How To Fix A Dried-Up Ink Cartridge?

The ink inside a cartridge can be dried when you do not use your printer frequently. On the contrary, when you keep using it regularly, there remain fewer chances of drying up the ink. 

A dry cartridge leads your printer to create frustrating situations by causing errors such as misprints. Ultimately, it becomes useless and you have to spend money on buying a new one.  

But, the good news is that you can fix your dry cartridges instead of wasting money on buying new ones. How’s that possible?

In this article, we will tell you plenty of ways to fix a dried ink cartridge. And of course, we will also provide you with the reasons for dried-up ink cartridges. So let’s get started!

Why Do Ink Cartridges Dry Out In The Printer: Common Reasons

Drying up ink within the cartridges can be caused by a variety of factors. Understanding the reasons behind a dried-up cartridge can help you prevent the issue in the future and ensure that your printer is always ready to use. 

So, let’s dive in and discover what causes drying up ink!

You Do Not Use It Frequently

One of the most common reasons for these cartridges is that you do not use them frequently. When you do so, the ink within the cartridges becomes clogged and stuck in the nozzles. Consequently, they get out of order and your printer causes errors. 

To minimize the chances of drying up ink cartridges, you should use your printer frequently and clean printheads and nozzles on a regular basis.

Your Cartridge Is Out Of Date

Each cartridge comes with an expiry date. Most printer owners do not know this fact. When they still use their cartridges even after the expiry date, the printer causes unwanted printing errors. 

As a matter of fact, if an ink cartridge is stored for more than 12 months, it is more likely to get dried. Therefore, use your stored cartridges within the specific time period and make sure to stop using outdated cartridges. 

You Refill It Manually

Refilling a cartridge manually can be gone the wrong way if it is done carelessly. With a little negligence, the air gets into it which causes dried up printer ink and clogging in the print head. That’s how your cartridge becomes useless.  

To avoid this issue, when refilling it manually, make it done properly or visit reputable remanufacturers to ensure the proper refilling and quality of the ink. 

You Stored It In High Temperature

Storing them in a high-temperature environment is another common reason for drying up ink cartridges. Direct sunlight can also be harmful to printers. When they are stored in incorrect weather conditions, the ink within gets dried and clogged which ultimately becomes an obstacle in printing jobs.

The only workaround to tackle this issue is to always store them at a stable temperature and away from sunlight. In this way, they will not get dry and certainly, go with a long run.   

What Are the Fixes For Dried-Up Ink Cartridge

There are several fixes you can try to fix a dried-up ink cartridge and get it working again. Here are the solutions you can consider:

1. Cleaning Printhead From Printer Settings

Cleaning the printhead from printer settings is an easy fix for these useless cartridges in the first place. The easy way to make it done is simply to go to your computer’s printer settings and find the tab named ‘maintenance’ or ‘troubleshooting’ etc. By clicking on this option, you can run the settings further. This process will enable you to know which nozzles are blocked and which need to be cleaned.  

Furthermore, to know how to fix a dried ink cartridge from printer settings, you can also take help from the user manual that comes with the printer. 

2. Soaking The Cartridge In Warm Water

Another fix is cleaning by soaking them in warm water. Here, we will tell you the whole process in a few simple steps.

1. Take off the cartridge from the printer.
2. Take a bowl and put warm water (60 degrees Celsius) in it. Make sure to fill the bowl half. 
3. Now place it inside the bowl for 30 seconds. Ensure that the printhead is covered under the water. 
4. In case of serious clogging, soak a piece of cloth or cotton in water and rub it around the cartridge.
5. Repeat this process 3 to 4 times.
6. Finally, take it out of the water when the ink is unclogged. And make sure to dry it with another cloth.

However, if the issue is not resolved even after soaking it in water many times, it may need to be replaced.

3. Cleaning With Alcohol

After cleaning the printhead from printer settings and soaking it in hot water, if it still results in faulty prints, cleaning it with alcohol can be an effective solution. All you need to do is buy cleaning alcohol from a general store or pharmacy and apply it on a towel. 

After that, put it on this soaked towel in such a way that the clogged nozzles should face down onto it and leave it overnight. On the next morning, clean it with a dry cloth and place it back in the printer. 

Before testing it, you should turn on automatic print head cleaning in the settings and let your printer perform the cleaning process. Finally, you can get results by printing one or two pages as a test.  

Conclusion 

A dried-up ink cartridge can be a frustrating problem for printer owners. However, it’s possible to fix dried up ink cartridges and save money instead of buying new ones. It’s important to understand the common reasons behind these cartridges, such as infrequent usage, expired cartridges, careless manual refilling, and incorrect storage conditions.

There are several fixes that can be tried to restore them, such as cleaning the printhead from printer settings, soaking it in warm water, and cleaning it with alcohol. These methods can help to unclog the nozzles and get the ink flowing again. Hence, by following these tips, you can avoid inconvenience and keep your printer running smoothly.