work”,
I am guessing you didn’t actually try baking on all the settings, merely pressed the button through each setting?
” the machine gets warm and the bread rises, but the machine does not Cook, I have to remove the dough and cook in a conventional oven.”
That is exactly whet you get if you set the program for “Dough”. Try making a simple loaf on “Basic” setting.
ManInTheKitchen July 31st, 2012 at 3:19 pmSo, you shouldn’t let any liquid seep through the cracks when cleaning your bread machine. Well, I guess I managed to let some seep through and now it won’t start. No display. Any ideas? Should I just try to let it dry out and try it again? Should I unscrew things and open her up and use a hair dryer to dry things out? Not sure what to do. I want to save my baby! 🙁
Thanks!
Fairh November 7th, 2012 at 1:26 pmAfter three machines I have experienced paddle sticking in all,both to the drive shaft in the pan and the folding paddle. the following fixes work for me– Lay the paddle in a small pan, cover with cooking oil,and bring to brisk boil for a minute or two. There may be a loud pop as trapped air is released. In the case of a paddle stuck to the driveshaft, pour the boiling oil into the breadpan. Take care! the hot oil is volotile and dangerous.
Lahd December 28th, 2012 at 3:41 pmEnjoy your fresh bread
The shaft in our bread maker froze solid after ~5 years of use. We hadn’t added any lubricant. Fortunately we noticed by the sound and the motor didn’t burn. The way we got it solved was:
1-Unscrewed the bottom piece and put it in hot water. This melted the old lubricant (and possibly softened the small amount of dough that might have got into the wrong place). After that it was possible to move the shaft again. Note: unscrewing the bottom piece was probably optional but made it easier to submerge it. The boiling oil mentioned in other reply should work too but hot water is easier to handle. Make sure to dry everything well after the hot water, to prevent rusting.
2-Lubricated the lower section of the shaft with petroleum jelly. This felt safer than sewing machine oil, since petroleum jelly is safe to use on chapped lips, poisoning didn’t seem too much of a concern. If you really need it, there is a “restaurant grade FDA approved” petrol gel that is not difficult to find online.
Definitely, preventive maintenance is better, as the main article recommends, but I hope this helps if you found out “a little too late”
Eusebio December 31st, 2012 at 9:48 amI have the Zojirushi model BBCEC20. It was shipped to us in the Philippines by family in the U.S.. Makes great bread (our only source of bread here in this remote area). But, after just 10 months of operation (average 4-5 times a month), the main drive belt disintegrated. I have to maintain all of our own electrical products here, and easily disassembled the machine. However, the company refuses to sell me replacement belts, insisting that my only option is to ship the machine to them in California, pay for their parts and labor, plus return shipping. I estimate the total cost for this repair including shipping, to be about $300 and it will take more than 4 months for transit. I’d like to affirm what others have said about Zojirushi’s customer service, but unfortunately I am not able. If anyone knows a source of belts, I’d be grateful for the tip.
Dan January 8th, 2013 at 2:49 amMy machine (B-1650) gives a resounding “clunk” every revolution (most of the time). I suspect a stripped gear in the drive system but I would like to know the step by step procedure to get at the gear box without suddenly having a collection of parts fall out at some stage of the removal of the various screws during the dissassembly. I have another similar machine, without ‘opti-rise’, which I can use for parts and a collection of security screw bits to fit the various screw heads. I realize the machine is out of date but it still makes good bread and I would like to keep it going for a while longer. I am against trashing a tool just because it needs a little maintenance, too much ends up in landfill already. -Dick
Dick January 19th, 2013 at 4:41 pmTip-I had a loaf that got stuck onto the roof of the machine, didn’t clean it up fast enough so I put hot lemon water half way in the pan and put the machine on through the kneading cycle-the steam lifted the dried junk right off.
Chandra November 10th, 2013 at 3:03 pmThank you, thank you, thank you. I wish I knew this tip 2 bread pans and 1 bread machine later. Just oiling it as instructed would have saved us a lot of money then. However, it is saving us a lot now. The manufacturers need to advise customers about oiling the pans.
