Printers, like all technology, can cost a lot of money. If you have spent a lot of money on a printer, then it’s important that you get the most out of it. If you let it sit around and fall apart, then you will have wasted a lot of money, especially if you have bought an expensive printer.
If you don’t use your printer often, then it will sit around and fall apart. You can keep your printer functioning and get the most out of it by following these simple tips:
Use Your Printer
As with anything, if you let your printer sit around unused then it will deteriorate. When you do use it, it will be slow and unresponsive. In addition, printer ink can dry up and solidify if it isn’t used enough. Even if your printer doesn’t break down, printer ink can be expensive. There are many ways that you can reduce printing costs, and buying less ink is definitely one of them. Because of this, experts recommend using your printer at least once a week in order to keep it running and to keep your ink wet. Some would even argue that you should use your printer several times a week, but that’s up to you. As long as you keep the ink in good condition and the printer in use, that’s all that matters.
Clean Print Head
Another method of keeping your printer and functioning and getting the most out of it is to clean the print head once a month. You can of course take your printer to a professional cleaner, but this can be expensive. To clean your printer’s print head, you simply remove the cartridge and clean its head with warm water. Expensive cleaners really aren’t necessary. Once you have cleaned and dried the print head, you can put the cartridge back in.
Clean Out Dust
In addition to cleaning your print head, you also need to regularly clean out the dust accumulation inside your printer. When dust is allowed to build up, it can cause your printer a lot of problems. In fact, it can cause it to completely break down. Make sure that you do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean your printer, however. If you are struggling to get the dust out by hand, then you can use compressed air to blow it out. A vacuum cleaner will damage your printer’s interior, nothing more.
Turn It Off
While yes, you should use your printer at least once a week, you should turn it off from time to time. When you use your printer all day every day, it overheats. If your printer is allowed to overheat, then eventually it will break down and deteriorate. In addition, when your printer overheats it dries out the cartridges and ink, which leads to clogged print heads. This can be very expensive to repair. If you do not want to turn your printer off completely, then you can set it to sleep mode. Sleep mode allows your printer to cool off while keeping it alert. Some people dislike turning their printers off completely, which is perfectly fine.
Ink Levels
You also need to frequently monitor your printer’s ink levels. If you notice that they are getting low at all, then you need to change them. The same is true if your ink becomes dry, which you do need to avoid. If your printer runs out of ink completely, it could become seriously damaged. In fact, it could break down completely. Keeping your printer stocked up with ink is very important. Ink can be very expensive, mind you. But, for its sake, make sure that you regularly maintain it, keep ink inside it, and don’t allow it to break down completely. The cost of a new printer can be incredibly high, especially nowadays with inflation and rising technology prices.
Stay Aware
In addition to maintaining your printer, you also need to pay attention and keep watch over it. If you notice any maintenance or warning lights, then you should act fast. Once a printer starts breaking down, it’s crucial that you act fast. If you are too slow or don’t act at all then your printer will break. If your printer is displaying warning lights but you aren’t sure what they mean, you should contact the manufacturer, read the instruction’s manual, or alternatively take it into a service team immediately to have it looked at.
Printers can cost a lot of money, and so, they need to be carefully looked after and maintained. The best way to get the most out of your printer is to take care of it. Do your best to follow this article’s guidance and your printer should last you a lifetime.