How to Refill Ink Cartridges With Homemade Ink

Replacement ink cartridges for most printers usually cost between $20 and $45, depending on the printer model. Recycling a used cartridge, however, only costs a fraction of that price, and a single cartridge can be refilled multiple times. Before beginning, you will need a standard inkjet refill kit. These can be purchased from most retailers that carry print cartridges. There are both black and color ink kits, so make sure you get the right one for your cartridge.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Black or color inkjet refill kit
• Plastic bag

1. Prepare a work surface by laying down a plastic bag, such as a garbage or grocery bag. Absorbent materials, such a paper towels, shouldn't be used as a protective layer, since they will draw the ink out of the cartridge if they come in contact with the wrong area.

2. Remove the cartridge by opening the top of the printer, lifting the handle located next to the cartridge, and pulling it straight out. Lay it on your work surface top-side up to prepare it for refilling.

3. Open the refill kit, and remove the drill. This is a small tool, resembling a screwdriver, that has a drill bit for a tip. Place the drill directly in the center of the top panel of the cartridge, and rotate it clockwise until a hole has been bored through the material. If refilling a black cartridge, you are now done drilling. For a color cartridge, there will be three chambers that need drilling. Look inside the hole to see where the partitions are that divide the chambers, and drill a hole over each of the other two chambers.

4. Remove the ink container from the refill kit, and insert the tip into the hole that was previously drilled. Slowly fill the container, stopping when the ink level is still several millimeters from the top. If filling a color cartridge, check the color of the ink already in the chamber to ensure you're putting the right color in the right chamber.

5. Peel off one of the hole-sealing stickers that was included in the refill kit, and place it over the hole to prevent the ink from dying up over time. The sticker does not create a liquid-proof barrier, so continue to hold the cartridge upright at all times.

6. Reinsert the cartridge into the printer, pushing the lever down to lock it into place. The printer will recognize it as full, and allow you to print as normal.

Tips & Warnings

• Always protect your work surface, since ink stains are very difficult to remove.

Resources

• The Ink Refilling Process