How to Fix an Old or Clogged Ink Cartridge the Cheap Way

If you've ever had a printer (not one of those super old ones) that hasn't been in use for a couple of months (or even a year or two!) that won't seem to print, the reason could be because of a clogged ink cartridge.

Further, there are multiple types of cartridges with different construction, so you might need another method or even to use something different.

This article refers mostly to printers used by general home consumers classified as "Drop on Demand" (DOD).

Unclogging it isn't very complicated, but can get messy so make sure to read the tips and steps before you begin!

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Water Method

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    Find a bathroom close by that has a sink that can give you hot water. The closer the better
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    Place some old newspapers or paper towels in the counter of the sink. We don't want ink everywhere.
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    Make sure your printer is plugged in and your computer has the printer drivers installed.
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    Open the printer up to reveal the ink cartridges.
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    Take out the black ink cartridge. This trick might work for a colored ink cartridge, but it's probably a better idea to use a black cartridge.
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    Take the cartridge to the sink and put it down on the old newspaper or paper towels. Try to rest it sort of diagonally so that the part where the ink actually comes out isn't completely touching the paper towel or you could have a mess.
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    Turn on the sink and wait until you can get very hot water.
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    Pull that thing behind the sink handle that closes the drain and keeps water in the sink.
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    Let the sink fill with hot water, but ONLY a little bit. No more than 3/4" from the very bottom.
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    Place the cartridge in the sink so the part where the ink comes out is in the water. Make sure it gets past the surface of the water. Ink may (and probably will) come out, don't be alarmed!
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    If ink comes out immediately then your cartridge isn't terribly clogged. About 5 minutes in the sink should do the trick. Otherwise, you might have to wait up to 20 minutes.
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    Dry off the cartridge so it's no more than damp, and put it back in the printer and give it a test run.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

The Vacuum Method

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    Attach the hose to the Print cartridge nozzle , closing the gap with blue-or white tack or plasticine.
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    For only a few seconds at a time, turn on vacuum adjusting the suction with the regulator or speed control and leave the cartridge in the vertical nozzle down position.
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    Repeat process until the nozzle is cleared.
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    Blot off the excess ink with toilet roll.
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    Refit cartridge.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

The Last Resort Method

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    Determine what type of cartridge you have. This should be either electronic, sponge or open head. Electronic heads are normally covered with orange wire strips. Sponge heads are obviously sponge which can be touched. Open heads are a hole with nothing in them but ink.
    • For electronic heads, simply throw in trash. These heads are unreliable, especially if you don't print every day.
      1. Get rid of your printer. Give it away. Deliver it to your local thrift store.
      2. Buy a printer with sponge or open heads. These almost never dry out because the system keeps them sealed. Usually you will find these in printers with four or more cartridges; three separate colors and one black (aka CMYK).
    • If you have a sponge or open head cartridge, and you already did the other methods to no avail, your cartridge is dead. The ink has dried and hardened to a point it cannot be salvaged. Buy a new one. They can usually be found cheap on Ebay.

Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do you change the ink cartridge on an HP OfficeJet Pro 8600?
    Mitch Harris
    Mitch Harris
    Consumer Technology Expert
    Mitch Harris is a Consumer Technology Expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mitch runs his own IT Consulting company called Mitch the Geek, helping individuals and businesses with home office technology, data security, remote support, and cybersecurity compliance. Mitch earned a BS in Psychology, English, and Physics and graduated Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University.
    Mitch Harris
    Mitch Harris
    Consumer Technology Expert
    Expert Answer
    Open the printer below the scan glass with the printer turned on and the cartridges will slide into view. Push them down to release them. Make sure when adding the replacement cartridge you remove any tape or other materials designed to protect the print heads.
  • Question
    Can a cartridge intended for printer X be 're-tuned' for a Z make printer?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No, a cartridge for printer X could not be used in printer Z unless the two printers required the same type of cartridge to begin with.
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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

  • An old printer or ink cartridge that hasn't been used in a while
  • Gloves
  • Apron
  • Paper towels or newspaper
  • Sink that can get you hot water.
  • Hydrogen peroxide (for cleaning up)

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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, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 540,320 times.
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Co-authors: 12
Updated: October 26, 2021
Views: 540,320
Categories: Ink Cartridges
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