How to Clean an Inkjet Printer's Print Head to Reduce Streaking

In this tutorial you will learn how to stop printer streaks or streaking in your inkjet printer by cleaning the printhead.

Steps

  1. Image titled Clean an Inkjet Printer's Print Head to Reduce Streaking Step 1
    1
    Remove the cartridge with printhead or the printhead assembly from printer.
  2. Image titled Clean an Inkjet Printer's Print Head to Reduce Streaking Step 2
    2
    Take a lint-free cloth or paper towel and lightly dampen with warm, distilled water.
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  3. Image titled Clean an Inkjet Printer's Print Head to Reduce Streaking Step 3
    3
    Fold the towel in half twice and hold in the fingers of one hand.
  4. Image titled Clean an Inkjet Printer's Print Head to Reduce Streaking Step 4
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    With your other hand, gently "Blot" the cartridge by pressing the printhead into the towel a few times. (The printhead is the bottom of the cartridge where the ink is jetted onto your paper). This will help to remove dried ink on the surface of the printhead. A good "Blot" should show a uniform, solid ink pattern (from each chamber) on towel.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    I have a Dell V725W All in one printer that will not print. I have replaced all of the ink cartridges and cleaned the printer head. Any suggestions, and where could I find a new print head?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    There are lots of videos online about cleaning print heads. To buy a new print head, you would probably have to contact the manufacturer.
  • Question
    Where do I find the printhead on a HP 8500?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Lift the carriage-access door. Press and hold the * button for five seconds. Unplug the power cord from your printer. Inside the printer, lift the blue printhead latch. LIfe the handle of the printhead, and then pull it out of it's slot.
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Things You'll Need

  • Inkjet printer
  • Paper towels
  • 10-15 Minutes

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About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 88,170 times.
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Co-authors: 10
Updated: July 2, 2021
Views: 88,170
Categories: Printers
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