# How to manualy clean the printhead on a inkjet printer **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 18, 2000, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926 "2000-03-18T20:05:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_LION](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_LION](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_LION)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2000, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/1 "2000-03-18T20:05:00Z")
## Hello All I am looking for info on how to manualy clean the printhead on a Epson Stylus Color 600 inkjet printer. I picked one up used the other day and am trying to get it going. I have replaced both ink cartridges and most of the color jets are working correctly but the black jets are still clogged. I have run the auto cleaning routine several times with no improvement. I will be greatfull for all help given. Peace t lion 32 Bit Operating System 02 Bit Operator ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2000, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/2 "2000-03-18T20:23:00Z")
Hey LION! How ya’ doin’? I don’t know about manually cleaning the print nozzles. Are you sure your black cartridge is OK? I’ve gotten brand new out-of-the-box bad ones before. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2000, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/3 "2000-03-18T20:27:00Z")
I have limited experience with ink jet printers, but I do know sometimes it takes a _long_ time to get the ink to start flowing properly. There have been a couple of cases where, out of desperation, I had to find a page with a lot of text or graphics on it, and “print” it over and over before the ink would start flowing. From my experience, don’t be surprised if you get 20 or 30 blanks sheets before the ink starts to flow. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2000, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/4 "2000-03-19T01:13:00Z")
Epson print heads can not be cleaned manualy by you. Epson says to run the head cleaning, print the test patern, and keep repeating without exiting the utility. The cleaning when done this way becomes more vigorous as you keep asking to clean the head. I don’t remember the maximum number of times this should be repeated. I think it was up to ten. They have instruction on their web pages. * * * Don’t try to engage my enthusiasm, I haven’t got any. Just tell me what you want. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2000, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/5 "2000-03-19T02:52:00Z")
The proceedure is to take that ink cart, find that hole where that ink comes from. Squeeze the cart until ink comes from that hole. Shake it just to make sure some comes out. Put it back in & clean 4 times. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2000, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/6 "2000-03-19T19:28:00Z")
In extreme cases I have found it helpful to wipe the nozzles with a tissue soaked with rubbing alcohol. that seems to help dissolve the dried in in there. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2000, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/7 "2000-03-19T23:54:00Z")
You can’t get to the print heads on an Epson injet printer, without dismantling the printer. HP print cartridges have the nozzles built into the cartridge and can be cleaned. These are the only to brands I’ve dealt with. * * * Don’t try to engage my enthusiasm, I haven’t got any. Just tell me what you want. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2000, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/8 "2000-03-19T23:57:00Z")
Unfortunately, that is a common complaint about Epson printers. HP printers have print nozzles on the ink cartridge, and Canon uses a separate removable/replaceable print head, but Epson has fixed print heads. It can’t be easily removed, and they don’t sell replacements. You could still try cleaning it as others have suggested, but if that doesn’t work, I’m afraid you are supposed to throw away the rest of the printer with each print head. You’re not alone - I’ve got a PM-700 which I hardly used, but left stored for a year. I’ve just about given up trying to get it to work. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/9 "2000-03-20T15:56:00Z")
You can get new inkjet printers for about $50 after rebate at [surplusdirect.com](http://surplusdirect.com) or [surplusauction.com](http://surplusauction.com) [probably less]…much cheaper these days. Be sure to check how much ink costs. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/10 "2000-03-21T06:32:00Z")
My girlfriend was reading over my shoulder and queried, “did he take the tape off the (ink) cartrige?”. So at the risk of sounding like a patronizing jackass, did you? ---
**Author:** ![The\_LION](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_LION](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_LION)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/11 "2000-03-20T22:15:00Z")
Thanks All Still working on the printer. It looks like the printhead is bad as it has not cleared up after 20 plus cleaning cycles. Next step is to take it a part and see if I can get it that way. Looks like it’s time to start priceing new printers. Peace t lion * * * 32 Bit Operating System 02 Bit Operator ---
**Author:** ![galen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@galen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/12 "2000-03-21T03:48:00Z")
Lovely,just fuckin’lovely. I bought an Epson 660 last September. It works ok, but no one told me about the heads. I think you run into problems if you don’t use it for awhile. If I had to do it over, I’d buy a cheap laser printer, about 300 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Derf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Derf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derf)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/13 "2000-03-21T04:37:00Z")
With the Epson 600s, you want to make sure you _don’t_ remove the sticker on the bottom. Seems it keeps air out, thus not drying the ink in the heads. An expensive lesson ☹ * * * “To be great is to be misunderstood” – Ralph Waldo Emerson ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-manualy-clean-the-printhead-on-a-inkjet-printer/8926/14 "2000-03-21T16:18:00Z")
Denatured alcohol from the hardware store, about $4 a quart can be used to soak. It’s also wonderful to clean heads on a vcr, audio, etc. That’s what the pros use anyway.