How-to guide
How to keep an inkjet printer from drying out
Stop inkjet nozzles drying and clogging with a weekly color print, correct power-off, sensible storage and a little care before and after long breaks.
Inkjet nozzles are tiny, and ink left sitting in them slowly thickens and dries. Printers that print a little every week rarely clog, while ones left alone for a month or two often come back with streaks, missing colors or a nozzle check full of gaps. A few habits cost far less ink than the cleaning cycles needed to recover a dried-out head.
Steps for the printer itself.
Steps
Work down the list in order. Tick off each step as you go: your progress is saved on this device.
On the printer itself
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Print a color page every week
Print a page that uses every color at least once a week: a nozzle check, a color test page or a photo. A page of black text keeps only the black nozzles moving.
You should see: The weekly page prints with every color present and no gaps.
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Turn it off with the power button
Always switch off with the printer’s own power button and wait until it goes dark before unplugging it or switching off a power strip. The shutdown routine parks the print head and seals it under its cap; cutting the power first can leave it uncapped.
You should see: The carriage moves to its parked position and the lights go out before you unplug.
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Leave the cartridges installed
Keep cartridges or the print head in place, even an empty one, until the replacement is in your hand. An empty slot or a head without cartridges lets air reach the nozzles.
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Keep the printer away from heat and dry air
Avoid direct sun, radiators and heating vents. Warm, dry air speeds up drying in both the nozzles and the cartridges.
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Let it sleep rather than unplugging it
Some inkjets run brief maintenance on their own while plugged in and in standby. Leaving the printer asleep, rather than unplugged, gives it the chance to do that.
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Store spare cartridges sealed
Keep spares in their sealed packs at room temperature, the way up the packaging shows, and use them before the date printed on the box.
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Prepare for a long break
Before a break of more than a few weeks, print a color page, then switch off with the power button. For breaks of several months, check your manual; some models, ink tank printers especially, have their own storage or transport instructions.
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Wake it gently after a break
When you come back, print a nozzle check before anything else. If there are gaps, run one cleaning cycle, check again, and rest the printer for a few hours before running more.
You should see: The nozzle check comes back complete, or improves after a cycle and a rest.
Good to know
- Pigment black ink, which many printers use for sharp text, tends to clog more readily than dye-based color inks. That is why black is often the first color to fail after a long break.
- Running cleaning cycles as routine prevention wastes ink and fills the waste-ink pad. Clean only when a nozzle check shows gaps.
- If you print only a few pages a month, a laser printer may suit you better. Toner doesn’t dry out, so long gaps between jobs don’t harm it.
- Ink tank printers are not immune. Their print heads dry out the same way as those in cartridge printers, and on some models a badly clogged head is a costly part to replace.
Common questions
How often should I print to keep an inkjet working?
About once a week, using every color. Printers kept in warm, dry rooms benefit from twice a week.
Is it bad to unplug my inkjet every night?
Unplugging after switching off with the power button is fine. Pulling the plug, or cutting power at a switch while the printer is still on, can leave the head uncapped so it dries faster.
My printer sat unused for months. What now?
Print a nozzle check, run one or two cleaning cycles if there are gaps, then let it rest for several hours before checking again. A badly dried head may need a few rounds spread over a day or two.