How To Clean Your Epson Printer Heads

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If your Epson printer is producing blurry, choppy, or faded printouts, you may need to clean the nozzles. Fortunately, Epson printers have a useful utility you can use to clean them. Start by printing a test pattern from the utility menu so you can make sure the problem is the nozzles. If they need to be cleaned, run a cleaning cycle and print out another test pattern to make sure they're good to go. If the cleaning cycle isn't enough to fix the problem, you can manually flush the nozzles to remove any clogs or buildup.

1
Make sure the printer is turned on and the ink light is off. Check to make sure the printer is plugged in and the screen and lights on it are on. Look at the display screen for any error messages and to make sure the ink light that is displayed when the printer is low on ink is off.^[1]
- If the ink light is flashing or displayed, you need to replace the ink cartridge that's low before you clean the printer nozzles.
- Any error messages displayed on the screen need to be resolved before you can clean the printer nozzles.
2
Load at least 10 sheets of plain paper into the printer. Add enough paper into the printer's paper tray so you can use them for the test and cleaning cycles. Make sure the paper is plain and clean and properly fitted into the tray.^[2]
- Waxy or parchment paper will affect the quality of the test pattern.
3
Open the printer properties menu from the control panel. Select the Start menu or search for the control panel on your computer. Open up the menu and choose the printer icon to bring up the printer menu. Click on the properties option to bring up the printer properties dialog box.^[3]
- Depending on your version of Windows or Macintosh, the printer properties menu could be called something like "Printer" or "Setup" or "Options."
- You may need to select a tab that says "Maintenance," "Utility," or "Options" in order to find the printer properties.
4
Print a nozzle check test pattern and review it for gaps or blurriness. Click on the option to print a test pattern. When the pattern is printed, compare it to the pattern displayed on the screen. Look for gaps in the pattern, blurriness, choppiness, or if the lines are faded. Use the test pattern to determine if the printer nozzles need to be cleaned.^[4]
- On a Macintosh, click the "Confirmation" button to print out a check pattern.
- Print a test pattern before you run a cleaning cycle to make sure the problem is the nozzles.
Note: If the test pattern matches the pattern displayed on the screen and there aren't any gaps or errors, then the printer nozzles don't need to be cleaned.

1
Open the printer properties menu and select the utility tab. Find and click on the printer icon in the control panel to open up the printer menu. Click on the tab that says "Utility" or "Maintenance" to bring up the printer's maintenance menu.^[5]
- Depending on your version of Windows or Macintosh, the utility tab could be called "Printer Preferences," "Maintenance," or "Utility."
2
Click the Head Cleaning option to run a cleaning cycle. Find the option labeled "Head Cleaning" or "Print Head Cleaning" and click on it. A dialog box asking you to confirm your option will appear. Click on "OK" or "Start" to start the printer's cleaning cycle.^[6]
- The printer's power button will start to flash to signal the beginning of the cleaning cycle.
Warning: Don't turn off or unplug the printer during a cleaning cycle or you may permanently damage it.
3
Print a nozzle check test pattern when the power light stops flashing. When the power light stops flashing, the printer has finished it's cleaning cycle. Find the option to print a nozzle check pattern and click on it to print out another test.^[7]
- A dialog box may appear when the printer has finished its cleaning cycle that includes the option for you to print out a test pattern. If it doesn't, click on the option to print one out from the utility menu.
4
Review the test pattern and run another cleaning cycle if necessary. Compare the test pattern that's printed to the display on the screen. Look for gaps, blurriness, or any other errors on the test sheet. If the pattern doesn't match the display on the screen, run another cleaning cycle and then check it again.^[8]
- You can clean the nozzles up to 6 times.

