Cleaning a clogged up Inkjet Cartridge

Lancashire Lad · #1 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 04:47 PM

Having previously taken scrupulous heed of manufacturer's dire warnings about not touching the copper foil inkjet "nozzles" (if that's the right word for whatever they are) on inkjet cartridges, I had become increasingly irritated at my printer's propensity to dry up after a few weeks non-use.

I must have wasted at least half of the inks I've ever bought putting printers through nozzle/head cleaning cycles. More often than not, several cleaning cycles being needed on each occasion.

When it happened again this week, I took the drastic action of wiping the cartridge "nozzle" with a tissue soaked in hot water, which immediately removed the dried up ink.

Put it back in the printer, and - Eureka - perfect printing from the word go.

From now on that's my plan of action.

It might not work for everyone, but I'm darned sure it's going to save me money in future.

Regards
Mike.

Kev-B · #2 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 04:56 PM

Well done Mike & thanks for the tip ...

Good to know there are still those who "boldly go" etc ...

In the event that a cartridge is beyond redemption .. I always use "Cartridge World" for re-filling .. far cheaper than buying a new one ..

Bye for now ..

Kev ..

agrumpycow · #3 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 05:02 PM

That sounds a very useful tip, nice one

We've never tried Cartridge World for refilling and will give them a go. In the past we've used the computer desk at the local post office and, despite being half the cost of a new cartridge, it only lasts a few pictures.

Darley · #4 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 05:06 PM

I have switched to using printers with cartridges that incorporate the print head, so it gets replaced every time you change the cartridge and theoretically print quality remains constant. I have had about 8 printers and they all suffer from blocked heads eventually, and once they start to go it's usally only a matter of a short time before they become unsalvageable.

Lancashire Lad · #5 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 05:09 PM

Just a word of warning that I didn't think to put in my original post.

Some printers have those "chipped" cartridges that won't print ever again once removed from the printer.

If yours is one of those, don't try the above, or your cartridge definitely won't be any good thereafter.

Regards
Mike.

Jim Ford · #6 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 05:14 PM

Arthur Entlich, who posts on comp.periphs.printers is an expert on techniques for clearing blocked printer nozzles. If you email him at e-printerhelp@mvps.org he'll email you his article, but as he's quite busy he may take awhile to respond.

This link is also interesting:

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/a..._cleaning.html

Jim

Lancashire Lad · #7 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 05:42 PM

Nice one Jim - There is some seriously good advice on this site. (and not just about wildlife

).

I'll try the bathroom cleaner trick, if plain hot water ever fails to work.

Regards
Mike

Jim Ford · #8 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I'll try the bathroom cleaner trick, if plain hot water ever fails

The problem with bathroom cleaner is that the one they recommend is no longer made.

Dilute ammonia solution is often recommended for printer nozzles and Arthur Entlich's technique uses it.

Jim

Hobjob · #9 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 10:22 AM

Hot water on a tissue is not, in my experience, as effective
as putting boiling water into a pre-heated suacer and then
dipping the the end of the cartridge in that - dry off with
tissue asap.

Generic cartridges and re-fills, according to the officianados,
and in my experience, are more trouble than the manufacturers
own brand,

Old cartridge also can block up more easily.

Lancashire Lad · #10 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hobjob

Hot water on a tissue is not, in my experience, as effective
as putting boiling water into a pre-heated suacer and then
dipping the the end of the cartridge in that - dry off with
tissue asap.

Generic cartridges and re-fills, according to the officianados,
and in my experience, are more trouble than the manufacturers
own brand,

Old cartridge also can block up more easily.

Your method may well be better Hobjob, I just posted what I'd done as it had worked first time for me.

I concur with your statement regarding third party cartridges, I didn't get as many "dry-ups" using the printer manufacturers own brand. (Although they were still as wasteful of ink using nozzle/head clean process).

But, the one's I'm now using, are less than half the price, contain more ink, and I cannot differentiate on the printed results - so if the dry-up problem is sorted, I've no complaints at all, in sticking with them.

Best regards
Mike.

Tormentil · #11 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 01:26 PM

Another method of avoiding blocked print heads/nozzles, is turn your printer on every other day or so, whether you're gonna print or not, as most printers preform a "mini clean" when turned on.

Lancashire Lad · #12 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 01:49 PM

The only problem with this Tormentil, is that the mini-clean loses a little ink each time the process is carried out, as the machine is "charging" the system, in readyness to print.

Regards
Mike.

Tormentil · #13 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 02:02 PM

Its better than using lots of ink doing a full clean, 'cause yer heads blocked. Or having to go through some of the rigmaroles described in this thread. And far cheaper than having to get cleaning fliuds.

A stitch in time, saves nine

Lancashire Lad · #14 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tormentil

....Its better than using lots of ink doing a full clean, 'cause yer heads blocked....

Very true.

But if you can avoid losing any of this extortionately priced ink at all, by just wiping the cartridge with hot water on a tissue, then so much the better.

Regards
Mike.

Dutchess · #15 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 04:06 PM

I have taken the same steps as you Mike, especially when refilling old cartridges - which can be a messy job. IMO, you can't *not* clean it up!

If you do a refill at home, one tip I'd definitely recommend is letting the cartridge dry off in situ (in the printer) for about 30 mins before attempting to print anything at all. On my first refill I wasted loads of ink (and paper) printing test pages. Next time I waited a while and the blobs and smears cleared much faster.

hth

D.

Jim Ford · #16 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 07:03 PM

After years of fiddling around filling cartridges, I'm now using a C.I.S.. I'll never go back to cartridges, new or refilling.

Jim

Lancashire Lad · #17 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 07:51 PM

I'm tempted to agree with you Jim.

I'll be considering a Continuous Ink System for my Epson 2100 when my existing stock of inks run out.

The cost of getting Epson replacement cartridges for that is in the region of £100.00 a set.

No one seems to do third party cartridges for that model, and the Epson ones are getting harder to obtain.

I can get a full CIS system with 100mil. of each of the seven required inks for about £230.00 all in, so I think that will be the way to go.

I'm still going to stick with the third party cartridges for the old HP870CXi though.

Regards
Mike.

Tormentil · #18 (**permalink**) 29-12-2008, 09:45 PM

My printer (Canon i990) was put away for several weeks while I was decorating and the inevitable has happened. Yep head completely blocked.

So looks like I'll have to take it off and give it a good soaking in hot water, to see if that does the trick, 'cause no amount of "cleaning" routines (several using cleaning cartridges) as made any difference.

If soaking don't solve the problem then I'm gonna have to decide whether to buy & fit a new head (around £70-80), or spend more on a ganz neu printer.

glsammy · #19 (**permalink**) 29-12-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

After years of fiddling around filling cartridges, I'm now using a C.I.S.. I'll never go back to cartridges, new or refilling.

Jim

Same here Jim.I've had my system on my Epson RX685 for about three months now without any problems at all. The way the inks going it's going to save me a small fortune.

Tormentil · #20 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 09:19 AM

Well I bit the bullet and bought a new printer a few weeks ago, it's an Epson R285. I also bought a CISS kit for it.

It's taken a bit of tweaking to get things right and over all it's quite good (not as good as my old i990 though), but for the amount of printing I do it will suffice.

The only other drawback with it is, that I keep forgetting to switch it off.

With the Canon i990 switching on & off was automatic. When I hit a "print" button it switched on, printed what I wanted and if nothing else was sent to it, within 20 minutes it switched its self off. A very good facility I thought, shame Epson don't include this in their software (or I have n't found it !!).