How to wash the printer with cleaning fluid. Instructions for using flushing fluid

Flushing fluids are an indispensable tool when it comes to cleaning cartridges and print heads (PG) of printers. You can find them on store shelves with consumables or try to make them yourself. The article will talk about the composition of the wash, how to prepare it yourself and use it correctly.

Custom composition of professional printer flushing fluids

A special feature of the composition of the purchased washing liquid is that it is almost identical to the composition of the ink itself used for printing. Thanks to this, it is possible to avoid the rapid loss of pigment sediment. Such a deposit forms in any case, since the paint has a very limited shelf life, usually 12 months. The option of diluting it will not be the best - sediment will still form.

The following brands are most popular among users:

Reference! Liquids purchased in a store or made by yourself are also suitable for preserving printing equipment.

How to make your own flushing fluid

A simple way to clean the printer is to use distilled water heated to 50–60°C. It will be possible to cope with the task only if the equipment has been idle for no longer than 2–3 months.

In case of longer interruptions in operation, the flushing liquid will have to be improved with additional components. There are several options here:

1. Neutral washing. It can be used to tidy up the printing elements of devices of any brand. The solution contains distilled water (80% of the total volume), ethyl alcohol (10%) and glycerin (10%).
2. Alkaline washing. It is often used by owners of Epson and Canon brand devices. For preparation, the same components are used as for neutral washing, but an ammonia aqueous solution is also added (10% of the total volume). Accordingly, the amount of water is reduced (70% is taken).
3. Acid washing. A good option for cleaning Hewlett-Packard (HP for short) printers. In addition to distilled water (80%) and ethyl alcohol (10%), the composition includes acetic acid (another 10% of the total volume).

Another way to prepare washing liquid yourself involves using a glass and mirror cleaner. Suitable products are those that contain isopropyl alcohol and aqueous ammonia.

These components can soften dried drops of ink on the printer head. To prepare, you will need distilled water and cleaning agent in a ratio of 9:1. The accuracy of the proportions can be maintained when using a large-volume medical syringe. If you are unable to clean the head, you can increase the amount of cleaning agent in the mixture and try again.

Attention! Extremely permissible quantity products for glass and mirrors in the cleaning composition - 50%. Excess may lead to the dissolution of the special sealant and print nozzle elements present in the printer head, and, as a result, to equipment failure.

You can avoid the unpleasant consequences of using homemade liquids by doing a little checking. A couple of drops of printer ink are mixed with the prepared composition and left for several hours. If, as a result, the ink goes from a liquid to a viscous state, then it is better to abandon the use of washing and look for an alternative option.

What is flushing fluid needed for and how to use it

Liquid for cleaning printing elements of home and office equipment is useful in a number of cases:

1. If you need to rid the cartridge of remnants of previously used ink. This step should be performed before refilling new ink, especially those made by another manufacturer.
2. When you need to solve a problem with clogged print head nozzles. Homemade or purchased products are used after the standard cleaning method has not brought the desired result. Dried paint is dissolved by washing and the function of the head is restored.
3. If other parts of the equipment are contaminated by ink splashes and should be cleaned.

There are two options for using washing – with and without a special ultrasonic bath. The first option involves the following sequence of actions:

• the print head is removed and placed in 1 cm of cleaning liquid (for 2–3 minutes);
• the element is transferred to an ultrasonic bath pre-filled with distilled water and left there for 5 seconds;
• Using a filling station and a syringe, about 1 ml of ink is drawn out of the PG;
• dirt and ink are removed with a napkin;
• the printing element is returned to its place, routine cleaning is done and a test pattern is printed.

If necessary, repeat the procedure.

The second option looks like this:

• the removed head is placed in a container with warm water (approximately 50°C) and kept there for about 5 minutes;
• the element is placed for 10 minutes in another container (with washing liquid) so that it is immersed in the composition by 1 cm;
• 1 ml of ink is pumped out from the PG;
• ink and dirt are removed from the surface with a napkin;
• The PG is installed back into the printer, routine cleaning is done and a test print is carried out.

If the desired effect was not achieved the first time, the procedure is repeated (sometimes 3 times in a row).

The washing liquid is a solution whose main task is to effectively clean the printing elements of printers and MFPs. Timely cleaning extends the life of any equipment.

To begin with, it should be noted that a special washing liquid is used to independently clean the cartridge and print head of printers and inkjet MFPs. Using a solution like this may be necessary to clean a cartridge that you plan to refill - in this case, you can avoid some kind of internal conflict of ink purchased from different manufacturers, i.e. A normal chemical reaction can occur between the two types of paint. This, in turn, will lead to sedimentation and blocking of the nozzles located on the nozzle plate.

