EXTRA SHORT DESCRIPTION :
Inkjet printers are not expensive nowadays like they used to be decades ago. They may look like a simple piece of electronic, but they are quite sophisticated. A lot of people don’t know how to care for their Inkjet printer. They might simply dust the exterior once in a while and change the ink cartridge when the printer runs low on ink. It is the same with Laser printers. If something goes wrong with their printer, people would simply throw it away and get a new one. But it doesn't has to be like that. The simple and easy to follow tips in this article will help a lot of users to get more out of their printers and don't have to buy a new one each year or two.
Inkjet Printer
Easy To Follow Inkjet Printer Maintenance Tips For Dummies
Inkjet printers are not expensive nowadays like they used to be decades ago. They may look like a simple piece of electronic, but they are quite sophisticated. A lot of people don’t know how to care for their Inkjet printer. They might simply dust the exterior once in a while and change the ink cartridge when the printer runs low on ink. It is the same with Laser printers, as well. Only that in case of a laser printer, the toner is changed instead of the ink. As mentioned earlier a lot of home inkjet printers sold nowadays are inexpensive, and if something goes wrong with their inkjet printer, people would simply throw it away and get a new one -- adding to the ever growing electronic waste. The intent of this article is to educate you on how to clean and care for your inkjet printer to maintain its print quality, reduce ink usage and improve the longevity of the machine.
# Exterior
To keep your printer clean of dust and other debris, clean the exterior at least once a week. Employ a moist cloth to wipe off stains, dust, and smudges. Make sure that, the cloth you are using to clean your printer is not dripping with water. Although, a lot of spare parts inside the printer are replaceable some of them are not. Care should be taken to keep any kind of fluid away from the internal components of your inkjet printer. Never moist the cloth with benzine or thinner to clean the exterior of the printer because they might damage the plastic surface.
If the paper holder/cassette on your printer is removable, remove it and thoroughly clean with a wet cloth and dry it before installing it back in the printer.
# Internal
The noise from many inkjet printers are normal. The cradle present inside your printer might create some noise when it moves. Most printer manufacturers claim that, the printer will become quieter with use.
Most of the inkjet printers will accumulate a small amount of residue of ink on the inside. This build up is quite normal and doesn’t require extensive cleaning on the inside.
# Feed Roller Maintenance
If you are an everyday user, maintaining the feed roller is very important. There will be fine dust particles present on the surface of the paper that are fed into the machine, however immaculate they might look. Over-spray of ink can also build up on the printer roller just under the print head. This might result in black streaks on the back of the printed paper.
To get rid of the build up on the roller, do not try to reach it with a cloth, a better way to clean the roller is to run a paper soaked with rubbing alcohol over the roller. Make sure that the paper is not dripping, it should just be wet to catch all the dirt on the roller. Feed the soaked paper in the paper-tray and try to print a document.
Note: We assume no liability. If our instructions are not followed correctly, damage could occur when cleaning the printer.
# Blow or Vacuum
If there are any visible debris inside the printer or the printer feed path, try cleaning it using a low-powered blower or vacuum. Care should be taken to not get close to any internal parts so that, you don’t end-up changing any spare parts. If the debris on the inside is not removed using the a blower or vacuum, it is best to leave it if you are still getting good print quality.
# Cartridge Cleaning
Inkjet Printers Cartridge
Sometimes you might witness smudges or streaks on the paper. This means that, something is clinging to the print-head. Smearing might also occur after you have installed new cartridges in your printer. Always make sure to remove the protective tape on the nozzle before installing new cartridges. If you are not sure where the cartridges are present in your printer, refer to the manufacturer's guide for help. If the cartridges are fairly new and if the print quality is pretty bad, take them and out and wipe the metal contacts on them with a soft cloth and see if the cloth gets stained with ink and place them back.
# Software Cleaning
Inkjet Printer Toner
If you witness poor print quality, the very first thing to do is run a nozzle check through the printer software. Most of the printers come with a disc with the necessary software to run a nozzle check. In case you have lost the disc, you can always download it from the manufacturer’s support website. Additionally there could also be other maintenance options like, head alignment and head cleaning options in the software. In some printers these settings are available directly in the printer console.
With proper maintenance and cleaning, your inkjet printer can work tirelessly and produce quality print-outs day-in and day-out.
About the Author: Romeo Demes is a graphic designer, passionate writer and loves technology. The helpful tips and tricks in this article are provided by Artonery