Printer ink cartridges are expensive. And it’s frustrating for your printer not to work when needed. If your ink dries out, you might not even realize that a large portion of ink was wasted. Here’s how to keep printer ink from drying out.
To keep printer ink from drying out, it’s good to regularly use the printer and turn it off when not in use. Keeping your cartridges sealed, stored at room temperature, and moistened will help prevent drying out. Printer ink can dry out from clogged nozzles or improper cartridge storage.
We’ve compiled these 6 simple tips on how to keep printer ink from drying out.
Table of Contents
1. Put Your Printer to Work Frequently
The most common cause of dried ink is leaving a cartridge in an inkjet printer for extended periods without putting it to work.
It’s best to use your printer consistently to keep the ink from drying out in your cartridges.
If you find yourself without anything to print, consider the following things:
- Running a maintenance program
- Conducting color tests
- Printing something for fun
Be mindful that the ink will start to dry after a few weeks of resting in a printer. To save money on constantly replacing or refilling your ink cartridge, you must follow these guidelines to get the most out of its lifespan.
2. Keep Them Safely Stored
Having a few spare cartridges on hand is always good if you regularly print. You can pick up a replacement tank whenever your current one runs dry and keep printing without delay.
Nevertheless, improper cartridge storage can result in ink waste. The ink will move to one side if you store them upside down or sideways. Remember to always keep your ink cartridges upright when storing them.
If you want to keep your ink cartridges in the best condition possible, you should keep them in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Put it on a shelf or in a box, but ensure it stays at room temperature.
The print quality will diminish if ink cartridges are exposed to excessive heat or cold. The cartridges can become useless altogether.
Printer ink can expire if not stored correctly.
3. Moisten the Cartridges
Moistening ink cartridges with a damp paper towel is a useful precautionary measure that can help keep your printer ink from drying.
Removing excess ink from the surface will help deter clogs and untimely drying. You will need to ensure that the cartridge is completely dry before putting it back into the printer.
4. Turn It Off
Turning off your printer when it’s not in use helps preserve your ink’s longevity, according to HP. The print heads on some cutting-edge models are stored in a tamper-proof enclosure.
It can keep the print heads from becoming dry. But, you must ensure that the off button is pressed. The print heads won’t move from their current position unless this is done.
5. Configure the Room Temperature
Altering the room temperature when printing is just as important as doing so during storage. Keep your office’s temperature at a moderate range to prevent cartridges from drying out.
The optimal workplace temperature is around 70°F (21°C). It will keep your ink cartridges in working order and make the office space more comfortable for everybody.
6. Always Ensure Your Cartridges Are Sealed
If your cartridge doesn’t have a seal, you can take some safety precautions to keep it in good condition.
The ink solvent inside an open cartridge can evaporate like water in a vase if you leave it open for too long.
It’s best if you only broke the seal when you’re ready to use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions asked by printer owners on how to keep printer ink from drying out.
Does printer ink dry up if you don’t use it?
Yes, your printer ink will dry up if the cartridges sit idle without being used.
How to fix dry ink cartridges?
Remove the ink cartridges from the printer. Remove ink residue from each cartridge’s upper surface to prevent clogging using a clean, damp cloth or paper towel.
How to make printer ink last longer?
You need to use high-quality cartridges if you want your printer ink to last longer. Also, you can print in black and white or use economy mode.
How long do inkjet cartridges take to dry out?
The ink in an inkjet cartridge will start to dry out visibly in as little as 3 to 4 weeks, so we strongly suggest the above measures to prevent this from occurring.
Why is the ink in my printer drying out?
Your ink is drying up for several reasons. Infrequent use is one possible explanation. The ink will dry up if you don’t use your printer often.
Dry ink is one reason for clogged nozzles on your printer.
Is refilling ink cartridges easy?
It’s simple to refill ink cartridges. Nevertheless, it cannot be constantly filled. If your ink has dried up, there is no point in attempting to refill it.
More reading: Is printer ink toxic?
Your Turn
The ink dries out when ink cartridges are subjected to extreme heat or cold. That, of course, creates issues. To continue printing, you’ll need to buy new cartridges for your inkjet printer.
Even if this doesn’t occur often, it is somewhat inconvenient to have to go out and purchase new printer cartridges. Fortunately, if you follow our tips, you prevent this from happening altogether.
How do you keep your printer ink from drying out? How did the tips work for you? I would love to hear your experience below!
Dena Haines is a co-founder and writer on PrintLikeThis. We troubleshoot printer problems to get you back to printing.
She also writes at Storyteller Tech and is a travel blogger at Storyteller.Travel. Dena is co-founder of Storyteller Media, a company he started with her husband, Bryan.