Clean the Print Head Nozzles

If print quality has declined and the nozzle check pattern indicates clogged nozzles, you can clean the print head.

Note:
You cannot clean the print head if an ink cartridge is expended, and may not be able to clean it when a cartridge is low. You must replace the cartridge first.

You can clean the print head using the printer’s  stop button or your software.

Using the  Stop Button

1.	Make sure no printer lights are indicating errors.

2.	Load a few sheets of plain paper in the sheet feeder.

3.	Hold down the  stop button for 3 seconds to start the cleaning cycle, which lasts around 1 minute.

The  power light flashes throughout the cleaning cycle and stays on green when the cleaning cycle is finished.

Caution:
Never turn off the printer during a cleaning cycle or you may damage it.

4.	Run a nozzle check to confirm that the print head is clean.

You may need to clean the print head up to 4 times. You can also turn off the printer off and wait at least 6 hours. Then try printing again.

From the Computer

1.	Load a few sheets of plain paper in the sheet feeder.

2.	Windows: Right-click the  printer icon in the bottom right corner of your screen (the taskbar) and select Head Cleaning.

Macintosh: Open the Applications folder, then the Epson Software folder, then open EPSON Printer Utility 4. Select Head Cleaning.

You see one of these windows:

3.	Click Start to begin the cleaning cycle, which lasts around 1 minute.

The  power light flashes throughout the cleaning cycle and stays on green when the cycle is finished.

Caution:
Never turn off the printer during a cleaning cycle or you may damage it.

4.	When the  power light stops flashing and remains on, you can check to see if the nozzles are clean; click Print Nozzle Check Pattern and click Print.

5.	Check the printed pattern to see if there are gaps in the lines.

6.	If there are no gaps, click Finish.

If there are gaps or the pattern is faint, click Clean to clean the print head again.

 

If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning the print head up to 4 times, turn off the printer and wait at least 6 hours. This lets any dried ink soften. Then try cleaning the print head again. If quality still does not improve, one of the ink cartridges may be old or damaged and needs to be replaced. See Replace Ink Cartridges.