Cleaning a clogged ink cartridge
A common problem that happens with ink cartridges is that the ink can commonly become clogged on the tip of the cartridge. Because of this, the ink can’t be dispersed properly to the printer. While many think that the cartridge is going bad, this more than likely may not be the case as a simple cleaning can do the trick, saving you both time and money.
Cleaning a clogged ink cartridge isn’t that hard. Listed below is a simple step-by-step guide on how to clean a cartridge no matter what make or model your printer currently carries.
#1 Remove The Cartridge: The first thing that you’re going to want to do is remove the cartridge from the printer. Before removing it though, make sure that you grab either a dirty rag or a bunch of newspaper. Clogged cartridges can commonly disperse ink all over the place. Since this can stain rather easily, you’ll want to prevent this from happening by using the rag and/or newspaper.
#2 Take To Sink: Take the ink cartridge to a sink and run hot water. Be sure to handle the cartridge carefully as clogged cartridges can leak when handled improperly. If you’re unsure how to carry it, it may be wise to check out a Youtube video online that other users have posted.
#3 Place Under The Sink: Once the water is warm, place the part where the ink comes out under the sink. Now, ink may start coming out and that’s fine. Most of the time, if the ink comes out, this is going to be a good sign as it’s a sign of cleaning out the clogged area. Now, keep in mind that if the ink starts flowing immediately, it’s important to note that the cartridge is more than likely not clogged.
#4 Dry Off: Once the ink has flowed out, it’s probably not clogged anymore. Grab a rag or dry cloth, and dry off the cartridge area. Be gentle as dabbing it too hard can cause the ink cartridge to leak more.
By running hot water and handling the cartridge properly, one can find that it works most of the time.