It should also be added that flushing liquid is used in case of clogged print heads, especially when their regular cleaning is in vain. In addition, the use of such a solution may be a necessary action when restoring a print head covered with dried ink and cleaning printer elements or CISS from ink.

Manufacturers and compositions

In all of the above situations, a special flushing fluid is required. Such a product can be used as a preservative liquid, especially since it does not damage the material from which the printer head is made. Its composition is most often close to the base of the paints themselves, due to which it does not contribute to the formation of pigment deposition. It should be added that sediment in pigment-type ink is formed in any case, i.e. Their useful life is only a year. If you dilute them, then such an action will only speed up this process.

If you need a professional cleaning liquid for washing cartridges, then pay attention to an option such as inktec washing liquid. This tool can help you get your inkjet printer back to normal working condition. It is usually used when a Canon or Epson printing device has been idle for a long time, in the case when one of the colors begins to print poorly. It should be added that the shelf life of flushing fluid for an inktek printer is up to two years. Cleaning agents from companies such as Contour and OCP are also somewhat popular and are recommended for cleaning the print heads of inkjet office equipment. The shelf life of their products is about two years, and they are usually produced in 100 ml containers.

In general, the most simple means To clean cartridges use ordinary distilled water. But depending on the composition of the print head cleaning liquid, it can be:

• neutral
• alkaline
• acidic

The first option is universal, i.e. suitable for all models of printing office equipment and it consists of 80% distilled water, 10% alcohol and 10% glycerin.

The second option, i.e. alkaline suitable for printers Canon companies and Epson - in addition to the three components described in the previous version, it also contains ammonia.

As for the acid solution, it is the optimal choice for HP color devices. It contains distilled water, alcohol and essence of acetic acid.

You can find out whether it is a result of prolonged inactivity or the time has come in these articles.

How to make your own flushing fluid?

If you are not interested in professional flushing fluid for inkjet printers offered by various manufacturers, then you can try to make it absolutely yourself. It should be noted that this does not require any special skills or abilities - the main thing is to follow the entire sequence of actions.

In addition, if a dried cartridge has been idle for about 2-3 months, then first try restoring it using ordinary distilled water. Perhaps it will help, after which you can run the cleaned consumables again or, if necessary, replace the ink in it. But if distilled water did not help you because the printer has been idle without printing for quite a long time or it is located in a room with high temperatures, then use with the following instructions, which will help you make your own printer cleaning fluid.

• To make this liquid, you will need water and any simple but high-quality product that is used for washing glass, for example, it could be Mister Muscle, HELP, Mister Proper, etc.
• Now read the composition on the label of the glass cleaner you choose. Immediately pay attention to the presence of sodium sulfoethosylate and isopropylene alcohol. The fact is that these two components can speed up the process aimed at softening paint pigments that have dried on the print head.
• To obtain a special liquid for printers from ordinary distilled water and a glass cleaner, mix both components in a ratio of 9 to 1 in any suitable container. Use a syringe to collect them.
• Try cleaning the print head with the resulting product. If this does not give any effect, then increase the percentage of glass washing liquid in the general solution. But please note that given value should not exceed 50 percent!

It should be said that using almost 100 percent glass cleaner can lead to the dissolution of the “mastic” contained in the print head. As a result of this, paint can flow from one part of it to another, which, in turn, will result in a mixture of colors. In addition, this can negatively affect the nozzles, which will hit the paper surface with some deflection during printing. For this reason, to begin with, use exclusively distilled water, which cannot negatively affect the integrity and performance of the print head. If the homemade remedy does not help, then buy professional liquid from any well-known manufacturer of similar products.

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Printhead– the most “capricious” element of an inkjet printer. Prolonged downtime of the print head can cause slight blockage in its nozzles. The first signs of a clogged inkjet printer print head are horizontal white streaks on your printouts. If the blockage is not cleared in a timely manner, it can develop into an ink jam, which paralyzes the operation of nozzles clogged with dried ink. A visual comparison of a slight blockage and an ink jam on the print head of an inkjet printer is shown in the figure.

Slight blockage and ink blockage in the nozzles of the inkjet cartridge print head

There are many ways to revive a dried-out inkjet printer print head. Let's look at some of them.

USING THE PRINTHEAD CLEANING UTILITY

Inkjet printer manufacturers supply utilities with their products to check the condition of the print head nozzles. If, after running such a utility, it turns out that some of the print head nozzles are clogged, you should run 1-2 cycles of cleaning them. Cleaning involves running ink through the print head nozzles. The increased pressure under which the ink is driven allows the nozzles to be freed from light ink plugs and accumulation of air bubbles.