Eric B May 22nd, 2014 at 11:46 amI have lost one of the doo-hickey little metal clips that goes on the bottom of my Black and Decker B 2300 bread maker pan. They have come off numerous times and the last time I could never find it.Machine wo’t work without it.-bev
Bev June 12th, 2014 at 10:56 amAfter oiling the shaft, wouldn’t it make sense to also oil the base, where the shaft sits?
Mariad June 22nd, 2014 at 11:08 amBev,
If the doohickey looks like the one in the picture it is called a snap ring and they are available at most auto parts stores. There are several types and while the one you had may not be available they should have something that fits, “c” rings will work too but are harder to remove.
On oiling, WD-40 evaporates after a while, Three in one oil forms a varnish after a while, and sewing machine oil is equivalent to 10 weight automatic transmission oil but without the dye and is excellent for oiling. Vaseline will melt and leak out but is good when you are in a bind.
On finding a seal ring, if you cant find one you can try using silicon rtv sealer, but only if you are desperate, because the sealer has fantastic sticking power and is almost impossible to remove once applied.
A place to look for the o-ring seals or belts would be a bearing supply shop, usually found in big cities, auto parts stores don’t usually carry large o-rings and small belts. If you can find a sewing machine shop they might carry them too. There aren’t many appliance repair shops around anymore so I suggest these as an alternative.
If you are intent on doing an overhaul yourselves clean the parts with mineral spirits in a well ventilated room. After a good rinse in the spirits you can set the parts out to dry, they don’t need to be hosed off with water. With it apart you can inspect the gears if there are any and the pack them with new grease, usually high temp/high pressure wheel bearing grease works best, also available at auto parts stores. There is high fiber grease but I recommend against it because it hardens after several years.
steve rollins July 28th, 2014 at 8:01 pmWe used 3 in 1 oil on the shaft where shown and my dough had oil in it and now we can’t use the machine because we can’t get the oil from going into the dough. Before you asked we only used a drop.
cg July 29th, 2014 at 5:11 pmIf you are getting grease stains in your bread, the seal around the drive shaft of your bread pan is leaking. It might be better to buy a replacement pan.
When applying oil to the bottom of your pan, use a very small amount. When applying oil to the drive shaft in your bread maker, use a very small amount. Excess oil can leak down into the bread maker and get on the shaft where the drive belt needs to have traction. The oil can cause slippage of the belt, or can deteriorate the belt.
If your bread is not baking right, it might be a faulty heating element, a faulty power relay for the element, or something like a thermal fuse. A thermal fuse is designed to interrupt power to the heating element if the unit reaches an unsafe temperature. Some thermal fuses may reset themselves when the unit cools down, and some are permanently open and will need replacement. The problem is… Why did the unit overheat? If you replace the fuse without curing the cause of overheating, it will just happen again.
Be careful what you use to clean your bread maker. Some chemicals can damage plastic or rubber parts.
Most manufacturers want you to use their service centers to get your machine repaired. They likely won’t tell you where to get replacement parts because they won’t make any money by providing that information. Call around to different appliance parts stores and check parts suppliers online.
Dave P. September 8th, 2014 at 2:32 pmre panasonic SD ZB2502
does not heat. element tested and ok. motor & program works.
peter September 14th, 2014 at 10:17 amis it a relay failure or is there on on board fuse / thermal cutout??
Do I have to wash my bread pan in my Andrew James might I add wonderful bread maker. I have the model with the automatic Scales and ingredients compartment. I have read some bad comments about this model but I am delighted with mine. If you follow the recipes exactly and the bread is always perfect. I only have the problem with the paddle sticking in the bread
Joan morris January 6th, 2015 at 8:07 amI have a sunbeam bread maker and the shafts not moving anymore, i tried to take the bottom off to see whats going on down there but it won’t come off, what should i do?
John January 20th, 2015 at 3:28 pm