Take Care of Your Shredder

With identity fraud at an all time high, it has become crucial for every business and household to shred their personal documents and sensitive information. Identity fraud is a real threat to us all today, almost every week we hear of a story reaching the news that relates to the loss or misuse of personal information. It doesn’t matter who you are; it’s unsettling to know that your information is vulnerable and that it could happen to you. It is fundamentally imperative that we all take steps to protect ourselves and those around us. Once your identity has been stolen, that criminal can live a life under your name, ruin your credit scoring and ultimately damage your reputation. They may even commit fraud or other crimes in your identity and potentially this will affect every aspect of your life. With around 4.4 million victims in the UK and Ireland alone, the chances are you will know someone who has been affected.

We are all aware that thieves cannot steal what they cannot read and for this reason the only reasonable step we can take is to completely dispose of personal and confidential information so that it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. Experts agree that shredding is the best way to dispose of sensitive information and at Office 365 we have quite a few.

To prolong the use of these vital tools, paper shredders need to be maintained. We have some hints here which will help you save money in doing so. Ignoring the simple steps can cost you greatly in new parts, labour and even a new shredder. Shredder oil need only be used every 3 or 4 uses when shredding paper, however you must take great care to follow these steps, otherwise you may end up using the entire bottle within just a week!

1. To avoid paper jams in your shredder, avoid shredding objects that might cause a jam. These could include staples, paper clips and tape. Check the paper you are shredding to make sure that it’s nice and flat so it will be easy to shred. Creased or folded paper can often be difficult to shred.
2. When you’ve removed any objects which may cause a jam, divide the paper you wish to shred into smaller sections. Your paper shredder should state its capacity somewhere on the side, or refer to the manual. If you are unable to locate this information, don’t take the risk. Shred small amounts and always shred less than the recommended value. If your machine has a limit of 20, we recommend that you shred no more than 15 sheets. Be kind to your shredder and it will be kind to you.
3. When you have finished shredding your paper, always empty the basket. This step is often forgotten and can result in the paper working its way back up into the shredder engine, jamming your machine. Shredder sacks can come in very useful when collecting your shredded paper.
4. To avoid paper jams in your shredder, you should oil it after every 3-4 uses. Shredder oil is available in both oil bottle and oil sheet formats and can be found here at Office 365. Without the use of this oil, small pieces of paper can become lodged in the machine resulting in friction which inevitable will cause a paper jam. Oiling your shredder regularly will ensure that the paper slides right to the blades and doesn’t get stuck on its way out.