Why are pictures/text from my inkjet printer striped?
One of the problems which can often beset users of inkjet printers is that the tiny nozzles (print heads), that squirt the ink onto the paper, dry up and become blocked. This leads to stripy prints or perhaps a failure to print at all, although the ink cartridges may not be empty. This can be a serious problem with some printers where the nozzles are part of the printer, rather than being part of the replaceable cartridge. If these become blocked, you may need a new printer.
Two suggestions may help:
Use your printer at least once a week - most will dry out if left unused for too long. Print a document which contains a variety of colours such as black, red, green, blue and yellow - this will operate all the colours. Make the document quite short or you will waste ink. Some printers have a useful 'nozzle check' facility; read your manual for guidance.
Always switch off the printer before switching off the mains socket. Most printers 'park' the nozzles on a protective pad when you switch off properly. The 'park' position is designed to protect the nozzles and stop them drying out. Switching off at the mains, prevents this step.
What can you do if they do become blocked?
All inkjet printers seem to include a cleaning facility. There may be a button to press or it may be a choice from the printer software on the computer - read your manual to find out. If the blockage is severe, it may take several operations of the cleaning process. Check the results after each try and don't clean more than necessary because it uses up ink.
If you are going to print something important, such as a special photograph, it may be worth doing a 'nozzle check' first. Photographic paper and ink are quite expensive and it is very annoying to find a faulty print that has wasted both.
