The printer has been an essential part of the lives of not just those who work in offices but also of students as well. Reports, research papers, contracts, and so many more things turn from digital files into physical objects that you can hold because printers exist.
Printers have become such a need that when they break down, they often become a cause for panic, stress, or even both. To avoid such headaches and to prolong the life of the handy printer, it is important to regularly clean it.
If you are unsure how to go about it, here is a quick guide on how to clean your printer's printhead, which pretty much contains the ink cartridges.
How to Clean Your Printer's Printhead, According to Epson
Epson explains why it is important to keep your printhead clean, saying on its website that "If you find that the printed image is unexpectedly faint or dots in the printed image are missing, you may be able to solve these problems by cleaning the print head, which ensures that the nozzles are delivering ink properly."
For Epson printers, there are two ways you can go about cleaning them. One way is by using the Head Cleaning utility while the other way is by using the control panet buttons of your printers. Specific steps for both are outlined on the Epson website.
It should be noted, however, that cleaning your printer's printhead does consume ink. This is why Epson recommends that you should only clean it when the print quality has declined.
Owners of Epson printers should also take note that if your printer has run out of ink, you cannot clean the printhead. What you should do first is to replace the ink cartridge.
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How to Clean Your Printer's Printhead, According to HP
Having a hard time finding your printer's printhead? According to HP, it is commonly located under the cover of your printer. HP likewise stresses the importance of cleaning it, stating that ink can clog your printer over time and might cause it to break down if the printhead is left clogged.
For HP printers, there are also two ways you can go about cleaning the printhead. One is by using the software on your PC. You can also clean the printhead by manually removing it from your printer.
HP cautions those who will choose to clean the printhead themselves to be careful when handling it. "If you choose to perform the repair yourself, you should be careful not to damage the contacts on both the printhead and your ink cartridges," according to HP.
"If they're damaged, it's likely that you'll need to take the printer to a professional for repair," the HP guide on how to clean the printhead adds.
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