Dried ink in your printer

Many models also offer the same solution from a panel located on the printer. It’s worth checking your printer’s user manual for the best instructions on how to remove dried ink.

How to unclog dried ink in a printer: manual version

Water, gauze and gloves... These are all you need for a simple manual print head cleaning. An old Lexmark Z33, for example, needed its print head unclogged every few weeks. It was a vicious cycle: colour ink was expensive, so it wasn’t used very often, which eventually caused the print head to become clogged. Cleaning the cartridge could then use so much ink that it needed replacing again.

If you need to unclog the print head manually, start by removing the cartridge that isn’t printing correctly and gathering the following items:

1. A shallow food container
2. Warm water
3. Gauze, tissue paper, a compact cotton pad, a clean cloth or something that can be thrown away later

Place the print head in a container of warm water, taking care not to submerge the electrical contacts. Leave it to soak for a few minutes to help loosen any dried ink. If the cleaning has worked, the water should become tinted with the colour of the dried ink. You can also check the nozzle by gently wiping it after cleaning. If it leaves a clear ink mark, the print head is likely clean enough to use again.

If you prefer to use cleaning fluid instead of water, apply a small amount to a suitable cloth or piece of gauze and gently clean the nozzle. If this doesn’t work, you may need to soak the cartridge for longer to help dissolve the dried ink. If using cleaning fluid, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and never heat or boil the fluid.

How to clear dried ink in the print head if it is not integrated into the cartridge?

Unfortunately, in some cases, the print head needs to be removed from the printer. If you’re not confident doing this yourself, we recommend leaving it to a professional. Removing or unscrewing the print head can be relatively straightforward on some models, but doing so incorrectly may damage the printer. If you do decide to remove the print head yourself, you can use a syringe to carefully flush cleaning fluid through the channels. Clean each port separately to help remove any dried ink. Once finished, run a test print to check the results.

Please note: we don’t recommend removing the print head yourself. If you choose to do so, you do it at your own risk.

A safer option for removing dried ink is to use cleaning cartridges. These cartridges contain cleaning fluid and work with the printer’s built-in print head cleaning programme. They’re installed in the same way as standard ink cartridges, and the cleaning programme then flushes the dried ink from the print head. You don’t need to install any additional cartridges during the cleaning process. The dissolved ink and cleaning fluid are collected by the printer’s internal ink absorber, which is designed to last for a long time.

After cleaning, it’s a good idea to run a few test prints to remove any remaining cleaning fluid from the print head before starting a larger print job. If you regularly struggle with dried ink, it may be worth considering a laser printer instead. Laser printers can be a good option if you mainly print black-and-white documents and don’t use your printer regularly. If your printing needs have changed over time, upgrading to a laser printer may be a more practical long-term solution.

If you have any other questions about this process, don’t hesitate to contact us!

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