Buying a printer does reduce your printing costs. However overuse or under-use of the cartridge can reduce its life. Moreover, not only are inkjet printer cartridges expensive to buy, but it’s also rather difficult to find replacement cartridges, especially for old printers.
So here are a few tips to bear in mind in order to prolong your cartridges’ life and thus reduce your maintenance expenses.
1. First and foremost, avoid waiting until you squeeze the last drop of ink from your cartridge before refilling or replacing it. If you use your printer even after its ink has run out, you probably end up burning out your printer. Make it a point to refill your cartridge as soon as its ink starts fading or it starts leaving streaks on the paper. The best way to do this is by keeping a backup cartridge with you to use in case of emergencies.
2. Similarly, don’t under-use your cartridge as it dries out if not used for several weeks in a row. In order to keep the ink flowing you should print something at least once a week. In case your printer is a color one, you have to print something both in black & white and in color.
3. It is always better to keep your cartridge cool. If it is left in a warm location (like your car for example) for prolonged periods of time, there is a chance of your cartridge to explode. The heat leads to the expansion of air bubbles in the cartridge, which consequently leads to the leakage or explosion of the cartridge. This only leaves your cartridge useless, and of course, causes a big mess.
4. Your cartridge might get blocked sometimes. Take it out and then reinstall it in the printer.
5. There are basically two types of printers, those with a print head on their bottom like HP, Dell and Lexmark and those that have an ink tank like Epson, Brother and Canon. The printers with print heads (the copper contact you find on the cartridge base) are very sensitive and easily scratch. So don’t touch them directly as scratched print heads can render your cartridge useless.
6. The cartridges used with these printers, especially the Lexmark ones, tend to dry out and get blocked. In such cases, you have to soak the print head in distilled water or isopropyl alcohol and let the cartridge dry completely before installing it.
7. Even if printers that work on ink tanks require less maintenance, you have to be careful not to tear the seal at the bottom of the tank. If torn, the ink in the cartridge dries out and cannot be resolved (soaking the ink tank will not solve the problem).
With the help of these printer cartridge maintenance tips, you will be able to prolong the life of your cartridges and your printing tasks for sure!
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