Various office equipment, including printers, has long ceased to be a curiosity. You can see it not only in offices, but also at home. Having your own printer is very convenient: you can print the necessary documents or photos at any time, saving time and money. But in order for the equipment to work for a long time and with high quality, you need to properly care for it. To ensure continuous operation of printers, they must be flushed with a special liquid.
Content
Printing on inkjet printers is done using liquid ink. During operation, they can clog nozzles and printing elements, dirty the cartridge head. Periodic flushing will help remove contaminants and prevent breakdowns that require costly repairs.
It is applied in the following cases:
To clean up the printer, you can use store-bought professional tools or make your own cleaning solution. By its composition, this liquid should be close to the composition of the ink, which allows minimizing the amount of precipitation from the coloring pigment.
Among professional tools, the following are most common:
Among the available tools, the most suitable for cleaning office equipment is distilled water, heated to a temperature of 50-60 degrees. It is suitable for processing printers that are regularly used. But if the device has been idle for more than three months or has been in very hot conditions, professional tools are indispensable.
If distilled water has not coped with the pollution, you can try to prepare a washing solution at home. Depending on the resulting pH value, it can be neutral, acidic or alkaline.
Cooking recipes:
A neutral solution can be used for any type of printers and MFPs, an alkaline solution is suitable for Canon and Epson brand equipment, and an acid solution for HP office equipment.
You can also prepare a liquid based on store-bought glass and mirror cleaner. It can be "Mr. Muscle", "Mr. Proper" or other products that contain sodium sulfoethoxylate and isopropylene alcohol.To nine parts distilled water, add one part glass cleaner. If the printer is very dirty, the concentration of the store cleaner can be increased, but it should not exceed 50% in the composition of the solution. Do not use pure detergent as it may damage the nozzles.
If it is possible to purchase a professional tool, it is better to opt for it, and not for self-made solutions, since it is more efficient and safer for office equipment.
The list includes products that are in demand in the market and have received many positive reviews from consumers.
This list includes products of the Inktec brand, which is very popular among owners of office equipment and has proven itself well.
The average price for 100 ml is 385 rubles.
One of the market leaders in cleaning products for office equipment, which is in high demand. This fluid is universal and suitable for all types of inkjet printers, primarily Epson, HP, Canon, Brother brands. It is quite aggressive in its properties and removes dirt well, but it is safe and does not corrode cartridge elements during prolonged contact. If it comes into contact with the skin, it does not cause visible harm, but it is better to wash it off immediately with water.
The average price for 100 ml is 385 rubles.
This fluid is designed to process HP, Canon, Lexmark thermal inkjet printers. Works well with water soluble inks. In addition, it effectively removes dust and dirt. Shelf life - 2 years.
The average price for 1000 ml is 1036 rubles.
A large economical package of this liquid is enough for more than one flush. Given the shelf life of 2 years, when buying a fresh product, you can not worry about the need to buy a new bottle for a long time. Effectively removes ink, dust and other blockages.
The average price for 1000 ml is 1259 rubles.
Universal fluid that can be used to clean HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, Lexmark brand inkjet printers. Suitable for devices with heads of any type, both piezoelectric and thermal. Effective when using pigment and water-soluble inks. Ingredients: water, 2,2'-oxydiethanol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxyl), ethyl alcohol.
The average price for 1000 ml is 3151 rubles.
This solution is specifically designed for sublimation ink in piezoelectric type devices.It is characterized by increased aggressiveness, so the contact time of the liquid with the print head must be reduced in order to prevent damage to it. Used in service centers.
The German brand OCP is one of the market leaders in office equipment care products and has a lot of positive feedback from consumers.
The average price for 100 ml is 650 rubles.
Due to its high aggressiveness, it is better to limit the contact of this liquid with the printer's printhead to 30 minutes. Suitable for inkjet printing devices. Color - transparent. It has a characteristic pungent odor, which is why it is better to use in a well-ventilated area.
The average price for 100 ml is 790 rubles.
This item is suitable for Epson, Canon, HP, Brother brand inkjet printers with pigment ink. High aggressiveness provides excellent cleaning, but to avoid damage to the parts of the cartridge, its contact with the solution should not exceed 1 hour. Requires heating to a temperature of 75 degrees.
The average price for 100 ml is 828 rubles.
