How to Fix a Dry Printer Cartridge

Written By: Hariom Godhani
  • Comments: 2
How to Fix a Dry Printer Cartridge

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

7

Time Required

10 - 20 minutes

Introduction

Not using a printer for a long period of time can cause the ink inside it to dry. When we can’t use the dried ink cartridge, most of us get rid of it and buy a new cartridge, which contributes to the increasing e-waste. Instead of discarding a dry cartridge, this guide will help you to fix it in a few easy steps with a couple of things needed which can be found right in your house.

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    • Open the top case of your printer.

    • Carefully remove the dried cartridge by lifting the flap in the bottom right section of the printer.

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    • Place the cartridge on a clean surface and apply a few drops of alcohol-based hand sanitizer to the ink nozzle.

    • It's best to use an unscented hand sanitizer, as some scents or colors in the hand sanitizer may affect your ink cartridge's performance.

    • Gently rub your finger on the ink nozzle once or twice.

    • Let the sanitizer seep in for a few minutes.

    • While you wait, fill a bowl halfway with warm tap water.

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    • Wipe out the ink nozzle where you applied the sanitizer with a clean cloth or paper towel.

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    • Place the nozzle side of the cartridge into a bowl filled with warm water.

    • Do not completely submerge the cartridge inside the water, just half of it.

    • Wait for 5-10 mins or until you see ink leaking out into the water.

    • Once you see ink leaking out, remove the cartridge from the water carefully.

    • It may be a good idea to keep a bit of paper towel or a rag handy to catch any drips from the ink cart.

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    • After removing it from the water, completely clean the cartridge with a soft cloth or a paper towel and dry it out.

    • DO NOT put a wet cartridge inside the printer, else it can damage it.

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    • To make sure the cartridge is fully working now, take a piece of paper and rub the ink nozzle over it.

    • When you see an ink line on the paper, that means you are good to go.

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    • Once the body of the cartridge has completely dried, place it back into the slot in the printer.

    I followed your instructions and it worked great on my dried up cartridge. It wasn't a long procedure at all and it saved me another trip to the store. Thank you.

    Janet Gates -

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

Hariom Godhani

Member since: 01/10/21

206 Reputation

One comment

Thank you. This worked for me.

Thomas Grace -