How to Avoid Paper Jams in a Paper Shredder

If you can avoid paper jams in your paper shredder, you will extend the life of the motor and have a better paper shredding experience overall. When you're in a hurry and have a lot of paper to shred—it can be quite annoying if your paper shredder decides to jam, or just flat out stop working. Fear not, these steps will help you avoid paper jams in a paper shredder.

Empty the Basket. After you are finished shredding your paper, empty the basket. Often times the person shredding the paper will forego this step, only to find later that the basket is full and the paper works its way up into the shredder engine and jams the shredder. So, if you want to avoid paper jams in a paper shredder, always empty the basket.

Don't shred too much paper. After you removed objects that might cause a jam, you should divide the paper you wish to shred into small sections. The paper shredder should say its capacity somewhere on the side. If you want to avoid paper jams in your paper shredder, shred amounts of paper less than the recommended value. So if your paper shredder has a limit of 20, don't shred 19 sheets of paper. Divide the paper that you wish to shred into sections of perhaps 15 sheets.

Oil the Shredder. If you want to avoid paper jams in a paper shredder you should oil your shredder after every 3-4 uses. Shredder oil is available for purchase at most retail stores that carry shredders. Often times small pieces of paper get lodged in the shredder and will provide just enough friction to cause a nice paper jam. To avoid a paper jam, oil your shredder regularly. This will ensure that the paper in the shredder slides right to the blades and doesn't get stuck.

Remove objects that might jam. If you want to avoid paper jams in your paper shredder really the best advice is to avoid shredding objects found in the office that might cause a jam. This includes staples, paper clips, and thick tape. Check the paper you are shredding to make sure that it's nice and flat so it will be easy to shred. Crinkled or folded paper can be difficult to shred.

Difficulty: Easy