This solution is versatile and suitable for Epson, Canon, HP, Brother office equipment. To obtain the maximum effect, it must be heated to a temperature of 35-40 degrees. It has a pungent odor. Often used in service centers. Composition: solvents, surfactants, distilled water, butanol.
The average price for 100 ml is 1802 rubles.
This item is a concentrate that needs to be made operational by adding OCP PIW at a ratio of one to three (one part concentrate to three parts thinner). Use undiluted is not allowed, as it will lead to breakage of office equipment. Also, do not use other thinners or distilled water.
The average price for 1000 ml is 2394 rubles.
This item is suitable for Epson brand printers equipped with a continuous ink supply system. Suitable for both normal flushing and print head preservation. The liquid is slightly aggressive, has a slight odor.
This selection includes a number of products on the market that have many positive customer reviews.
The average price for 100 ml is 180 rubles.
One of the most affordable funds. Able to wash even heavily dried ink. Suitable for printers and MFPs of various types and brands. The shelf life is less than that of most analogues of other companies, and is 1 year. Ingredients: water, isopropanol.
The average price for 180 ml is 359 rubles.
This product is one of the market leaders due to the combination of price, quality and versatility. Suitable for HP, Canon, Brother printers that use any type of ink. It is suitable for washing the internal cavities and sponge of inkjet cartridges, channels and nozzles of print heads, ink lines and ink pumps, as well as the place where the printer head is parked. For maximum efficiency, heating up to 40-60 degrees is necessary. Composition - solvents, surfactants, distilled water, cellosolve, butanol.
The average price for 100 ml is 394 rubles.
The main advantage of this product is that it does not need to be heated before use, which saves time. Suitable for Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, Ricoh brand inkjet printers and MFPs, both piezoelectric and thermal inkjet. Suitable for flushing, cleaning and soaking cartridges and printheads from any type of ink. Washing time - no more than 2 hours, in case of severe contamination it is allowed to leave the spare part in the solution for a day.
The average price for 500 ml is 476 rubles.
The Hi-Black wash is suitable for removing both pigment and aqueous inks. Revitalizes dry inkjet cartridges. It is used when changing ink to another type or product from another manufacturer, when the ink on the print head dries up, as well as for small mechanical blockages. For maximum effect, it is necessary to heat the solution to a temperature of 60 degrees. Used in service centers.
The average price for 100 ml is 1460 rubles.
This solution not only cleans the cartridges and printheads, but also helps to revive them. Universal, suitable for cleaning from water and pigment ink, eliminates all other contaminants. Can be used for piezoelectric and thermal type devices. Due to the high aggressiveness, the cleaning time should not exceed 20 minutes. Country of origin - Sri Lanka.
There are two ways to clean the print head of a printer at home: using a regular flush and using an ultrasonic bath.
For the first method, you need to prepare two containers. In one pour water heated to 40-50 degrees, in the second - a solution for washing. Dip the printer head for five minutes in a container of water, then hold it in the wash solution for 10 minutes, lowering it by about 1 cm.Then you need to get it and use a syringe to extract about 1 ml of paint. Wipe the print head with a tissue to remove dirt and ink. Next, you need to install it in the printer and carry out regular cleaning. If the result is unsatisfactory, the procedure should be repeated 2-3 times.
The use of an ultrasonic bath involves the following steps. The print head should be immersed in the washing liquid for 1 cm for 2-3 minutes, and then transferred to an ultrasonic bath filled with water for 5 seconds. Then draw out 1 ml of ink from the cartridge using a syringe, clean the head with a napkin from ink and dirt, insert the cartridge into the printer and start regular cleaning. If the result is unsatisfactory, repeat the procedure.
In order for the procedure for washing the printer at home to be successful, you need to remember the precautions.
It is necessary to avoid getting cleaning solution or water on the contacts, cable or print head board, as this may burn out not only the head, but also the formatter.
If fluid in one color leaks out of the sampling holes in another color during a pressure wash, this indicates a breakdown in the printhead. It is impossible to fix this, you need to buy a new spare part.
Regular cleaning of printers and MFPs will prolong their life and save on repairs that may be required for equipment that is operated without proper preventive maintenance. High-quality, clear printing of documents and photographs and trouble-free operation of office equipment are the result of a thoughtful attitude towards it.