Cleaning the printer from time to time is important if you want to keep it functional. Whether you use branded cartridges or refill them, the ink dries out with time in the tubes and the printing head, causing your printer to clog. With constant use without cleaning, the printer’s performance may deteriorate, and it may stop working at all.
If you are wondering how to clean the printer, we can help. We have designed this article to explain how to clean the printer. We will discuss both laser and inkjet printers and see how to clean the printer. You can clean a laser and wireless printer with the same method. But before we explain how to clean the printer, let’s see why cleaning a printer is important.
Why Cleaning A Printer Is Important?
Cleaning a printer head is essential for many reasons. Printing ink dries out with time. It can even dry out in the cartridges if you are not using a printer for a long time.
The Inkjet printer works by spraying the ink through tiny nozzles. The ink may dry with time in your print head that can make your printing head clog. You should not only clean the toner and ink cartridges and clean the dry ink or any residues from them but cleaning different parts of the printer is also important. It can reduce the lifespan of your printer and make it stop functioning after a while.
How To Clean An Inkjet Printer?
For cleaning an inkjet printer, you need to understand printing with an inkjet printer. The printer works with ink cartridges that are ink tubes containing ink. These ink cartridges are placed under the printer’s printing head. When printing, the ink is used from these cartridges and sprayed on the paper’s surface through tiny nozzles. The small droplets of ink are used to print, replicating the image or text on the paper.
The ink comes in several tubes and colors. Some printers use three basic colors, four colors, or six color cartridges. The rest of the colors are made by mixing these basic colors. The four primary colors are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
For clean and crisp prints, the ink should be applied on paper precisely with the right pattern. That only can be done with a clean printhead.
What Should Be Used To Clean The Printer?
The printer can be cleaned with alcohol, vinegar, or freshwater. Here are a few things you need for cleaning the printer.
- Piece of cloth.
- Cotton swabs.
- Vinegar or alcohol.
How To Clean The Printer?
For cleaning the printer’s exterior, you can use the damp cloth and clean it from all sides, making sure no dust particles are left on the exterior of the printer. For cleaning the printer from the inside, you need to separate its different parts.
Cleaning Printer From A Computer:
If you are having trouble with clogged tubes or images that are not as precise and clear as you want them to be then your printer must be cleaned.
For cleaning the printer from a computer, you need to go to the control panel and then to the printer and scanner. After entering the printer’s Properties, you can go to Printer Preferences and then to the Services. You will notice the command ‘Clean Printhead’ here. Click the clear printer head for a quick operation of cleaning the printer’s head.
Cleaning Inkjet Printer With Hands:
Cleaning the printhead through a computer is not enough. You need to clean the ink dried in the print head to make sure it stays in good shape for long. Here are a few steps you should follow for cleaning the printer with hand.
Unplug The Printer:
First of all, you need to turn off the printer. Also, make sure it is not plugged into the power socket.
Remove The Printer Cover:
To expose different parts of the printer, you need to remove the printer’s cover.
Remove The Printhead:
The printhead is right under the cover of the printer. Once you uncover the printer, you can remove the print head as well.
Remove The Cartridges:
Take the ink tubes out of the printer to clean them. You can use a wet cloth to remove any access ink found on the sides or near the opening. If dried ink is difficult to remove, you can use the cotton swabs dipped in alcohol to remove the ink. Clean all contact places to make sure there is no ink left on them. Moisten the dried ink on the sides of the tube, and you can also use a soft brush to remove the dried ink. You can use both alcohol or vinegar for this purpose
Air Dry the ink Cartridges:
Don’t put the ink cartridges back in the printer without drying. Let the ink cartridges air dry for 10 minutes before putting them back inside the printer.
Reinsert the Cartridges:
Reinsert the cartridges when they are clean and dried.
Cleaning Ink Stains From Printer:
You can also check the printer’s other part to see if some ink stains are left inside the printer. Gently remove these stains to make sure there are no stains left.
How Often Should I Clean My Printer?
Printers should be cleaned from time to time to make sure they remain in pristine condition. You can follow a strict cleaning routine and make sure to clean all parts once in a month or two, depending on how much you use the printer.
If you are using a printer extensively, it may need to clean more often. If you don’t need to plan a printer for a long time, make sure you take out the cartridges and clean them properly before packing them inside a drawer.
Final Words:
Cleaning a printer is important to make sure it stays in good working condition for a long. The ink may dry with time in contact places of your cartridges and print head. Removing this dried ink can not only enhance the life of your printer but allow you to have clean and crisp images and text documents.
Also read: Guide to Know How to Clean Printer Head?
