Inkjet Printer Tips

Just bought an inkjet printer and looking for some tips on how to properly maintain it? Inkjet printers are reliable for the most part, but like any other machine, they need an occasional bit of attention to keep them running right. Read on for some great tips that will help ensure you get the best performance and longest life span possible out of your printer!

First of all, it’s a good idea not to stock up on ink cartridges unless you plan on using them fairly soon. This may be surprising, but ink cartridges do have a shelf life and won’t last forever, even if you don’t open them and keep them in a cool dry place. Typically, the ink manufacturers (HP, Epson, etc.) will have an expiration or use by date somewhere on the packaging so you know how long the ink will be good for. The ink doesn’t go bad instantaneously but it will slowly degrade over time to the point that it turns into sludge or the nozzles can become clogged with ink particles. However, you also want to be careful with a new ink cartridge that you just opened, as the same thing can happen if the printer isn’t used for a while.

If you haven’t used the printer for a while, it is highly recommended that you run the nozzle check utility included with your printer, as this can tell you whether any of the ink nozzles are clogged. Typically, you will see gaps in printouts or white streaks if one or more of the nozzles are clogged. At this point, you’ll need to run the nozzle cleaning utility to clear the nozzles. You may need to do this a few times in order to see an improvement, however. Ideally, you should print a test page, check the output of the test page, and then try cleaning the nozzles again if needed. It may be necessary to do this a few times in order to see improvement.

You should not run cleaning cycles back to back without printing a test page in between, however, as the cleaning process can cause bubbles in the ink which might make the problem worse. If you print a test page in between cleaning cycles, this allows the bubbles to work their way out of the ink. If you have run the cleaning cycle several times with no success, try letting the printer sit for a few hours before you try printing again.

If you notice that the ink is smearing on the page, the most likely culprit is dust or hair stuck on the print head. You can try cleaning the nozzles on the ink cartridge to see if that makes a difference. To do this, use a clean cloth or tissue that won’t leave fibers on the nozzles and gently wipe the nozzles down.

When you open a new ink cartridge or if you need to switch out ink cartridges temporarily, make sure you don’t leave them out for very long, as the inks can dry up. Additionally, be sure to always turn the printer off by using the power switch when not using it. Many printers automatically cover the print head when turned off, to prevent the ink from drying out.

Good luck with your new inkjet printer!