One or two such cleanings will be quite enough. If you run the print head cleaning cycle many times in a row, then air-ink bubbles may form in its nozzles and the situation will only get worse. It should also be taken into account that when cleaning the print head, a certain amount of ink is wasted, which would be enough to print 3-5 sheets of high-quality A4 text. After cleaning the print head nozzles, leave the printer alone for a period of 2 to 5 hours. After this, you need to start printing a test page. If horizontal white streaks are still visible on the printout, you can run another cleaning cycle.

SOOOKING THE PRINT HEAD IN CLEANING LIQUID

If cleaning the print head of your inkjet printer does not help, you can try soaking it in a special cleaning liquid. Only removable printheads can be soaked (most Canon printers and older models of Epson printers) and print heads built into the cartridge (HP, Lexmark). To do this, you need to take a small clean container, pour 2-3 millimeters of cleaning liquid preheated to a temperature of 40-50 ° C into it, and place the print head in the liquid with the nozzles down. To reduce evaporation of the cleaning liquid, the container can be covered with a plastic bag. After this, the print head should be left alone for a period of 1 to 3 days, depending on the degree of contamination. Since the cleaning liquid is ethereal in nature and periodically evaporates, it should be added to the container as its volume decreases. After the specified time has passed, the cartridge with the soaked print head is inserted into the printer and based on the print quality of the test page, a conclusion is made as to whether further washing of the nozzles is necessary.

PRINTING WITH CLEANING LIQUID

To bring the non-removable print head back to life, you should run a print cycle with cleaning fluid. To do this, fill the cartridge with cleaning liquid instead of ink and start the print head cleaning system. If printing defects do not appear on the entire image, but only in areas a certain color, then the liquid must be poured into a cartridge of the appropriate color. After cleaning, the printer must be left alone for about 2 hours so that the cleaning liquid dissolves the ink that has dried in the nozzles.

After two hours, you should create in any graphic editor sheet, and fill it with the appropriate color: if a purple cartridge was revived with the help of a cleaning liquid, then the sheet should be filled with purple, if yellow, then yellow, etc. It’s better to do this in Photoshop, which allows you to use color scheme CMYK. We print the resulting square filled with paint on standard paper, having previously set the print density to the highest. The cleaning liquid, mixing with the remaining ink in the inkwell, leaves prints on the sheet. If horizontal white stripes are visible on the print, it means the print head has not been cleaned; if the fill is continuous, then the ink jam has been removed.

For a final check of the print head, the cartridge is refilled with ink of the appropriate color, the nozzles are cleaned, and the same sheet of paper filled with ink is printed. If the ink plug is not removed, the printing procedure with cleaning liquid can be repeated.

WASHING THE PRINT HEAD WITH A HOMEMADE SOLUTION

For washing you will need: glass washing liquid with ammonia, distilled water, cotton wool, a small cup, a plastic bag, two syringes with a capacity of 10-20 ml, paper napkins and a hair dryer.

The print head is carefully removed from the printer carriage. Blot the surface of the print head with a paper napkin folded several times. The napkin needs to be changed until the ink prints disappear on it. With a new cloth soaked in washing liquid, lightly wipe all surfaces of the print head with the exception of the electrical contact board, with which the head is connected to the printer. The print head must be completely clean before soaking. The flushing liquid is drawn into a syringe and short distance released onto areas where ink residue is visible.

If the printer is equipped separate cartridges, you should rinse the intake fittings from the syringe. If the printer uses built-in cartridges, you should empty all the contents from them and rinse the inside of the ink tank several times with washing liquid using a syringe with or without a needle, depending on the structure of the cartridge. After completing the procedure, the print head is blotted with a clean and dry paper towel.

If the printer has removable cartridges, then the intake fittings should be closed with cotton wool, generously moistened with flushing liquid. The cotton wool should be moistened with liquid until liquid begins to leak from the print head. Next, the print head needs to be placed in a small cup with the nozzles down. 2-3 mm of washing liquid heated to a temperature of 35-45 ° C is collected in a cup. Thus, the print head nozzles are immersed in the washing liquid. The cup is placed in a plastic bag and sealed tightly. The print head is left in this state for a day. After a day, the form is opened, the cycle of washing and soaking the print head in the washing liquid is repeated for a day.

