How to Clean Ink Jet Nozzles
You may have experienced your print quality declining even though you're not low on ink. You probably need to clean your ink jet nozzles. There are two ways of cleaning ink jet nozzles: with the cleaning program built into the printer, or with a cleaning kit. Cleaning kits are basically ammonia-based solutions that are sprayed on the ink jet nozzle. Using the built-in nozzle cleaner uses more ink, but it's also less likely to damage printer heads.
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Instructions
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Open the printer utility or printer software on the computer.
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Choose the "maintenance" or "cleaning" utility. The name varies by manufacturer.
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Most manufacturers recommend running a Nozzle Check or Test Print first. The test print will tell you whether the nozzles are clogged or if the print heads just need to be realigned.
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Run the cleaning utility. The printer will print a test sheet when it's finished. If needed, the cleaning utility can be run a second time.
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Tips & Warnings
Cleaning ink jet nozzles uses a lot of ink. Ink specialty website PrintCountry recommends using a wet cotton swab to clean the surface of printer heads. This saves ink and will clean the ink jet nozzles from the outside. PrintCountry also recommends printing at least one color sheet per week to keep ink jet nozzles clean.
Cleaning products with alcohol can damage printer heads and shouldn't be used. However, commercial spray cleaners that include ammonia are generally considered safe to use.
