Menu
If you smell burning plastic or smoke, the motor is likely fried. At this point, it is more cost-effective to recycle the unit and buy a higher-quality model than to attempt a repair.
Take off thick binder clips and heavy staples before feeding documents.
Feeding too many sheets of paper at once exceeds the motor's capacity. shredder stuck
If the waste bin is full, the shredded paper has nowhere to go. It backs up into the cutting gears, causing an immediate jam.
Your stomach drops. You’ve met the enemy: the shredder stuck. If you smell burning plastic or smoke, the
If the stuck material is
Now that you’ve fixed the jam, let’s make sure it doesn't happen again. Most jams are caused by user error. Feeding too many sheets of paper at once
If the shredder won't start even after the jam is cleared, paper dust might be blocking the infrared sensor. Use a straw or compressed air to blow out the feed slot. Preventative Tips
To fix a stuck paper shredder, start with the built-in controls before moving to manual extraction. : always unplug the machine before putting tools or fingers near the blades. 1. Basic Troubleshooting
If you have tried all the steps above—unplugged, reversed, oiled, and manually cleared the paper—and the shredder still won't grab paper or makes a loud grinding noise, the gear train may be stripped. This is common in cheaper, budget shredders.