ATTENTION! We recommend using service fluids from the same manufacturer as the ink used to flush the print head. This is due to the fact that only the manufacturer knows the chemical composition of the ink, so he knows how to “painlessly” soak dried ink for the print head. Also, these solutions are filtered and will not contain foreign particles that could clog the print head. We advise

If the soul of an experimenter still lives in you and you want to make a solution yourself, then the article below is for you!) We also recommend that you first read the articles: and.

ATTENTION! All homemade solutions used for washing the print head must be filtered using a filter with a pore size of 0.1 microns, in otherwise The print head may become clogged with flushing particles!

ATTENTION!When cleaning it is necessary DISCONNECT the printer FROM THE NETWORK. This means not only turning off the "Power" button, you also need to UNPLUG THE POWER CORD from a power outlet or from a printer. It is advisable to disconnect the USB cable from the computer, since there is voltage on it even when the power of modern PCs is turned off, but the PC power cord is connected to the network.

ATTENTION! During the washing process, moisture may enter the electrical contacts of the PG. In this case, connecting the printer to the network will lead to failure of the PG and motherboard printer. If in doubt, after rinsing BE SURE TO DRY THE PRINT HEAD!

Solutions that can be used for flushing steam generators:

1. Neutral: warm distilled water, isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol N-butyl ether.
2. Acidic: 5-10% acetic acid solution.
3. Alkaline: 5-10% ammonia solution - ammonia (NH4OH), not to be confused with NH4C l - ammonia!

Neutral solutions are the safest; acidic and alkaline solutions can damage the head, so they should be used last and starting with low concentrations.

Glass cleaning liquids "Mr. Muscle" are very popular online. Green and pink MM contain ammonia, orange and blue - isopropyl.

ATTENTION! Please note that “ammonia” and “ammonia” from a chemical point of view are different substances.Ammonia (NH4OH), also known as ammonium hydroxide, also known as 5-10% ammonia solution. Ammonia (NH4Cl), aka ammonium chloride, aka ammonia.

Wrong choice of washing for pigment ink - DEATH of the print head.The pigment may curl into a viscous jelly-like mass, or, on the contrary, precipitate. In both cases, it is almost impossible to extract the consequences of such experiments from the PG. For that. To avoid disastrous consequences, we advise you to first check the compatibility of ink and wash. For example, when you use ink of a different or reliably unknown type. To check, you need to apply a few drops of ink to a neutral surface (clean glass, ceramics...), add a couple of drops of washing liquid and let it sit for a couple of hours. If the mixture loses its fluidity or turns into a jelly-like mass, then you need to look for another wash.

ATTENTION! Pigment ink can only be washed with isopropyl alcohol or special service fluids. When using distilled water and ammonia, a precipitate will form!
ATTENTION! Water soluble ink can be washed with distilled water, or a solution of a mixture of 1 part 5..10% ammonia solution with 1..10 parts distilled water. Start with a weak solution. The distilled ammonia solution must be filtered, because Crystals often fall out in ammonia.

Increased flushing effect

If the rinsing action is ineffective, then the rinsing can be heated to 50-60 degrees in the microwave and poured in hot. Or increase the proportion of the active substance (the proportion of ammonia solution can vary from 10 to 50%). At the same time, do not forget that water-soluble ink can be washed completely, but with pigment ink such a miracle may not work. When pigment ink dries, it forms a larger molecule that clogs the print head mesh. And it is not possible to completely clear such a blockage even using an ultrasonic bath.

What not to wash PG.
It is EXTREMELY NOT RECOMMENDED to use Cilit (dissolves the print head sealant) and the favorite (by many) ethyl alcohol (and vodka, etc.), (corrodes the nozzle elements and dissolves the PG plastic)
Also, acid washes are especially not recommended for Canon and HP.

We tried to explain as clearly as possible.

Go in the comments to ask questions and share your experiences!

Preface

Any inkjet printer sooner or later requires cleaning and washing of many of its components. This is due to the fact that ink tends to dry out over time, causing small droplets to remain in the print head, nozzles and fittings, making printing impossible.

But this does not mean that the contaminated unit or, even more so, the device itself needs to be replaced. It is likely that regular cleaning will correct the situation. Especially for such cases, the German company OCP has developed a series of flushing liquids to eliminate any degree of clogging of inkjet printers and MFPs. They all differ in their level of aggressiveness and ability to wash off Various types ink and finally color.

OCP service fluids. Purpose.

Fig.1 OCP RSL

OCP RSL(Rinse Solution Liquid) or “OCP base fluid” is the most popular and widely used flushing fluid. Its composition is very close to the OCP ink base, with the addition of specially selected surfactants and alcohols necessary for the soaking and washing process. It is thanks to these features that RSL, in most cases, copes well with the assigned tasks and therefore has become widespread in service centers(Fig.1)

Description: liquid light yellow color, with a characteristic odor, medium aggressiveness. Has good cleaning properties.

