Clogged printer heads are a definite hassle to all printer owners. It is not just because it greatly affect the quality of the printing job done, but they can eventually lead to damage to the it. It is very important to clean out printer heads when they are clogged, but it would be a lot better if we conduct preventive maintenance on them to keep from developing it.
Clearing Clogs from a Printer Head
Most printers these days have systems built into them that allow them to clean their heads. This is done by initiating the printer's cleaning cycles. Ideally, cleaning cycles must be started up once a week to prevent the head from getting clogged.
The downside to performing the cleaning cycles is that it wastes a lot of ink. We all know how expensive printer ink cartridges can get, and they are not an efficient way to use printer ink.
There are other, ink-efficient ways to be able to clean printer heads that will prevent their clogging just as effectively. One such way is to brush the printer heads with Q-tips soaked in water. Sources vary on whether alcohol would be more effective than water, but in the opinion of some printer resources, alcohol can be harmful to the heads and should thus be avoided.
Preventing Printer Head Clogging
Cleaning clogged printer heads can be a real hassle, but the condition is very much preventable. The main method of preventing their heads from getting clogged is to use them regularly. In fact, a lot of experts are saying that it is better to print one colorful page a week than to run a printer cleaning cycle because doing so uses a lot less ink. In general, using the printer prevents the ink in the printer cartridges to dry up.
Keeping the printer free from dirt and debris also helps a lot in preventing the heads from getting clogged. However, dirt and debris should never be cleaned using a vacuum cleaner because it can cause the circuitry of the printer to get fried. When that happens, you would have a bigger problem than simply dealing with it.
Turning the printer off when it is not in use also saves them from getting clogged with dried ink. Leaving it on keeps the ink in the cartridge warm and makes them bleed onto the printer heads.
If you need to store your printer away, it would be best to take the ink cartridges out. Also, never touch the head with oily or dirty hands. Doing thus will leave skin oil on the printer head and add to the possibility of it getting clogged.
