4 Simple Ways to Clean Your Printer’s Printhead

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Deep clean your printer’s printhead for crisper, more accurate prints
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Clogged printheads are the result of dried-up ink from lack of use, which can lead to patchy or erroneous printing. You can usually fix clogged printheads with your printer's built-in self-cleaning software, though you may have to clean the printheads manually if that doesn't work. Fortunately, cleaning your printheads is easy, and this wikiHow guide will teach you how.

Things You Should Know

  • If your printer has its own printing utility (e.g., HP Smart), you can usually use it to self-clean your printhead.
  • Depending on your printer, you may be able to clean printheads from within your Windows or Mac printer settings.
  • You can also clean printheads manually using a mix of distilled water and isopropyl alcohol.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Self-Cleaning on Windows

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  1. If you're using Windows 10 or Windows 11, click the Start menu, then click the Settings gear icon.
    • This method will work for printers whose manufacturers have added the printhead cleaning function to Windows, including most Canon printers. If this method doesn't work for you, it's likely because your printer manufacturer has its own app you can use to clean your printheads.
    • Make sure your printer is turned on and has at least one sheet of paper inserted.
    • If you have an HP printer, see this method to learn how to clean your printhead with HP Smart.
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  3. It's in the left panel on Windows 10 and on the right panel on Windows 11.
  4. Additional options will appear.
  5. This opens a window with several tabs.
  6. If your printer has this function, you'll find this tab at the top of the window. [1]
    • Some printers keep the self-cleaning option in a More Options or a Tools tab as well.
    • If you see your printer's icon on the Windows system tray (near the clock), try right-clicking the icon and selecting Head Cleaning instead. [2]
  7. This option will usually say Clean Heads or Clean Cartridges , but keep an eye out for any "Clean" option on the page.
    • If you can't find an option to clean your printer's print heads (or "nozzles" or "cartridges"), consult your printer's manual or online documentation. Your printer may not have a self-cleaning option, or it may only be accessible through your printer's app.
  8. If prompted to do or click anything during the cleaning process, do so. Otherwise, your printer should clean itself, after which point you can resume printing your documents.
    • You may have the option to print a test page to verify whether the cleaning process worked.
    • If your printing results still indicate clogged printheads, you'll need to manually clean the printhead to fix the problem.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Self-Cleaning on a Mac

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  1. Click the Apple menu at the top-left corner, then select System Settings from the menu.
    • If you're using an older version of macOS, select System Preferences instead.
    • Make sure your printer is turned on and has at least one sheet of paper inserted.
    • If your printer has its own application, such as Epson Print Utility or HP Smart , use that app to clean your printheads instead.
  2. Look for the printer icon on the left sidebar (Ventura) or in the icon list (earlier versions). You may need to scroll down to see it. [3]
  3. On the left side of the window, click the printer for which you want to run the self-cleaning program.
  4. You'll find this in the middle of the window.
  5. This tab is at the top of the page.
  6. It's in the middle of the page.
  7. This option's location and appearance may vary depending on your printer, but you'll usually see a Head Cleaning or Cartridge Cleaning option on this page.
    • If there's a drop-down box at the top of the window, click it and then click Cleaning in the drop-down menu if possible. [4]
    • If you can't find a "Cleaning" option, your printer may not support self-cleaning. Check the printer's manual or documentation online to confirm.
  8. If prompted to do or click anything during the cleaning process, do so. Otherwise, your printer should clean itself, after which point you can resume printing your documents.
    • You may have the option to print a test page that will verify whether or not the cleaning process worked.
    • If your printing results still indicate clogged printheads, clean the printheads manually to fix the problem.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Cleaning Printheads Manually

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  1. To clean printheads, you will need the following items: [5]
    • A cloth (or low-lint paper towels)
    • Isopropyl alcohol
    • Distilled water
    • A bowl or pie tin
    • Plastic sealable baggies
  2. This will prevent you from damaging the printer or hurting yourself while removing the cartridges and the printhead unit.
  3. Open your printer's main casing, then remove the cartridges one by one until they're all out of the printer. To prevent your cartridges from drying out while you're cleaning the printhead, seal them in the plastic baggies.
    • You will most likely have to consult your printer's manual or online documentation for the proper way to extract the cartridges.
  4. This is the tray in which the cartridges sit. You should see several holes in the bottom of the printhead unit.
    • Again, consult your printer's manual or online documentation for the proper way to do this for your model.
    • If your printer uses cartridges that have print heads on them, skip this step.
  5. Starting with .5 cups (120 mL) of each should be fine. Mixing the two together reduces the abrasive effects of the alcohol, meaning that the mixture shouldn't damage the print head itself.
  6. Keep the mixture around .25 inches (0.64 cm) to start—you can always add more later.
  7. The mixture should come about .5 inches (1.3 cm) up the side of the printhead (or cartridge).
    • If your printer uses cartridges with built-in printheads, place the cartridge in the mixture instead.
  8. Doing so will give the printhead's dried ink time to loosen.
  9. This will remove any excess moisture and ink from the surface of the printhead.
    • You'll want to dry completely the printhead before proceeding.
  10. Place back the printhead unit and/or cartridges, plug back in the printer, and try to print a test page. Your printer should now work as usual.
    • If your printer still doesn't print correctly, try leaving the printhead unit (or cartridges) in the alcohol and water mixture overnight.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Using HP Smart (HP Printers)

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  1. Most HP Printers now use the HP Smart app , making cleaning your printheads from within Windows or macOS easy.
    • If you don't have the HP Smart app on your computer, download it from https://www.hpsmart.com .
    • Make sure your printer is turned on and has at least one sheet of paper inserted.
  2. If you have multiple printers linked to HP Smart, they'll all appear here.
  4. A list of maintenance options will appear.
  5. Your printer will now clean its printhead and print a text page when finished.
  6. If the printed page looks fine, there's no need to choose this deep-cleaning option. But if the print quality is still poor, this step should resolve the problem.
    • If the printhead still needs to be cleaned, see this method .
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    My Epson printer is not printing black correctly on lines once every 1" - 2" down the page. Changing cartridge made no difference; are there any other steps I need to take?
    Community Answer
    If it's 1 - 2" then it's unlikely to be the ink cartridge, especially if they're not exactly the same distance apart each time. It's more likely to be an issue with the rollers or electronics.
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    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 14
  • Question
    Can a print head on an HP 6600 printer be replaced?
    Community Answer
    No. You can't.
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  • Question
    I tried to clean the cyan head print on my Epson 1410 using ethyl alcohol and the print worsened. Did I burn the head print?
    Community Answer
    Use only 100% isopropyl alcohol or your printer's specific cleaning fluid to wipe the print heads.
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      Tips

      • Printing a page every week or so will help prevent clogged print heads.
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      • If your printer uses cartridges with print heads, you can always replace the clogged ink cartridge with a fresh one.
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      Warnings

      • Some cartridges come with a sponge that interfaces with the print head unit itself. Do not wash or touch the sponge.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART142629
      2. ↑ https://support2.epson.net/manuals/english/ij/stylust10t11t20t20e/guide/html/maint_2.htm
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/sr-rs/guide/mac-help/prtct004/mac
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzqM_dhELeg
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3QuVLHtT_o

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Unplug the printer.
      2. Open your printer and remove the cartridges and print head.
      3. Mix ½ cup each of isopropyl alcohol and water in a bowl.
      4. Place the print head in the cleaning solution for 2 minutes.
      5. Dab it with a paper towel.
      6. Leave it to dry completely before returning it to your printer.

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