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 displayed on the LCD screen, and the CD/DVD tray is not inserted in the printer.
Make sure that A4 size paper is loaded in the rear feeder.
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 the message “Print head cleaning is in progress. Please wait.” is displayed on the LCD panel. Doing so may damage the printer.
Do not insert the CD/DVD tray until cleaning has finished.
Note:
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 the print quality still has not improved, at least one of your ink cartridges may be old or damaged and may need to be replaced. For details on replacing an ink cartridge before it is expended, see the booklet.
If print quality remains a problem after replacing the ink cartridges, contact your dealer.
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 displayed on the LCD screen, and the CD/DVD tray is not inserted in the printer.
Make sure that A4 size paper is loaded in the rear feeder.
Access the EPSON Printer Utility2.
Click the Head Cleaning button in the Utility dialog box.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer while the the message “Print head cleaning is in progress. Please wait.” is displayed on the LCD panel. Doing so may damage the printer.
Do not insert the CD/DVD tray until cleaning has finished.
Note:
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 the print quality still has not improved, at least one of your ink cartridges may be old or damaged and may need to be replaced. For details on replacing an ink cartridge before it is expended, see the booklet.
If print quality remains a problem after replacing the ink cartridges, contact your dealer.
To maintain print quality, we recommend printing a few pages on a regular basis.