Q&A: Can I Unclog My Printer?

I have an older Epson ink jet printer that no longer prints properly; I think that I left the old cartridges in the printer for too long, and now the print heads are clogged up. Is there any way to fix it?

--Garth Price, Lake Worth, Florida

Unfortunately, ink cartridges can clog, especially if your printer goes unused for a long time. That's why I recommend that you run a sheet or two of paper through your printer every month as a simple preventative maintenance step.

If your printer does clog, though, you'll see gaps, inconsistent colors, and sometimes even ink splattered on the page. Your first stop should be the Head Cleaning utility in the printer's status monitor program. This program will run a few sheets of paper though the printer. If that doesn't work, try removing the ink cartridge, turning it upside down, and gently cleaning the nozzles with a lint-free cloth that has been dipped in denatured alcohol. Replace the cartridge and run the Head Cleaner once more.

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