Cleaning HP Ink Cartridges
A frequent problem that can occur when printing with HP printers is having your ink cartridges clog. Rather than calling it quits and buying replacement printer ink, you can instead follow the simple instructions here YouTube and manually clean your clogged ink cartridges. The first, and perhaps easiest step, is to gently remove each individual ink cartridge from the device. Be sure to do so carefully as to not damage the cartridge or the HP unit.
Once you’ve removed each cartridge, you’ll now need a few items readily available in any kitchen or home. First get a small pot and fill it with water. Heat the water until it reaches its boiling point. Next, place the hot water in a Tupperware dish or bowl that is big enough to fit the printer ink cartridge. It is important the dish you choose allows the part of the cartridge with the print head to be fully submerged in the water, because the print head is what needs to be cleaned.
The print head and approximately the first quarter of the cartridge should be in the hot water. Another quick method to try out is adding a bit of rubbing alcohol to the hot water. The addition of rubbing alcohol will help dissolve the ink in the print head that is clogging the cartridge. Since all HP ink is water soluble, this method will simultaneously clean and rehydrate the cartridge, allowing you to print again in no time.
Since new and old HP ink cartridges are typically manufactured with the print heads attached, users of virtually all HP printers will be able to clean tanks in this manner. This free, home remedy to clogged cartridges is a great alternative to spending money on ultrasonic cleaners or the inconvenience of wasting ink by buying new printer consumables.