Purpose:

Washing internal surfaces ink cartridges;
- washing the absorbent material (absorber) of inkjet cartridges;
- flushing the print head channels;
- soaking the print head nozzle plate;
- washing the tray and the entire pump path of inkjet printers.

Features of operation: For a more effective process of cleaning the print head, the OCP RSL service fluid must be used heated to a temperature of 35⁰С - 50⁰С (the approximate temperature range is indicated, it is better to stick to the average or maximum value, since the service liquid cools down quite quickly). Warming up can be done in microwave oven(if the bottle contains 100 g, be sure to remove the packaging foil under the stopper!) for a few seconds at maximum power or in a water bath (a container with boiling water).

Fig.2 CRS Concentrate RSL 1:3

OSR CRS(Concentrate Rinse Solution). Liquid concentrate RSL 1:3 (Fig. 2)

Description: liquid of rich yellow color, with a characteristic odor, highly aggressive. Use only after dilution with OCP PIW (see description below). Proportions for obtaining standard RSL liquid: one part OCP CRS three parts OCP PIW.

Attention! Without diluting the concentrate, using it in its pure form is dangerous for all types of print heads and cartridges, since it is very aggressive and can dissolve plastic.

Fig.3 OCP CCF (CISS)

OCP CCF (CISS). Liquid for washing CISS (CISS cleaning Liquid)

Description: light blue liquid with a weak characteristic odor (Fig. 3)

Purpose: used as a flushing liquid for CISS systems (Continuous Ink Supply Systems) to remove ink residues. It is practically non-aggressive and has the ability to block corrosion. Recommended for use as a print head preservative during long periods of inactivity.

Fig.4 OCP EPS

OCP EPS Cleaning Ink. Liquid for resuscitation of print heads of EPSON printers (Fig. 4)

Description: dark blue liquid with a weak characteristic odor.

Purpose: Direct filling into the cartridge and printing of the nozzle test on the printer is allowed. Only

for EPSON! Not aggressive. Cleans worse than RSL.

Fig.5 OCP CFR

OCP CFR(Cleaning Fluid Red). Liquid for removing ink traces (Fig. 5)

Description: light pink liquid with a characteristic odor.

Purpose: used as a detergent to remove traces of ink from the plastic surfaces of refillable cartridges or CSS.

Features of operation:

Not for soaking or cleaning the inside surfaces of cartridges and printheads.

Fig.6 OCP LCF III

OCP LCF III(Lexmark Cleaning Fluid). Service liquid for pigment (Fig. 6)

Description: transparent liquid with a pungent odor of ammonia, highly aggressive.

Purpose: used for soaking and washing the internal surfaces of cartridges and print heads from traces of pigment ink.

Features of operation: It is possible to use the liquid in two versions - with and without heating. More effective method soaking and washing - with heating the liquid to a temperature of at least 70⁰С. Heating can be done in a microwave oven (if the bottle contains 100 g, be sure to remove the packaging foil under the stopper!) for a few seconds at maximum power or in a water bath (a container with boiling water).

If the liquid is used at room temperature, it must be used during the soaking process for up to half an hour to an hour.

Regardless of the method of use, liquid must be removed from the cartridge or printhead after complete use, for which OCP RSL or OCP PIW are used.

The liquid is highly aggressive, and therefore it is not allowed to leave it in the print head for more than an hour!

Fig.7 OCP NRC

OCP NRC(Nozzle Rocket Colorless). Flushing liquid with additional components (Fig. 7)

Description: transparent liquid with a sharp characteristic odor, increased aggressiveness.

Purpose: used for soaking and washing the internal surfaces of cartridges and print heads.

The composition contains additional components that destroy stable formations inside the cartridges. The liquid is highly aggressive, which is why it is necessary to use it during the soaking process for up to half an hour to an hour.

Regardless of the method of use, the liquid must be removed from the cartridge or head after complete use, for which OCP RSL or OCP PIW are used.

Fig.8 OCP PIW

OCP PIW(Pure Ink Water). Industrially purified water (Fig. 8)

Description: clear, odorless liquid.

Peculiarities: Special processing and purification systems make it possible to obtain an almost pure formula of H 2 O, the quality of purification is higher than distilled, and does not contain salts and metal ions.

Purpose:
- preparation of a standard solution of OCP RSL from OCP CRS;
- final washing of cartridges to remove residual washing liquids.