NOTE: Steam Cleaner is
NOT recommended for Epson Printers.... as the Print head in the Epson's
are not removable....Available in both U.S. & Overseas volts.
1. Make sure all cartridges have
ink in them
2. Perform a Deep Clean operation
through your printer properties (click on Start, Printers & Faxes,
right click on your printer and click on Properties. Choose the maintenance
tab and click on deep clean. Choose all colors)
3. Now perform a Nozzle Check from
the same maintenance tab
4. From the print out, determine
which ink is not coming through. The print should show a table of black
(a check box of black line), 2 stripes of cyan, 2 of Magenta and 1 of Yellow.
Whichever isn't showing a solid line identifies the ink jet that is blocked.
If all colors are showing strong solid lines then your problem is fixed.
If not, perform another deep clean and another nozzle check. If still no
improvement; move on to the next point.
5. Remove the inks and tap them
firmly on a piece of white paper towel . You are looking to see if ink
comes out of the cartridges or not. If not, then the cartridges could be
at fault; but if ink is showing on the paper then we need to turn our attention
to the print head.
6. Steam Jet Clean the print head
. Remove your inks and print head. Using our Steam Jet Cleaner (preferably
over a trash can to catch the mess!) position the Steam Jet Cleaner nozzle
over the ink jet heads (the circles that the cartridge sponges sit over)
and pull the trigger for 1-2 seconds. Steam will jet through the ink jet
clearing out stubborn clogs. Of course, colored steam / hot water will
fly out the underneath of the print head so be sure not to get in its way.
Repeat this process for all ink jets in the print head. Place your cartridges
back into the print head.
7. Cleaning Cartridges. You could
also try removing your inks and replace them with our Cleaning Cartridges.
Perform a deep clean operation. Then put your edible inks back in the print
head and perform a regular cleaning operation.
8. Perform a Nozzle Check. What
does the pattern look like now? If it isn't showing strong solid lines
of color then we need to try something else. Remove your ink, and remove
your print head. Sit the print head in a shallow bowl (1/2") of airbrush
cleaning fluid, warm distilled, or deionized water.. Place the tip of a
syringe (such as that found in our Syringe Cleaning Kit) over the ink jet
heads (the circles that the cartridge sponges sit over) and pull the plunger
to suck the cleaning fluid up through the print head. This will clear a
clog. Once you've done this, replace the inks and try a Nozzle Check. How
is it now?
9. If your Nozzle Check is still
not showing solid lines of color then you need to repeat one, or all of
the above steps until it does. If when you tapped the cartridges on the
white paper towel color did not come out of them, you need to remove the
airlock that is likely to be causing the problem. Sometimes turning the
inks upside down will do it (try it then put them in the printer and perform
a Nozzle Check to find out).
Sometimes you'll need to pierce a small hole in the middle of the cartridge top (on the sponge side of the tank) with a pin or tack.
Then put them back into the print head and try the Nozzle Check again.
It is entirely possible that the clog is very stubborn and will need numerous deep
cleans / steam jets / Cleaning Kartridge
uses to clear.