If you own a paper shredder, you might be wondering how you can get the most out of it. Here’s the good news- getting the most out of your shredder is easy. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Before anything, you should read your shredder’s instruction manual. By doing so, you’ll learn about your shredder’s capabilities so you can be sure to use all of its features. Also, the manual will fill you in on important safety tips so you can use your machine and avoid injury. Finally, the instruction manual will probably contain details on the shredder’s warranty. You should become familiar with the warranty’s terms so you know what’s covered in case your machine malfunctions.
- Every shredder has a shredding capacity which lets you know how many sheets of paper the shredder can shred at once. It’s important to never shred more than your machine can handle– if you try to overload the device, you will most likely end up with a paper jam. If you overload your shredder repeatedly, it’s going to wear out the device. Don’t try to shred credit cards, CD’s, or floppy disks unless the shredder ‘s manual explicitly says it can handle them.
- If you’re like most people, you probably bought a shredder so you could protect yourself from identity theft. If this is the case, you’ll need to shred various documents on a regular basis. The best way to ensure this happens is by placing your machine in a convenient location like next to your desk.
- Another way to get the most out of your paper shredder is by turning it off whenever you’re done using it. Although there are many machines that have the ability to shut off automatically, not every device has this option so turning the shredder off manually is a must. If you leave it on for an extended period of time, you could eventually burn out the motor, leaving you with a hefty repair or replacement bill. Save yourself the money and hassle and turn the shredder off after each use.
- Finally, oiling your paper shredder is one of the best things you can do to ensure you get the most out of it. Oiling the machine is easy to do and requires the use of specially formulated shredder oil. (Never use any other type of oil- doing so could damage your device.) To oil the machine, simply dampen a sheet of paper with the oil and shred it. The oil will coat the cutting mechanism, cut down the paper dust and keep the blades in good shape. You need to oil the device on a regular basis. Be sure to check your instruction manual to find out how often you need to do this.
It’s very easy to get the most out of your paper shredder. Just follow the five tips listed in this article and you’ll be able to keep your information private and have a shredder that works beautifully.