How to Refill an Inkjet Cartridge

Printers have become more affordable, but replacing ink cartridges is still a strain on the budget. To save money, you can refill and reuse inkjet ink cartridges instead of buying new ones. This might seem like a small step in the grand scheme of computer technology; but it can save you hundreds of dollars over the lifetime of your printer. Follow these steps to learn how to refill an inkjet cartridge.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Empty ink cartridge
• Printer
• Ink cartridge refill kit

1. Purchase an ink cartridge refilling kit. Such kits can be found online, at electronics stores and even in department stores. These kits are much less expensive than the replacement ink cartridges, and they come with everything you'll need to get the job done.
2. Carefully remove the empty ink cartridge from the printer. It's best to hold it by the top, handling only the plastic parts of the cartridge. Do not touch the metal backing of the cartridge.
3. Check the empty cartridge to find out how much ink it holds. This will be important to know before you refill it.
4. Create a small hole in the top of the empty ink cartridge using a sharp pointed object.
5. Use the syringe from your refill kit to extract the appropriate amount of ink from the ink container.
6. Put the tip of the needle into the hole in the top of the empty cartridge, and slowly inject the ink. It's very important to do this at a slow and steady pace.
7. Return any unused ink from the syringe back into the bottle or ink container. Then clean the syringe so that it can be used again.
8. Reinstall the refilled ink cartridge in your printer, using the instructions that came with your printer. Avoid touching the metal areas of the cartridge.
9. Make sure the ink cartridge is working properly by running your printer's testing and cleaning cycles several times. If you're not familiar with this process, check your printer's manual for instructions. Repeat this step until you are satisfied with the performance of your refilled ink cartridge.

Tips & Warnings

• Refill cartridges over the sink in case to prevent messes.
• Use different syringes for different colors.
• The hole you make in the cartridge does not have to be repaired. The cartridge should work fine with the hole.
• Injecting ink too quickly into the cartridge may cause air-related problems such as foaming and bubbling. This could damage the ink cartridge.

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