How to Clean a Printer

To help keep your top-rated laser or inkjet printer working optimally, you should regularly clean and maintain it. At first, you may think using soap and water is best, but that method might not be ideal for electronics. 

Instead, if you want to avoid any printer damage from using water to clean it, opt for a lint-free cloth to clean it instead. In addition, using alcohol and a clean cloth can help with any major poor printing issues. 

Why Clean a Printer?

Printers can accumulate dirt and grime over time which can severely impact the internal components, leading to decreased efficiency and a shortened lifespan. Cleaning a printer can help keep it in good working order. Cleaning a laser printer that uses toner cartilage may be more complicated than cleaning an inkjet printer, and this is why you should learn this simple process.

How to Clean a Printer

The actual cleaning process will differ depending on your printer type, inkjet or laser, your individual model, and the specific part like cleaning a printer head. Having said that, we have organized a useful list of general tips and guidelines to help you get started.

Gather Up Your Materials

You should gather any cleaning supplies you will need to successfully clean your printer. These materials will vary depending on the type of printer you have and your actual model. You will likely always need a microfiber cloth, but other materials can vary. Some printers require canned air, isopropyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol, cotton swabs, and portable vacuum cleaners. Be sure to read the instruction manual thoroughly to know the right cleaning materials to have ready.

Power the Printer Down

Before you clean a printer, especially when you are cleaning the interior of a printer, you should take great care to power it down. Modern printers are filled with sensitive electronic components that can cause bodily harm or become damaged if accessed while receiving power. When it comes to cleaning an inkjet printer, you should be able to power it down and immediately begin the cleaning process. With a laser printer, however, you should leave it powered down for an hour before initiating the cleaning process. This will ensure that the laser printer’s internal components are given time to cool down and that any rogue electricity molecules are dispersed.

Run Any Maintenance Procedures

Most modern printers can easily run maintenance procedures with the click of a button. These processes are typically found in the settings menu; engaging them ensures your printer remains maintained between full cleanings. These maintenance procedures will vary depending on the software that is used to run your printer, but they typically include a nozzle check, a print head cleaning tool, and a print head alignment tool. Make sure you have some paper on hand for test pages before initiating these maintenance processes. Now would be a good time to install new ink cartridges as well if they are needed. Just be sure to dispose of the printer cartridges properly after you have replaced them.

Consequently, if, after cleaning, the printer still isn’t functioning properly, you might want to learn how to dispose an old printer and be rid of it.

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