How to cost-effectively clean an old or clogged ink cartridge

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How to cost-effectively clean an old or clogged ink cartridge
How to cost-effectively clean an old or clogged ink cartridge
Anonim

If you've ever owned a printer (not one of those old ones) that you haven't used for months (or even years) and can't print, it's probably a clogged cartridge.

What's more, there are many different types of cartridges in different shapes, which will require you to apply a different method or even use something completely different.

It's not very difficult to clean, but you can get dirty, so be sure to read the tips below before starting.

Water method

  1. Find a bathroom next to it with a sink and hot water. The closer the better.
    2. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 1
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 1
  2. Spread some old newspaper or paper towels around the sink to keep the paint from staining everything.
    3. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 2
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 2
  3. Make sure that the printer is turned on and that all the drivers required for the printer are installed on your computer.
    4. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 3
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 3
  4. Open the printer to remove the cartridge.
    5. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 4
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 4
  5. Pull out the black ink cartridge. This method may work for a color ink cartridge as well, but it is best to try it with a black ink cartridge first.
    6. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 5
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 5
  6. Take the cartridge to the sink and place it on top of a newspaper or paper towel. Try to place it diagonally so that the part where the paint is coming out does not touch the paper towel, otherwise you may stain everything.
    7. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 6
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 6
  7. Turn on the water and wait for boiling water to flow.
    8. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 7
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 7
  8. Plug the hole in the sink to prevent water from leaking out.
    9. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 8
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 8
  9. Fill the sink with hot water, but only a little. The sink should be only 2 cm full of boiling water.
    10. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 9
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 9
  10. Place the cartridge in a sink so that the part where the paint comes out is submerged in the water. Make sure the water covers the entire part of the ink supply port. Ink can (and most likely will) leak from the cartridge. Do not worry!
    11. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 10
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 10
  11. If the ink drains out of the cartridge right away, then it is not clogged too much. About 5 minutes in the sink will do the trick. Otherwise, you will have to wait 20 minutes.
    12. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 11
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 11
  12. Wipe off the cartridge, insert it back into the printer, and perform a test print.
    13. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 12
    Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 12

    Vacuum cleaner method

    1. Bring the tube of the vacuum cleaner to the cartridge, to the ink supply port. Cover the hole with electrical tape or plasticine.
      2. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 13
      Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 13
    2. Adjust the suction of the vacuum cleaner with the regulator and turn on the vacuum cleaner for a few seconds, holding the cartridge upright, with the ink supply port facing down.
      3. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 14
      Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 14
    3. Repeat the process until the port is clear.
      4. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 15
      Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 15
    4. Wipe off excess paint with toilet paper.
      5. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 16
      Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 16
    5. Insert the cartridge back into the printer.
      6. Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 17
      Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way Step 17

      Extreme measures

      1. Determine the type of cartridge you have. The easiest way to do this is to see what kind of attachment it has (electronic or spongy). The sponge nozzle looks like a sponge that you can touch. The electronic tip is usually covered with an orange stripe.
      2. If it is an electronic attachment, you can throw it in the trash. These tips are not reliable, especially if you don't print every day.
      3. Get rid of your printer. Give it to charity, for example.
      4. Buy a sponge printer. They almost never dry out. Sometimes these printers have three to four cartridges: three for color and one for black.
      5. If you have a foam cartridge and you have already tried the above methods, but they did not work for you, then your cartridge is over. The sponge has dried and hardened to such an extent that it cannot be saved. Buy a new one. They can usually be bought cheaply on Ebay.

        Advice

        • If paint accidentally gets on your counter or sink and you can't wipe it off, take some hydrogen peroxide and wipe the stain.
        • On the Internet, cartridges can be bought at a very good price, for example, on Ebay or Amazon. This makes refilling your cartridges a waste of time, but remember to recycle the old ones to keep them just as cheap.
        • If you don't use your printer often (like most people), cartridge drying can be a problem for you. For this, it is recommended to buy cartridges with sponge nozzles. They don't dry out as quickly.

        Warnings

        • The ink from the printer can get very dirty, and it is quite difficult to remove it. Wear gloves and an apron to prevent it from getting on you.
        • You will be using boiling water when flushing the cartridge, so be careful!
        • Some ink may leak out when removing the cartridge from the sink, so be careful!

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