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For cleaning use Mineral Spirits. If the letters have a thick coating of ink use a small brass brush with mineral spirits. (odorless mineral spirits are available at every hardware store. It is the safer modern equivalent to Varisol.)

If I am correct and the Smith Corona has a sealed bottom. You want to take the bottom plate off to clean it. Using a dropper or Q-tips put little amounts on all the moving parts and then move them letting excess mineral spirits drip out the bottom. Repeat until the part is clean and moves freely. Wipe gunk off from all the none moving parts.

Traditionally only certain parts of the typewriter are lubricated with 10w machine oil. (Sewing machine oil.) Everyone including me use too much the first time. But even if you use the proper amount dust still sticks to it.


Use Liquid Wrench Teflon spray to lubricate all the moving parts. (It is cheaper to get it from an auto parts store or Wal-Mart.) It works as well as 10w oil and because it is dry dust doesn't stick to it. Spray everywhere, quickly wipe it off anywhere you don't want a coating of white dust.

I recommend the Liquid Wrench because it worked best of all the ones I tried. Do not use the Dupont Teflon spray because its "Patented Bonding," agent means it is much harder to clean from anywhere you don't want it.