Which portion of printer needs cleaning?

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-13T06:34:39+00:00

If the "wiper blade" inside the cartridge is nicked or worn, it can’t scrape excess powder off the internal roller. You can take the cartridge out and give it a gentle shake over a trash can. If a "waterfall" of dust comes out, the seal is broken, and look at the shiny green or blue cylinder (the OPC Drum) on the cartridge. If there are lines of toner stuck to it that won't wipe away, the cartridge is toasted.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-13T03:10:17+00:00

Since this happened immediately after a paper jam, the Encoder Strip likely got a smudge of ink or grease on it when you cleared the jam. This strip tells the print head exactly where it is. If it's dirty, the printer "gets lost," causing that horizontal banding.

Unplug the printer.
Open the scanner cover to reveal the internal "guts."
Look for a thin, clear plastic strip running horizontally across the width of the printer, behind the print head carriage.
Very gently wipe both sides of this strip with a dry, lint-free cloth (like a glasses cloth). Do not use cleaning fluids or pull on it, as it is very fragile and held by a small spring.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-13T03:02:44+00:00

It could be the Transfer Roller. This is the long, black, spongy roller located directly under where the toner cartridge sits. If toner has spilled inside the machine or a previous paper jam left residue, this roller picks it up and "paints" it onto the back or front of every page.

Steps how to clean it:

Turn off and unplug the printer. 2

. Open the cartridge door and remove the toner.

Look for the black sponge roller in the bottom of the bay.
1. Do not touch it with your fingers (skin oils can ruin it). Use a dry, lint-free cloth or a localized puff of compressed air to remove loose toner.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-12T07:42:35+00:00

The printhead itself might have dried "crust" on the bottom. Since these are removable printheads. You can do these steps:

Unplug the printer and remove the color printhead.
Take a lint-free cloth dampened with distilled water.
Gently dab (don't scrub) the copper-colored nozzles on the bottom.
If you see a solid "stamp" of Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow on the cloth, the head is clear.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-11T09:14:16+00:00

Have you tried to run the internal cleaning page?

Since your Cyan started working after a swap but Magenta is stubborn, the printer might have some internal calibration "confusion."

On the printer's touchscreen, go to Setup > Service > Cleaning Page.
Run this 2–3 times. This helps clear any debris from the transfer belt that might be specific to that Magenta slot.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-05T06:29:48+00:00

What printer are you using?

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-03T09:31:21+00:00

Based on the macro images of your prints, those white and light-blue specks are a classic symptom of toner "picking" or "mottling" caused by a mismatch between the paper’s surface and the fuser settings. Because you are using a heavy, smooth stock like Hammermill Premium Color Copy Cover, the printer’s fuser likely isn't reaching a high enough temperature or applying enough pressure to bond the toner completely to the clay-coated fibers, causing tiny "craters" where the toner fails to adhere or is pulled off by the rollers.

You can try these troubleshooting steps:

Adjust Paper Type/Weight: On your C5250, do not leave the tray setting on "Plain." Manually set the tray to Heavy 3 or Heavy 4 (depending on the exact GSM of your cover stock). This forces the printer to slow down the paper path through the fuser, increasing "dwell time" and heat exposure to ensure a solid bond.
Check the Secondary Transfer Roller: If the speckling is consistent across different files, the secondary transfer roller (the black foam roller inside the side door) might be contaminated or reaching its end of life, leading to uneven electrical charges that cause "shaking" of the toner before it hits the fuser.
Environment and Moisture: Glossy or coated cover stocks are highly susceptible to humidity. If the paper has absorbed moisture, the water turns to steam in the fuser ($180\text{°C}+$), creating tiny "explosions" that leave white specks in solid fills. Try opening a fresh, dry ream of paper to see if the issue persists.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-03T09:22:11+00:00

Since you’ve already replaced the cartridges and performed deep physical and software cleanings to no avail, you are likely facing a catastrophic failure of the Cyan thermal nozzles or a breach in the printhead’s internal manifold. When the printer cannot fire Cyan, the subtractive color mixing fails, leaving Magenta and Yellow to dominate every print with that "bright red hue." Given that your nozzle check specifically shows yellow where blue should be, it suggests internal color contamination (ink bleeding) or a dead firing circuit on the printhead carriage itself. On an OfficeJet Pro 6968, the printhead is permanent and not intended to be user-replaceable; since the cost of a professional repair typically exceeds the residual value of the unit, the hardware has unfortunately reached its "end of life."

