The Canon print head is the part in the printer that sprays the ink droplets through tiny nozzles to yield a print. It happens when the print head inside is clogged or dried. Sometimes, the prints appear faded or less effective than they previously were. It’s a very common issue with all printers, and so does with the Canon printer.
The dust accumulation or the ink is the common reason for clogged Canon print head. Thus, your printer demands cleaning to run again. Also, you can either clean it manually or automatically. Hence, we brought simple tips to tackle this issue with a few cleaning tips.
Note that there are different types of print heads, so their cleaning will differ from each other.
Types Of Canon Print Head
There are two types: built into the cartridge or built into the printer.
Print Heads Built Into The Cartridge
The Canon provides black and tri-color integrated printer cartridges compatible with the inkjet printers. The cartridges with a built-in printhead are called integrated printer cartridges. In these cartridges, the print head is incorporated at the back. Hence, the printhead is replaced simultaneously when you replace the integrated printer cartridge. So, you don’t have to worry about replacing the printhead.
Print Heads Built Into The Printer
In this system, the individual ink cartridge works with a separate and replaceable print head incorporated with the printer. These types of cartridges are thinner than an integrated one. They are available in four specific colors: black, cyan, magenta, and yellow.
On the other hand, some printers require a few unique color cartridges, such as black or photo cyan. If you often print, you have to replace the print heads at a certain point. Although, print heads are a bit expensive.
Note: The print head is only for inkjet printers, not toner cartridges. If you own a laser printer, you are free from this hassle.
How To Clean The Canon Print Head Automatically?
Canon’s built-in cleaning function is the easiest way to clean the print head. The printers with integrated ink cartridges and individual ink cartridges have a cleaning function. So, this will be the first step to clearing the issue and avoiding faded prints. You can use the printer user manual for proper guidance.
Here are the instructions for cleaning the Canon print head automatically:
- Ensure your printer is turned on, and then tap the setup on the printer home screen.
- Then, select the “maintenance” option.
- Now select “Cleaning” and then select “Yes.”
- Then the printer will start its cleaning process for some time.
- After that, you can take a demo print for nozzle check to check the improvement in print quality.
How To Print A Nozzle Check Page?
To take a check print, tap the setup again and select “maintenance” again. And then select “Print Nozzle check pattern” and tap “Yes.” Then, you can print the nozzle check page. Check the quality of colors; if they look complete, your print head has been cleaned, and now you can continue your work.
But, if there are fading and missing lines, you again have to clean the printer through deep cleaning. You can deep clean your Canon print head by following the same steps above, except one step: select “Deep Cleaning” instead of “Cleaning.” However, this process of deep cleaning will consume more ink. Hence, you can’t do this process too frequently.
In that case, you can replace the cartridges to confirm that they cleave your printer’s print quality. Or else, you can try the manual cleaning of the print head.
How To Clean The Canon Print Head Manually?
At times, the built-in cleaning function doesn’t work as expected. Therefore, you can manually clean the Canon printer for proper cleaning.
Manual Cleaning In The Integrated Cartridge
If you have an integrated cartridge (cartridges with print head), you can use the “paper towel method” to clear the print issue.
Required items: A warm and damp paper towel and a dry paper towel.
- You need a warm, damp paper towel or coffee filter and mark the integrated cartridge facing down on the paper towel.
- Then, hold the integrated cartridge facing down against a dry paper towel for about 2-3 minutes. The dry paper will eliminate the ink. Don’t wipe the print heads as it may cause damage.
- After that, reinstall the cartridge and start printing.
- If you still see faded results on prints, you need to replace your printer cartridge.
Manual Cleaning With The Separate Printhead
How will you remove the cartridges? Here are the steps:
- Remove the cartridge from the carriage once it comes to the center. Wait for a while, and then remove.
- To remove the printhead from the printer, lift it on the latch holding the cartridges.
- To remove the printhead from the device, pull it up and out.
Steps to clean the Canon print head
- Moist the lint-free cloth with lukewarm water and gently wipe the excess ink on the print head nozzle.
- Then, place the print head in the container with submerged paper towels, with the nozzles facing down. Don’t touch the nozzle; it might be damaged.
- And then, let the print head soak for a few minutes.
- After that, take it out from the container and place it on a dry paper towel to dry for about 15 minutes. Now, the nozzle should be facing up.
- At last, reinstall the print head into the printer. Then, reinstall the cartridges and proceed with the cleaning function on the machine again.
Conclusion
Timely cleaning of the Canon print head will keep your cartridge long-lasting. Therefore, you should clean the print head once or twice a week to maintain the printhead’s quality and efficiency. You can use the built-in cleaning function several times a month. But don’t forget it will use your ink more, so it shouldn’t be too frequent.
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Source: https://ijstart.printerijcan0n.co.uk/what-is-the-canon-print-head-and-how-will-you-clean-it/
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