How to Automatically Clean an Epson Inkjet Cartridge

If your Inkjet printer is producing documents with letters missing, streaks or banding, a dirty cartridge is the likely culprit. Here's how to automatically clean your Epson Inkjet cartridge and improve the quality of your documents.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Owner's manual
• Epson Inkjet printer

1. Turn the printer on.

2. Open the "Control Panel" in Windows Explorer or in your computer's "Start" menu. Click on the "Printers/Faxes" icon and click on the icon displaying your Epson printer.

3. Select the "Cleaning," "Maintenance," "Utilities" or "Options" tab, and then select “Align Print Cartridges.” Click OK to initiate the alignment.

4. Clean the cartridges by clicking an option called “Clean the Print Cartridge” under the same tab. Follow the instructions on the screen.

5. Run a test page to make sure the quality is improved.

6. If your results are not satisfactory, repeat the cleaning process again. Make sure your color settings are correct.

Tips & Warnings

• Turn your printer on once every few days, if you are not using it regularly. Some printers will do a mini head-clean after starting.
• Read your printer manual for additional information on how to align and clean the cartridges.
• If you do not print in color very often, it is a good idea to run a color page every few weeks, to prevent the ink from drying out.
• Some printers have a cleaning button on the printer. Press this button and close the printer cover. The power light will flash. When this cleaning process is over, the light will stay on.
• Never move the print head by hand during automatic cleaning or you could damage your printer.
• Never remove partially used inkjet cartridges. After you take the cartridge out, you will not be able to put it back.