How to Clean and Maintain a Color Photo Printer

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If you have invested in a high quality color photo printer, it is important that you clean it regularly and maintain it properly. This will keep your prints brilliantly colored and clean of smudges and smears.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Check your ink levels if you find your colors are not as bright as they should be. Turn your printer on and go to your "Start Menu, then "Control Panel," then "Printers and Faxes." Right click on the name of your printer and go to "Properties." Click on the "Maintenance" tab at the top of the Properties window and click "Nozzle Check." This will give you a print out of your nozzles and ink levels.

Step2

Look at your printer status window to see if your levels are running low or are normal. You will receive a print out with a color pattern on it. If your nozzles are correct, the color bars will appear unbroken and text will be clear. If not, click on Print Head Alignment in the Properties menu.

Step3

Test to see if your nozzles are blocked with old or dry ink. To correct this, click on the "Cleaning" button in the "Printer Properties" menu. This will help unblock dry ink. Print another test. If you are still having trouble, click on the "Deep Cleaning" button. Note that you may need to perform these tasks more than once if you have severely blocked nozzles, and that both of these processes will use ink.

Step4

Clean ink off your rollers once your nozzles are functioning properly. Turn off your printer before performing this step. Open your printer in the area where you would be loading ink. Take a moist (not wet) towel or paper towel, and wipe down all visible roller bars. Wait until your printer is dry before attempting to use.