6 Heat Press Maintenance Tips
You’ve invested a lot of money into your heat press machine – the workhorse of your operation. Make sure you’re extending the life of your investment by taking proper care of it. Here are six tips to maintaining your heat press.
Regularly dust and clean your heat press using a non-abrasive cloth
Grease all moving parts with a high-temperature, non-melting grease.
You should occasionally clean the surface of the upper platen. This surface is Teflon coated, so it’s important to take some extra measures to protect the coating when cleaning. For minor stains or routine cleaning, a non-abrasive cloth will do the trick. For stubborn stains, you will need to use mineral spirits while the press is off. Mineral spirits is a flammable substance, so it’s important to do this after the press has completely cooled.
You will also need to periodically dust and clean the exterior of your machine using a non-abrasive cloth and mineral spirits if necessary. Again, be sure the press is off and completely cooled before using mineral spirits.
You will need to periodically grease all moving parts on your heat press – the joints and pins of the machine. Use a high-temperature, non-melting grease for best results. This is recommended up to once a month depending on the amount of use.
Use a Teflon sheet or cover to protect your lower platen. This will ensure you extend the life of the silicone pad used to create even and consistent pressure during application. Once this silicone pad begins to wear down, you will want to replace it according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Test your heat press for accurate and consistent temperature. You can do this by using an infrared thermometer or temperature test strips. Make sure you check all areas of your upper platen. Check the far sides and corners, not just the center. This is where you’ll most often find “cold spots” that can create adhesion issues during the application process.
Test your heat press for consistent pressure using the “dollar bill test”. Okay, you can do this with any kind of paper, but dollar bills are the perfect size! Place pieces of paper hanging off your lower platen. Close the top platen and try tugging on the paper. If any of the sheets come out easily, this is an indication that there’s not enough pressure reaching that area of your heat press.