Printing problems can be infuriating, but an article suggests some solutions.
There are many reasons for an inkjet printer to fail to print, reported Expert Reviews, but the most common one is that the cartridges have dried out and “become clogged and unusable”, which often occurs if the printer is not used for some time and the ink dries out in the nozzle. This can be rectified by regularly printing off a page, and the article also stated that cartridges have expiration dates, and that this can cause them to stop working; while refilling cartridges needs careful attention, as if air gets into the cartridge, it can speed up the “drying process”.
There are some simple fixes and maintenance tasks that can be done to restore the cartridge’s function, and the article noted that the “first port of call” is to go to the printer menu and use the printer head cleaning tool, which will test print a page: although if the nozzles are completely blocked, this will “result in a blank page”.
If this does not work, the article advocates opening the printer and taking out the ink cartridges, placing them in a bowl of warm water so that the nozzles are immersed, and then using a cloth or cotton bud to clean the nozzles, only stopping when ink starts to flow into the water. Once this happens, the cartridges can be dried and left for 10 minutes, before being put back in the printer and retrying the print function. If this doesn’t work then, it is likely that a new cartridge is required.
If the printer is used infrequently, then it is advisable to remove the cartridges from the printer and use the protective cover they came with to protect the nozzles; or they can be “wrapped in clingfilm” and stored in a “sealed bag” or container until they are required. By regularly printing a page or removing the cartridges, “drying out” can be prevented and will give the cartridges a longer life.
Do you agree with these tips? Let us know at news@therecycler.com!