Steps To Cleaning A Inkjet Printer

Cleaning your printer regularly prevents smudges and streaks on your printing. It also improves color quality and prevents clogs or malfunctioning from occurring as frequently. In the long run, regular cleaning is much-required maintenance to improve the lifespan of your machine.

Ideally, your printer is recommended to be professionally cleaned at least once a year. However, you can maintain the quality and cleanliness of your inkjet printer regularly at home by yourself with these easy-to-follow steps.

Materials Required

It will be handy to have these materials ready and prepared to ensure a stain-free and smooth cleaning process. You will need:

• Protective Gloves: Inkjet printers use liquid-based ink that can cause tough stains, especially on the skin.
• Apron: Put on an apron to avoid staining your clothes.
• Paper Towel/Kitchen Roll: Paper towels or kitchen rolls are durable and can withstand the scrubbing of stubborn dirt and ink from the insides of your printer. It is also convenient and disposable.
• Quality Window Cleaner: A quality window cleaner is effective in removing tough ink stains and blemishes.
• Printer Oil: Printer oil is specially designed to provide lubrication to the internal components of your printer.

Steps to Clean Inkjet Printer

• Step 1: Remove Ink Cartridges and Power Off Printer

Put on your protective gloves and apron (if required) to prevent your skin and clothes from getting covered in ink. Open the front of the printer and remove the ink cartridges carefully after the cartridge housing has positioned itself in the middle. After which, power off the printer, switch off the power supply, and pull the plug.

• Step 2: Clean the Cartridges

When choosing ink cartridges, it is important to use those from authentic brand manufacturers to minimize malfunctions and damage to your printers. Excess ink usually surrounds the printing head after some use. Moisten each paper towel/kitchen roll you use with some window cleaner and wipe the surfaces of the cartridge gently. Remember that you are only trying to clean the ink build-up around the outer surfaces of the cartridge. Some ink would still leak out through the cartridge outlet. When the exterior of the cartridge is clean, set it aside on a piece of paper towel to avoid staining your table-tops.

• Step 3: Clean the Ribbon

The ribbon is the long, thick component that holds the printer cartridges and connects to the printer. Clean it with another piece of moist paper towel gently as this component is extra fragile. Repairs and replacements to this important component can be expensive. If there are no ink stains, you can skip this step.

• Step 4: Clean the Cartridge Housing

When the printer is switched off, the ink cartridges return to the cartridge housing to be held in place. You can find accumulated dirt and ink build-up in this area over time. Gently scrape away the ink globs as much as possible. You may need to use cotton swabs to clean the small corners that are hard to reach.

• Step 5: Oil the Stabiliser Bar

The stabilizer bar is the component that transports the ink cartridges to and fro across your paper, dispersing ink where required. Oiling the stabilizer bar regularly with printer oil is essential in ensuring a smooth printing process. 

• Step 6: Insert the Cartridges

After making some last checks on the cleanliness of your printer, you are ready to switch the power back on and reinsert the ink cartridges. Run any test prints or cartridge realignment checks if required to ensure that everything is working well. 

Get Toner, Ink, Printer Parts, and Supplies from OEM Connect

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To find out more about our toner, ink, printer parts, and supplies, contact us or call us at 978-207-1055 today.