EPSON

Cleaning the Print Head

If you find that the printout is unexpectedly faint or that dots are missing, you may be able to solve these problems by cleaning the print head, which ensures that the nozzles are delivering ink properly.
You can clean the print head from your computer using the Head Cleaning utility in the printer driver or from the printer by using the buttons.
Note:
Clean the print head only if print quality declines; for example, if the printout is blurry or the color is incorrect or missing.
Use the Nozzle Check utility first to confirm that the print head needs to be cleaned. This saves ink.
When ink is low you may not be able to clean the print head. When ink is expended you cannot clean the print head. Replace the appropriate ink cartridge first.

Using the Head Cleaning utility for Windows

Follow the steps below to clean the print head using the Head Cleaning utility.
Make sure the printer is turned on.
Make sure that no warnings or errors are indicated on the control panel.
Make sure that A4 size paper is loaded in the main tray in the paper cassette.
Right-click the printer icon on the taskbar, then select Head Cleaning.
If the printer icon does not appear, refer to the following section to add the icon.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer while the message "Print head cleaning in progress. Please wait." is displayed on the LCD screen. Doing so may damage the printer.
Note for PX700W/TX700W Series users:
If print quality has not improved after repeating this procedure about four times, turn the printer off and wait for at least six hours. Then run the nozzle check again and repeat the head cleaning if necessary. If print quality has still not improved, contact Epson support.
To maintain print quality, we recommend printing a few pages on a regular basis.
Note for PX800FW/TX800FW Series users:
If print quality has not improved after repeating this procedure about four times, leave the printer on and wait for at least six hours. Then run the nozzle check again and repeat the head cleaning if necessary. If print quality has still not improved, contact Epson support.
To maintain print quality, we recommend printing a few pages on a regular basis.

Using the Head Cleaning utility for Mac OS X

Follow the steps below to clean the print head using the Head Cleaning utility.
Make sure the printer is turned on.
Make sure that no warnings or errors are indicated on the control panel.
Make sure that A4 size paper is loaded in the main tray in the paper cassette.
Access the EPSON Printer Utility3.
Click the Head Cleaning button in the Utility dialog box.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer while the message "Print head cleaning in progress. Please wait." is displayed on the LCD screen. Doing so may damage the printer.
Note for PX700W/TX700W Series users:
If print quality has not improved after repeating this procedure about four times, turn the printer off and wait for at least six hours. Then run the nozzle check again and repeat the head cleaning if necessary. If print quality has still not improved, contact Epson support.
To maintain print quality, we recommend printing a few pages on a regular basis.
Note for PX800FW/TX800FW Series users:
If print quality has not improved after repeating this procedure about four times, leave the printer on and wait for at least six hours. Then run the nozzle check again and repeat the head cleaning if necessary. If print quality has still not improved, contact Epson support.
To maintain print quality, we recommend printing a few pages on a regular basis.