How to Properly Take Care of Your Ink Cartridge

From above shot of anonymous woman putting set of ink into plotter in printing office.

Making sure you take care of your toner and ink cartridges can make a huge difference in ensuring that your cartridges last as long as they function effectively. These care instructions for cartridges can be a big help by helping to make your ink last longer, produce better high-quality prints and ensure that your cartridges for printing are in good condition and ready to use when you need them .

What is the best thing to do when you install new cartridges for your printer?

If you’ve never put replacement ink cartridges to your printer, you should first consult the manufacturer’s manual to find crucial instructions on how to install the new cartridge. Certain printers require specific procedures for the installation, and reset of the printer when you insert a replacement cartridge. The manual’s guidelines will aid in ensuring that the ink cartridges and printer function correctly.

During the shipping process, ink cartridges could be placed in different locations, and this could result in the ink falling to the opposite side of the cartridge. This could cause printing problems. If you’ve just received your ink cartridge, put the cartridge up in the same space that your printer is in for between two and four hours. This allows for the ink to set, and adjust to the appropriate temperature prior to installation.

Before you install your new ink cartridge, take the time to look it over for imperfections or damages to the delivery. Shake the cartridge gently to ensure an even distribution of the ink or toner. Most cartridges have the protection clip, paper or tape that seals and protects the cartridge throughout storage and shipping. Make sure you remove them prior to installation in order to avoid fitting issues or printing errors. You might want to do this on the trash bin since sometimes ink may leak when removing.

What To Do With Ink Cartridges?

The majority of ink cartridges will come with a gold-plated contact chip to communicate directly with the printer. It is crucial to stay clear of touching the chip when handling the cartridge in order to protect this delicate component. If you do contact the chip the Q-tip or lint-free fabric could be utilised to softly scrub the area.

What Is The Best Method To Organise Your Cartridges?

It is recommended to keep your ink cartridges in their original closed packaging till you’re ready to ensure that ink and the parts in use are exhausted of the ink, and you can no longer use them. The removal of ink cartridges from their packaging and placing them in a sunny area for a prolonged period of time can lead to messy leaks and, eventually, dry ink out and print nozzles can become blocked. Cartridges should be kept in a straight position and away from direct sunlight, in a dry, cool and dark space such as a pantry or closet. If you leave cartridges in locations that are heated beyond acceptable levels, or are too hot or cold it could cause the ink to dry out or cause the toner to degrade and may even deform the plastic of the cartridge which can affect the performance of the ink cartridges

Conclusion

If, for any reason, you have to store an open ink cartridge then reseal it to the best as you can by reusing the protective tape or applying a piece of tape to stop the leakage as well as drying the ink or blocking the nozzle. Replace opened cartridges in the original bag that they came in or put them in the zip lock or another clear bag to shield the cartridge from dust and air when storing.