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To keep your top-of-the-market inkjet or laser printer working efficiently for as long as possible, it will be a good idea to perform a number of routine maintenance tasks.
Why you may ask? Because of factors such as dust, dirty rollers, and spills can happen, especially with frequent printing use. Unless you like upgrading to a new printer every few months, performing regular printer maintenance is a good idea.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Nothing will happen immediately if you forgo maintenance tasks when it comes to your printer. Unless you’re forcing your printer to produce faster by increasing the print speed.
In time, however, the printer’s overall performance level will decrease, leading to shoddy prints and a decreased overall lifespan. Moreover, you’ll find that your printer will make streaks on your printed documents. No one wants that. Inevitably, this will lead you to purchase another printer when you could have used the current one for longer.
Alternatively, you could see why a flatbed scanner vs an all-in-one printer might be better. But, only get the product that you need.
Insider Tip
The printer will create a test page to test out the nozzle’s various functionalities. If you see solid lines, that means your nozzles are operating correctly.
Here are some of the common printer maintenance tasks that you can perform to improve the performance and longevity of your printer. Be warned, the process to complete these maintenance procedures may differ depending on the make and model of your printer. These models vary in price according to type.
If you want to make sure your printhead nozzles are operating correctly, you should perform a nozzle check. Initiating this nozzle check will require a different process from printer to printer, but the end result should be the same. The printer will create a test page to test out the nozzle’s various functionalities. If you see solid lines, that means your nozzles are operating correctly. You may have a nozzle-related issue if you see broken or no lines. You can typically clean the nozzle and then run the check again. If you’re unsure of how to do this, you can read our guide and learn how to clean printer heads.
Most modern printers will automatically institute a print head cleaning process somewhere in the settings menu.
Cleaning your print heads will be an important part of your regular printer maintenance routine, especially if you need your laser printer cleaner. Most modern printers will automatically institute a print head cleaning process somewhere in the settings menu. If your printer does not allow this option in the settings, many third-party software suites can initiate the print head cleaning process. Modern printers can also automatically perform other maintenance tasks, such as aligning the print heads. Be sure to clean and align the print heads every few months for optimum efficiency.
You should also manually clean both the exterior and interior of a printer. This cleaning process will differ depending on your printer type, laser or inkjet, and the individual printer model. You can never go wrong, however, with a simple microfiber cloth. Many printers can also handle a bit of isopropyl alcohol. Make sure the printer has been powered down before opening it up to clean the interior components.
Warning
If you see broken lines or no lines at all, you may have a nozzle-related issue.
What are the must-haves for a printer maintenance kit?
You should make sure you have paper, for running test pages, some microfiber cloth pieces for cleaning, and a bottle of isopropyl alcohol. Many dedicated printer kits are available for purchase, including these and other items of use.
Do I need a dedicated printer maintenance kit?
You can normally get by with DIY printer maintenance kits, but some laser printers require complex maintenance procedures, which can be simplified using a purpose-built kit.
Why should I maintain my printer?
Maintaining your printer is key to increasing the overall lifespan of the printer and ensuring that it keeps cranking out high-quality reproductions.
STAT: 20 to 50 million tons of e-waste are created each year, with 80 to 85% being discarded in landfills or incinerators. (source)
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