manually cleaning print cartridges
If the printer is used in a dusty environment, a small amount of debris may
accumulate inside the case. This debris can include dust, hair, carpet, or
clothing fibers. When it gets on the print cartridges and cradle, it can cause
ink streaks and smudges on printed pages. Ink streaking is easily corrected
by manually cleaning the cartridges and cradle.
gathering cleaning supplies
You will need the following items to clean the print cartridges and cradle:
• Distilled or bottled water. Tap water contains contaminants that
damage print cartridges.
• Cotton swabs or other soft, lint-free material that will not stick to the
cartridges.
Be careful not to get ink on your hands or clothing as you clean.
preparing to clean
Remove the print cartridges from the printer before cleaning.
1.
Verify that the Out tray and Fold-Up tray (if installed on your printer) are
in the down position.
2.
Press the
Power
button to turn on the printer, then raise the top cover.
The print cartridges move to the center of the printer.
3.
Disconnect the power cord from the back of the printer.
4.
Remove the print cartridges and place them on a piece of paper with the
ink nozzle plate
facing up.
Do not leave the cartridges outside the printer for more than 30 minutes.
Caution!
Do not touch the print cartridge ink nozzles or copper
contacts. Do not remove the copper strips.
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cleaning the print cartridges and print cartridge cradle
1.
Dip the end of a clean cotton swab into the distilled water and remove
any excess water.
2.
Clean the face and edges of the first print cartridge with the swab, as
shown in the following illustration.
Do Not
wipe the nozzle plate.
1. nozzle plate 2. clean these areas
3.
Inspect the face and edges of the print cartridge for fibers.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 above if fibers are still present.
4.
Repeat steps 1 through 3 for the other print cartridge.
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5.
Wipe the underside of the print cartridge cradle walls using clean,
moistened cotton swabs.
Repeat this process until no ink residue appears on a clean swab.
1. print cartridge cradle 2. cradle wall
6.
Reinsert the print cartridges and close the printer’s top cover.
7.
Reconnect the power cord to the back of the printer.
8.
Print a test page from the
HP Deskjet Toolbox
by selecting the Printer
Services tab and clicking
Print a Test Page
.
9.
Repeat the cleaning procedure if smeared ink still appears on the
printouts.
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