When one or more colours on an inkjet printer stop printing, there could be a blockage on the print head of the cartridge or where the cartridge connects to the printer’s ink tubes. Dry ink causes these blockages, which can usually be cleared by running the printer’s self-cleaning utility. Manually cleaning the ink cartridges and lines with isopropyl alcohol or soaking the print head in water can help clear more severe blockages. If nothing else works, replace the ink cartridge or have the printer serviced.

Self-Cleaning
All inkjet printers can clean their print heads by flushing ink through the system, removing blockages and dried ink. The method of accessing this utility varies depending on the printer model, but it is usually accessible via the printer software on a connected computer or directly on the printer. Running this self-cleaning programme will fix all but the most severe ink problems, so always try it before resorting to more drastic measures. You may need to repeat the cleaning procedure twice before the printer works properly, but if you don’t see any improvement after the first two attempts, more attempts are unlikely to help. If ink does escape but is misaligned, use the alignment utility rather than the cleaning utility.

Manual Cleaning
If self-cleaning doesn’t work, you can manually clean your inkjet cartridges and the print head. Remove the ink cartridge in question from the printer. To access the ink on some printers, you must first set the printer to cartridge replacement mode. Soak a cotton swab or paper towel in hot water or isopropyl alcohol. Wipe the print head clean with a towel or swab on cartridges with built-in print heads. Wipe off the connection point on both the cartridge and the printer side of printers where cartridges connect to internal ink tubes. Let all parts dry before reinserting the ink.

Soaking
Soak the print head in warm water for several hours to remove stubborn blockages from cartridge print heads. This will loosen the block, allowing you to clean it. If ink is flowing through the printer to the print head, apply several drops of isopropyl alcohol to the ink cartridge connection point, reinstall the ink, and run the self-cleaning utility. This will flush the alcohol through the system, cleaning it out. Isopropyl alcohol, on the other hand, will damage rubber, so avoid using this method if your ink cartridges have rubber gaskets around the connection point.

Replacement
If none of the cleaning methods work, you will need to replace the entire ink cartridge. Unless the printer has become damaged internally, this should resolve any issues. The term “electronic commerce” refers to the sale of electronic goods. Some printers have a hidden maintenance mode with a heavy-cleaning utility that can fix the problem. The manufacturer’s tech support will walk you through this process where applicable. If nothing else works, you will need to arrange for maintenance or replace the printer.

Preventing Blockages
After fixing the block, prevent further problems by taking proper care of the printer. When leaving the printer unused for several days, turn it off but leave it plugged in – some printers run cleaning programmes while turned off to keep the ink from drying. Always shut off the printer with the power button, not by turning off its power strip, since printers need to lock the ink and print heads in a certain place when shutting down.

MPC3503 ( rent & purchase ) (5)
MPC3503 ( rent & purchase ) (6)
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