1
Unplug the power cable while a piece of paper is being printed. Print out any sheet of paper from the printer to get the print head to start moving. While the sheet is being printed, unplug the printer so the print head remains free. Remove the sheet of paper from the printer so you can clean the nozzles.^[9]
- Unplug the cable from the back of the printer so you can replace it easily later on.
2
Open the top of the printer and slide the print head to the center. Lift the top of the printer to expose the print head containing the ink cartridges. Slide the print head towards the center of the printer so you can easily clean the nozzles.^[10]
- Because you cut off power while the printer was working, the print head will move freely on its rails.
- If you can't move the print head, don't force it. Plug in the printer, print out another sheet of paper, and cut off the power again to free it.
3
Remove the ink cartridges and place blotting paper beneath the print head. Grab the ink cartridges on from the top of the print head and pull them out to remove them. Set them aside so you can install them later. Cut 2 1 inch (2.5 cm) strips of blotting paper and place them beneath the printhead so they're stacked on top of each other and can absorb any moisture during the cleaning process.^[11]
- Use a pair of scissors to cut the strips of blotting paper.
- You can find blotting paper at department stores, craft stores, office supply stores, and online.
- Change your ink cartridges as soon as you get a low ink warning to keep clogs from forming.
4
Fit a 1 inch (2.5 cm) silicone tube onto a 10 cc syringe. Get a clean 10 cc injection syringe without a needle. Cut a ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) length of a small silicone hose designed for model airplanes and slide it onto the end of the syringe. Make sure the hose fits snugly and won't fall off.^[12]
- Look for 1 inch (2.5 cm) silicone tubes at hobby shops, remote-controlled airplane shops, and online.
- You can find clean syringes at pharmacies, department stores, and online.
5
Fill the syringe with isopropylic alcohol and connect it to the print head. Insert the end of the silicone tube into the container of isopropylic alcohol. Slowly pull back on the plunger of the syringe to pull the alcohol out of the container until the syringe is full. Then, attach the end of the silicone hose onto the tube that goes inside of the ink cartridge on the top of the print head.^[13]
- There are tubes for each of the ink cartridges, so you'll need to flush each of them one by one.
- The silicone hose will fit snugly over the tube on the print head.
- Do not use rubbing alcohol or another cleaning solution which may contain water that will damage the print head.
6
Push the plunger on the syringe to flush the printer nozzle. With the silicone tube attached to the print head, slowly and gently push the plunger on the syringe to force the alcohol through the printer nozzle. If you feel resistance, wait a few moments to allow the alcohol to loosen any clogs, then continue to push. Flush all of the alcohol in the syringe through the nozzle.^[14]
- Don't try to force the alcohol through a clog or you could damage the nozzle.
7
Remove and refill the syringe and connect it to another nozzle to flush it. When the syringe is empty, carefully remove it from the print head. Refill it completely with isopropylic alcohol and connect the silicone hose to another one of the ink cartridges tubes on top of the print head. Slowly and gently flush the alcohol through the nozzle. Continue flushing all of the nozzles on the print head so they're clean.^[15]
- You don't need to flush the nozzles more than once to remove any buildup.
Warning: Make sure the syringe is completely empty before you remove it so you don't splash the liquid onto the printer.
8

Slide the print head to the right and remove the blotting paper. Once the nozzles have been flushed, move the print head back into position on the far right. Remove the damp blotting paper and throw it away. Wipe the area with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel to remove any moisture.^[16]
9
Replace the ink cartridges and turn the printer back on to test it. Insert each of the ink cartridges into their appropriate slots on the top of the print head. Make sure they each click into place so they're attached securely and close the top of the printer. Plug the printer back in and turn it on. Print out a test pattern or a sheet of paper with an image and check it out to see if the cleaning has improved the print quality.^[17]
- If there are still gaps or blurriness, the nozzles may be damaged and you may need to replace the entire print head.

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The black ink is not printing, why?

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That means it is empty and you have to replace it.

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Print a test pattern before you run a cleaning cycle so you can be sure it's necessary.
Be sure to change your ink cartridges as soon as you get a low ink warning to prevent clogs from forming.
Turn off your printer when you aren't using it so it can run a mini-cleaning cycle and keep clogs from building up.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Do not unplug or turn off your printer during a cleaning cycle.
Be careful not to spill or splash any isopropylic alcohol when you flush the nozzles.

Things You'll Need

A 1 inch (2.5 cm) silicone tube
10 cc injection syringe without a needle
Isopropylic alcohol
Blotter paper

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