Best Ink Jets ink jets, cartridges & toners

Do Ink Cartridges Dry Out

Full ink cartridge dries out between uses. Why, and how do I fix it?

I just opened a brand new ink cartridge that I purchased about 1 year ago. It has full ink levels, but between uses it stops working. If I pull it out and put it on damp paper toweling for about 1 minute, it will work again just like new. Is there anything I can do to fix the problem better without having to pull it out and use damp paper toweling on it every time I want to use it?

   Ink cartridges aren’t made to sit around for a year without being used. The ink can and will dry or otherwise change consistency or viscosity as the water in it evaporates, and the nozzles can clog. Most ink cartridges with the print head built into them have around 300 nozzles per color of ink in the cartridge, each of them about half as wide as a human hair. Needless to say, it doesn’t take much to clog something so small.

   Try running the cartridge clean utility included as print of your printer’s software. It will waste a little bit of ink but should restore functionality to the cartridge. Unfortunately you neglected to mention any details regarding your printer, even its brand name so I can’t give you specific instructions. Check your manual, or the toolbox or utility box or solution center for your printer for directions. You may also be able to access the option from the maintenance menu directly from the printer if yours is equipped with an LED screen and menu button.

Printer Ink Cartridges – what’s the shelf life of inkjet cartridges and laser toner?