Laptops For Less Blog

Cleaning A Dirty Print Head

Inkjet printers are a godsend, especially to those who own a personal computer at home. Inkjet printers are perfect for home use because they usually cost less than laser printers, they are relatively small in size to fit desks and small
spaces, and they are capable of doing just about any printing job you may need, whether it be text, images, or photos. One of the downsides of inkjet printers, however, is that they usually require a lot more maintenance than laser printers. Perhaps the most common maintenance task for inkjet printers [aside from changing cartridges] is cleaning a dirty print head. In this article, you will learn more about print heads on inkjet printers, as well as how to clean your print head and keep it clean.

Why and how do print heads get “dirty”?

The technology on an inkjet printer makes use of cartridges with inkjet nozzles. When signals are sent to the electric chip on the cartridge, it jets ink out of the nozzle to produce the print out you need. Because of the use of ink, print heads can get dirty over time. A common print head problem is when residual ink builds up on the nozzles, causing smearing and blotching in your prints. Second, you can experience clogged print heads when the ink dries up over the nozzle. The most common signs of a dirty print head are smears, blotches, uneven print outs, and, in bad cases, the ink may not come out of the nozzle at all.

Tips on how to clean a dirty print head

The first thing that you should do when you think that your print head is dirty is to make use of the printer’s built-in maintenance features. Most printers nowadays come with software that allow you to monitor the printer status and perform maintenance tasks as needed. If your printer came with a software, see if there is an automated cleaning cycle that can be activated. Typically, inkjet printers may have automated “head cleaning”, “nozzle checks”, “roller cleaning”, and “bottom plate cleaning” functions. You may have to access these automated maintenance functions through the “Printer Preferences” feature.

If the automated cleaning functions don’t solve your problems, then you will probably have to open up your printer to take a look at the print head yourself. First, you will want to have a look at the capping station, which is usually below the ink cartridges. You should be able to move your print head manually to reveal the dark, spongy rectangle capping station. Apply a tiny amount of water to the spongy material and soak up any excess ink or water with a paper towel.
Test the printer to see if it’s any better.

The most stubborn problem you can encounter with print heads are clogged nozzles. To remedy this, you may have to remove the ink cartridge and soak the nozzle in a small bowl of warm water to loosen the ink and unclog the nozzle. When you see some of the ink run into the bowl, you can remove the cartridge from the water, dry it well and give it another try in the printer. If you still have problems, try applying a small amount of alcohol on a paper towel or cotton ball, then leave that resting on top of the nozzle. Leave it for a while and test again. If it still doesn’t work, then you may need to get new printer cartridges.

You should buy replacement printer cartridges from a reputable online merchant who sells refillable cartridges or generic cartridges which are fully compatible with the manufacturers’ own brand replacements. LaptopsForLess.com has a huge selection of replacement cartridges in stock, at very reasonable prices [often a fraction of the cost of manufacturers’ own brand replacements].