Cleaning the Print Head

If printouts are faint or have gaps, you should clean the print head to clear the clogged nozzles. Clean the print head only if print quality declines or image colors are incorrect. Ink is consumed for all colors or selective color channels, depending on the cleaning method selected.

You can select from three levels of head cleaning:

Use light or medium level for normal cleaning.
If you cannot clear the clogged nozzles after cleaning with the light or medium level several times, check the condition of the suction cap and, if necessary, clean it before using the heavy cleaning level.

Note: After the initial ink charging, the printer cleans the print head in the same way as for initial ink charging several times, regardless of the selected level. After you turn on the printer, it also performs an automatic Power On Cleaning to clean the print head. (Automatic cleaning can be disabled from the printer's control panel.)

Press the maintenance button on the control panel. The Maintenance menu appears.
Press the up or down arrow button to highlight Cleaning, and press the right arrow button.
Press the up or down arrow button to choose one of the following cleaning options:
- Selected Nozzles: Select this option when you see faint printing or gaps in a specific row of nozzles in the check pattern. You can select multiple nozzle rows, if necessary.
- All Nozzles: Select this option when you see faint printing or gaps in all rows of nozzles in the check pattern. Go to step 5.
To select the nozzle rows for cleaning, press the up or down arrow button to highlight the row number and press the OK button. Repeat for each row you want to select and then press the right arrow button.
Press the up or down arrow button to highlight the cleaning level, and press the OK button. Head cleaning starts. When it is complete, the Settings menu closes.
Print a nozzle check pattern to confirm that the nozzles are cleared.