How to properly clean a Canon printer to fix print problems

Typically, users begin to think about how to clean a Canon printer when solid stripes appear along the sheets or text and image print poorly. Most often, the cause of this is contamination or malfunction of the printing elements (cartridges, printheads). In some cases, the problem can be dealt with independently, in others, the help of specialists is required. Canon printers are divided according to the method of printing into two types: inkjet and laser. They are different in structure and, accordingly, their cleaning is also different.

How to clean the printer with hardware

Inkjet printers use special inks as the printing medium. Deterioration in print quality most often occurs due to clogging or malfunctioning of the print head. Modern inkjet printers have software tools that allow you to clean the nozzles without having to remove the head. Before performing this procedure, make sure that there is clean paper in the tray.

Most often, the menu provides two types of cleaning - standard and deep. To enter the menu in Windows, the easiest way is to go to the control panel and find “devices and printers” (other ways to enter the “Printing Devices” menu are possible). Having opened this panel element, you need to find the printer you need and right-click on it. In the context menu that opens, select "Properties". In the window that appears, activate the “Maintenance” tab and select the type of cleaning. Before starting the program offers to determine whether to clean all cartridges or only black.

During this process, ink is fed into the nozzles under increased pressure and washed out the dirt from the print head. Therefore, ink costs are significantly higher than with conventional printing.

Flushing the print head

If, after performing a hardware cleaning, the device still does not print at a high quality, then you can take it to the workshop or try to clean the Canon printer yourself. This procedure is lengthy and requires certain knowledge. To clean the print head at home, you will need the following:

1. Wide, shallow container with a flat bottom (tray, saucer, plastic canister lid)
2. Bandage or napkins.
3. Medical syringe (20-50 ml).
4. Flushing fluid.
5. Tubes from a dropper or cambric tube of a suitable size.
6. Preferably - medical gloves.

As a washing liquid, it is best to use "Mr. Muscle", which is used to wash glasses (with ammonia), other types can not be used. You can use the "Master Shine" for glasses.

Do not flush the print head with solutions containing ethyl alcohol and acids. Even if you manage to clean the nozzles, then for a long time the device will not work after such a procedure - you will have to buy a new one.

When everything is ready, you can proceed directly to the washing process:

• At the bottom of the prepared container, lay a bandage folded in 2-3 layers (or a piece of cloth) and pour a thin layer of washing liquid.
• Remove the print head and place the bottom pad in the container with a bandage.
• Put on pipes of suitable size 4-5 cm long on the inlet nipples, having previously removed the rubber gaskets (they should also be washed well).
• Pour wash liquid into the tubes and leave for 2-3 hours, pouring the solution into the tubes if necessary.
• If the liquid level in the tube does not decrease, then it does not pass through the nozzles due to severe contamination.In this case, you can try to stretch the solution forcibly. To do this, the tip of the syringe must be inserted into the tube and slowly pull out the piston. It is not advisable to squeeze the piston, creating excessive pressure, since it is easy to break the head.
• Drain the dirty liquid from the tank, replace the bandage and repeat the procedure until the liquid, passing through the head, stops coloring.
• Gently pat the bottom of the printer, put the gaskets on the fittings and install it in the printer. Insert cartridges and check print. Let stand for several hours and re-print.

If the printed sheet is of good quality, then the print head was completely cleaned from contamination. If the print is bad, you can try cleaning the device again. In order to properly rinse this part, it is necessary to “soak” it for a long time - from several hours to several days, depending on the degree of contamination.

If the Canon printer does not print after a second wash, or the print quality is poor, then the print head is most likely out of order and needs to be replaced. Before that, you need to check the quality of the ink (install original cartridges), perhaps the reason for poor printing is due to their poor quality.

After washing, do not dry the print head before installation.

Do not try to disassemble it yourself, this is likely to lead to breakage of the part.

Laser printer

The Canon Laser Printer is a reliable, cost-effective and durable device. The deterioration in print quality is most often due to problems with the cartridge. Dots and stripes on paper usually appear if the photosensitive drum (photocell) is damaged. They can be caused by the ingress of foreign objects (paper clips, staples, staples) together with the paper or photo wear. Usually this cartridge part can withstand 3 to 5 refills. For any damage, the photosensitive drum must be replaced.

Another very common cause of photo damage is the user's habit of shaking the cartridge after it runs out of toner. This allows you to print a couple more dozen pages. But this should not be done, as this “saving” will result in sensitive costs.

During printing, the photosensitive surface of the shaft is completely covered with a thin layer of toner. The part that is used to draw letters and images remains on paper, the rest is cleaned with a special plate (squeegee) and poured into a container for waste powder.

It cannot be reused, since during printing grains are exposed to high temperatures and are sintered into larger fractions. When the cartridge is shaken, part of the waste toner enters the main compartment and is used for printing. Moreover, large fractions act on the thin surface of the drum like an abrasive, quickly putting it out of action.

Roughly the same thing happens with low-quality refilling of cartridges, when a “specialist” falls asleep toner without cleaning the container with the used powder. After some time, the capacity will overflow and working out will not only “sharpen” the photo camera, but will also sprinkle inside the Canon printer, polluting and damaging moving parts.

It does not make sense to disassemble, refill and clean the cartridges for several reasons:

1. Refilling and servicing cartridges in terms of services is inexpensive and is carried out on special equipment. One refueling is enough for printing 1,500 - 2,000 pages.
2. Toner is a very fine powder that easily enters the respiratory tract. This is very harmful, since it has carcinogenic properties.
3. Dismantling and assembling a cartridge is a complex process that requires certain knowledge and skills. You can easily break or lose small parts, without which the device will not work.

The Canon laser printer itself, subject to careful handling and care, can work without breakage for several years.