How to Clean a Fellowes Paper Shredder: 3 Office Scenarios (and How to Tell Which One You’re In)

There isn’t one cleaning routine for every Fellowes shredder

I’m an office administrator for a 220-person company. I manage facilities and office supply ordering—about $180k annually across 11 vendors. I report to ops and finance, which means I care about whether the shredder runs, whether employees complain, and whether the invoice matches the quote. We run 14 shredders across three floors—maybe 16, I’d have to check the asset list.

When I took over purchasing in 2021, I thought “clean the shredder” meant empty the bin and move on. It doesn’t. A personal Fellowes shredder used twice a week and a commercial cross-cut machine in HR are not the same maintenance problem. If you search for how to clean Fellowes paper shredder, the honest answer is: it depends on your scenario.

Here are the three scenarios I see in offices. Pick the one that sounds like your setup.

• Scenario A: Light use—1–2 users, a few sheets a day, personal or small shared machine.
• Scenario B: Department use—10–40 users, daily cross-cut shredding, shared machine.
• Scenario C: Commercial/high-volume use—HR, legal, finance, 100+ sheets a day, compliance deadlines.

One quick note: if you searched for Fellowes shredder staples because you bought the machine at Staples, the retailer doesn’t change the maintenance rules. The model number does. And if you mean actual staples, most Fellowes shredders don’t want them. Check your manual before feeding stapled packets.

Scenario A: Light-use Fellowes shredder

This is the machine in a small office, a home office, or an executive assistant’s corner. It’s probably a cross-cut or micro-cut model. It doesn’t work hard, but it sits for weeks between uses.

What to do

• Unplug it before cleaning. That’s not optional. I’ve seen someone try to “quickly wipe” the cutters with the machine plugged in. Bad idea.
• Empty the bin before it’s packed full. If paper backs up into the cutter area, you’re inviting a jam.
• Wipe the outside with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Don’t pour water or cleaner into the feed slot.
• Check the manual for sensor cleaning. Some models have a sensor near the feed opening that gets dusty. A dry microfiber cloth or a soft brush works. Compressed air can push dust deeper into the machine, so I use it carefully—if at all.
• Oil cross-cut or micro-cut cutters with approved Fellowes shredder lubricant. According to Fellowes’ support documentation, don’t use WD-40, cooking spray, or silicone. Those can gum up the cutters. For many light-use machines, oiling once a month or when you empty the bin is enough. Verify your exact model’s guidance at fellowes.com.

The mistake I made

I knew I should oil our small cross-cut machine monthly, but I thought, “It’s only used for invoices. What are the odds?” Well, the odds caught up with me when it jammed so badly that a service call cost $180. Not catastrophic, but way more than the $12 bottle of lubricant.

This scenario is also where people try to save money with the wrong supplies. Saved $15 using a generic oil. Ended up spending $220 on a cleaning because the cutters got gummy. That’s the classic penny-wise, pound-foolish move.

Scenario B: Department shared Fellowes shredder

Now you’re in shared territory. Ten to forty people use it. Someone shreds a stack of old client files. Someone else feeds a stapled packet because they’re in a hurry. The bin fills up by Tuesday.

What to do

• Assign an owner. If everyone owns it, no one owns it. In our office, the floor coordinator checks it every Friday.
• Empty the bin daily or when it reaches about three-quarters full. Full bins cause more jams than dull cutters.
• Oil according to the manual. Fellowes guidance varies by model, but for many cross-cut machines it’s “oil when you empty the bin” or at least twice a month. Micro-cut machines usually need it more often.
• Use shredder bags. They keep the bin cleaner and make emptying faster. It’s a small line item, but it reduces dust and spills.
• Train users on sheet capacity. A department machine rated for 12 sheets doesn’t want 20 sheets just because someone folded them. That’s how you get a jam that needs a screwdriver.
• Clean the sensors. Paper dust builds up. A dry cloth on the visible sensor area can prevent the machine from running continuously or refusing to start.

What I ask before buying maintenance

I’ve learned to ask “what’s not included” before “what’s the price.” That applies to shredder service contracts too. Does the quote include labor? Parts? On-site visits? Travel time? A loaner machine if yours is down? The vendor who lists all fees upfront—even if the total looks higher—usually costs less in the end.

The upside of a cheaper service plan was saving $300. The risk was a $450 emergency repair and a week without shredding during an audit. I kept asking myself: is $300 worth potentially losing a week of HR productivity? Some years, yes. Audit years, no.

Scenario C: Commercial/high-volume Fellowes shredder

This is the machine that runs for 30–60 minutes at a time. It might be in a locked room for compliance. It might shred 500+ sheets a day. Downtime isn’t just annoying; it’s a workflow problem.

What to do

• Create a preventive maintenance schedule. Daily: empty bin, check for jams. Weekly: clean sensors, inspect cutters for buildup. Monthly: oil per manual, check feed belts if accessible. Quarterly: review jam log and service history.
• Use only approved lubricant and cleaning sheets. If Fellowes sells a cleaning sheet for your model, use it. Don’t improvise with office supplies.
• Keep spare bags, oil, and a backup shredder for critical periods. If legal is shredding discovery documents, a two-day repair window is not acceptable.
• Track total cost, not sticker price. For budgeting, I run a weighted average calculator on purchase price, service contract, bags, oil, electricity, and downtime. It’s not glamorous, but it stops me from choosing the cheapest machine that costs the most over three years.
• Ask about response time in the service contract. “Next business day” sounds fine until it’s Thursday before a holiday weekend.

Don’t confuse maintenance with repair

Cleaning and oiling prevent some jams. They don’t fix a broken cutter assembly. If the machine is smoking, grinding, or tripping a breaker, unplug it and call service. I’ve seen an admin keep feeding a struggling shredder because “it’s probably just a bad sheet.” That’s how a $200 repair becomes a $900 replacement.

How to tell which scenario you’re in

Use these questions:

1. How many people use it? One or two = Scenario A. Ten to forty = Scenario B. Fifty-plus or a dedicated department = Scenario C.
2. How many sheets per day? A few = A. A stack or two = B. 100+ or continuous runs = C.
3. What happens if it breaks? Mild inconvenience = A. Team annoyance = B. Compliance or deadline risk = C.
4. Who empties the bin? If the answer is “whoever notices,” you’re in Scenario B and you need an owner.

This is accurate as of early 2025. Fellowes changes model numbers and maintenance intervals, so verify your exact manual at fellowes.com before you oil, clean, or buy supplies.

A quick word on search intent: if you landed here looking for a weighted average calculator, a cross product calculator, or an answer to can I use acrylic paint on fabric, those are different topics. This guide is only about cleaning and maintaining Fellowes paper shredders. For fabric painting, check a craft-specific source. For math, check a math tool. For shredders, start with your model number.

Bottom line: cleaning a Fellowes shredder isn’t one checklist. It’s a maintenance level. Match the routine to the use, buy the right lubricant, and make the service contract transparent before you sign.