Sewing machines require special lightweight oils that won't stain fabric, even though the needle punctures cloth thousands of times per hour at speeds up to 1,500 stitches per minute. The oil must be crystal-clear and completely free of additives or dyes that could leave marks on white wedding dresses or delicate silks being sewn. Industrial sewing machines in factories run for 8-10 hours daily and can wear through their lubrication faster than a car engine, requiring weekly oil application to dozens of tiny pivot points and gears. Interestingly, many modern sewers accidentally damage their machines by using regular household oil or WD-40, which contain solvents and additives that gum up the precision mechanisms over time.