Paper shredders are an important piece of equipment that not only helps get rid of documents we wish to have destroyed properly, but saves us the trouble of ripping it up ourselves especially with a whole ton of paper to get rid of. A lot of offices have paper shredders, especially those that are constantly getting rid of loads of paper that is not needed anymore. It is not an uncommon scenario when a paper shredder goes berserk on us, where getting to the root of the problem is simple if it is a fixable paper jam. We explore tips on how to fix your paper shredder and have it working smoothly again. Tips on How to Solve Paper Shredder Problems When it comes to paper shredder problems, the most commonly occurring ones can be dealt with effectively, where your last resort would be to get in touch with a technician or call customer services of the shredder's manufacturers. If you can't seem to remember to take care of the shredder, designate someone to perform this once every two weeks so that no one faces problems of this sort repeatedly. Reverse Switch Some paper shredders come with a reverse switch, check the manual for this feature and try to locate this on the machine. Once you find the switch, turn this on and watch the shredders move backward to un-jam the paper wedged in between. This can happen if the paper isn't placed properly into the shredder or if too many at a time were jammed into it. Place Paper in the Right Manner Sometimes papers when placed in an askew fashion in the shredder, can lead it to get jammed especially if several sheets are placed in the same manner. Slipping the sheets at a right angle is important as well as making sure that the folding plates are squared while you do this. Cleaning the Shredder Blades from Paper Debris It is important to clean the shredder every once in a while from leftover paper pieces that have been the result of a previous paper shredding function. After you've turned the shredder off from the main electrical outlet, you can maneuver your way around the blades and remove any particles that may be caught in between using a sharp, slim object to remove stubborn debris. Apply caution while doing this since you don't want to damage the shredder blades in any way. For those who do not practice the act of oiling the shredder's cutting heads, need to understand how this crucial act will help keep it lubricated and functioning the way it should. Use a single sheet of paper and apply the paper shredder oil on it, dampening it in a spread out fashion (using a flattened brush). Pass this paper through the shredder so that blades roll over the oil with ease. Reenter the paper into the shredder a couple of times so that it is well coated with the lubricant. Fold Settings When setting up the paper shredder to comply to a certain command, the paper folder option that you set up for a new fold pattern when done, can be muddled up if the fold plates are inverted or if the set up isn't done right. Before you fold anything, check the manual to be sure that your settings are correct, before executing this function. Using Tougher Material for Shredding A lot of employees use materials that aren't meant for paper shredders like cardboard, wood, plastic and whatever else one can possibly be think of. Paper shredders are known mostly for folding bond paper, and aren't made versatile enough to shred heavy-duty materials, unless you have such a machine that can actually do this. It is important to know what can and cannot be used when it comes to your paper shredder. The last thing left to do if all fails after reviewing these tips, is to get in touch with someone who can fix the problem and find the root cause for the constant jam. In the future though, do adhere to the ways on maintaining your paper shredder so that you can avoid problems related to this machine later on.