How to Clean an Ink Jet Print Head
A clogged ink jet printer head can prevent your printer from working optimally. Whether your printer head is a component of the printer itself or located on the ink cartridge, cleaning it can be challenging if you don't know how to approach the task. However, the cost of replacing a print head is nearly as much as replacing the entire printer. So, follow some simple and direct tips to guide you through the process of cleaning an ink jet print head.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Printer
- Ink cartridge
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Small container
- Paper towel
- Window cleaner
- Eye dropper
Instructions
-
Print Heads Located on an Ink Cartridge
-
1
Run the head cleaning cycle on your printer a minimum of ten times. You can access this feature either from the printer or through the software that came with the printer. In some instances this will restore your printer head to its original function.
-
2
Remove the ink cartridge, if the printer head is contained within it. Some printers, like the Epson brand, have the print head built within the printer.
-
-
3
Soak the ink cartridge with a printer head in a small container of isopropyl alcohol overnight.
-
4
Remove the ink cartridge from the alcohol and wipe it with a dry paper towel to remove moisture.
-
5
Re-insert the cartridge into the printer and run the print head cleaning system several times or until the print head is fully functional.
Print Heads Contained as Part of a Printer
-
6
Turn the printer on. This will expose the cleaning pads and allow you to clean the print head.
-
7
Locate the cleaning pads in your printer. They are foam pads that lay beneath the print head when the printer is not in use. They should be stained with ink. Be careful not to directly touch the pads as they can easily be jarred out of place.
-
8
Pour five drops of window cleaner onto the cleaning pads with an eye dropper.
-
9
Turn the printer off which will force the cleaning pads to their resting position under the print head. The window cleaner will work to unclog the print head.
-
10
Leave the printer turned off for a minimum of one hour. If the print head is extremely clogged, you may have to leave it overnight.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you attempt to clean your printer yourself and cause damage to the machine it may void your warranty.
References
- Photo Credit Used ink cartridges for recycling image by itsallgood from Fotolia.com
