Whenever the quality of your prints is diminished it is important to ask yourself some questions to resolve the issue.
Is the printer out of ink?
Is there a paper jam?
Is my printhead/nozzle clogged?
8 Signs that Your Printer is Clogged
- Your prints are low quality, meaning they are faded, streaked or lined.
- A blank page print out could mean that your printhead is clogged.
- White lines across the page.
- Broken lines or grid patterns appear on prints.
- Track marks.
- Smear marks.
- Some colors are missing.
- A print nozzle test (in “Settings” under “Maintenance”) indicates the printhead may be clogged.
Ways to Clean Clogged Printhead/Nozzle
In order to unclog the printhead/nozzle, you must follow the steps to clean it. Here are a couple of ways to do that:
- This was mentioned in another post, use a fresh, damp rag, wipe the top of your ink cartridges to remove any ink collected on its surface. Doing this prevents the ink from clogging. Before you return the ink cartridge to the printer, dry the surface.
- Clean printhead nozzles with a cleaning solution recommended by the manufacturer. See your owner’s manual for that information. Ink cartridges will need to be removed and stored in plastic wrap while completing this task.
- Use your printer, at least on a weekly basis. Regular use will prevent clogging.
- Run a printhead cleaning.
It is never fun when an electronic device is not functioning properly. Nevertheless, these signs and cleaning tips will get your printer back up and running in no time.