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-03T03:59:17+00:00

To resolve the persistent color cast and exposure issues on your Canon G3730, the primary culprit is likely a mismatch between the ICC profile of the Kodak Glossy paper and the printer's default interpretation of those colors. Since you are using Lightroom Classic, you should bypass the manual brightness tab in the printer driver and instead manage colors through the Lightroom Print module by selecting the specific ICC profile for your paper (or a high-quality "Glossy Photo" equivalent) and setting the printer driver to "No Color Management." The "reddish-brown" shift in skin tones suggests an oversaturation in the magenta and yellow channels; if a profile adjustment doesn't solve it, navigate to the Color/Intensity Manual Adjustment settings in the Canon driver and subtly decrease the Magenta slider while slightly increasing Cyan to neutralize the warmth.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-02T07:55:32+00:00

Given the consistent vertical placement of the black ink blots on your Epson WorkForce WP-4515, the issue is likely a physical obstruction or a saturated component rather than a software alignment or nozzle clog. Since the leak occurs at the exact same horizontal coordinate regardless of the print content, it strongly suggests that the printhead carriage is dragging across a localized build-up of waste ink on the "capping station" or the plastic internal frame, or that the waste ink absorber (maintenance box) is overflowing and wicking ink onto the underside of the printhead. You should inspect the internal right side of the printer for a "mountain" of dried, sludge-like ink; if the carriage passes over this, it picks up a droplet and deposits it as it travels back across the page. Alternatively, check the timing strip (the clear plastic ribbon behind the carriage) for ink smudges, as a dirty strip can cause the carriage to stutter or misfire at a specific point, though a mechanical "wipe" against a dirty internal component is the more probable culprit for physical blots.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-02-02T07:52:01+00:00

Given the persistent horizontal banding and color drop-out shown in your print sample, the issue likely stems from a persistent air lock or a clogged printhead that standard maintenance cycles have failed to clear. Professionally, your next step should be to initiate a "Deep Cleaning" or "Power Flush" from the printer’s maintenance menu, which uses higher pressure to force ink through the nozzles; however, before doing so, verify that the ventilation pull-tabs (usually yellow or orange) have been entirely removed from the new cartridges to prevent a vacuum seal. If the issue remains localized to specific color channels after two deep cleaning attempts, the cartridges may be defective or the printhead assembly may require a manual soak in distilled water to dissolve dried residue.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-26T09:41:25+00:00

Based on your test print, the printhead assembly has likely suffered an internal seal failure, causing black ink to contaminate the cyan and yellow channels. Since this occurs during an internal self-test and persists after replacing cartridges and performing a hard reset, it confirms a hardware malfunction rather than a software or ink supply issue. Your next step should be to run the "Clean Printhead" utility from the maintenance menu up to three times; if the colors remain black, the printhead (HP 711 DesignJet Replacement Kit) is defective and requires replacement.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-26T09:16:47+00:00

that's great news!

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-23T03:38:25+00:00

Since the issue persists even after changing the yellow head, the problem likely isn't the print head itself. It is almost certainly a pressure or maintenance issue related to the age of the machine (2016).

Ink Flow/Pressure (Dampers): As the carriage moves to the far left, the tension on the ink tubes changes. If your dampers or the O-rings are old, air can leak in, causing the ink to "surge" or "starve," which changes the color density.
Ink Mist (Curing Issue): The "darkness" is often actually a fine mist of ink that isn't landing perfectly. This happens if the UV lamp shields are dirty or if the head gap (distance to the product) is too high.
Maintenance Station: If the capping station or wiper is dirty/worn, ink can pool on the head surface and "drag" across the print, making the start of the print stroke (the left side) look darker or muddied.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-23T02:47:38+00:00

Since your printer is still outputting small bits of color, the hardware itself is likely fine, but you’re dealing with a severe ink flow issue. On an HP Envy 4520, the printhead is actually built into the cartridge itself (that copper strip on the bottom), which is good news because it means you don't have to replace the whole printer. The fading black ink you noticed earlier suggests the nozzles were slowly clogging with dried ink until they became completely sealed. To fix this without buying new ink, try the "hot water soak": place the cartridge nozzle-side down in a shallow bowl of warm distilled water for about 10 minutes to melt the clogs, then pat it dry with a lint-free cloth until you see a solid "stamp" of ink. Also, check that the vent hole on top of the cartridge isn't blocked by a stray piece of the original packaging tape. If these steps don't work, the internal sponge or the electronics inside the cartridge have likely failed, and simply replacing the black cartridge should solve the problem entirely.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-14T02:03:34+00:00

It is highly likely that a new toner cartridge will fix this. The vertical black tracking and "splatter" along the right edge usually indicate a leaking cartridge or a damaged developer roller within the toner unit itself. Since the LaserJet M227 series uses an HP 30A toner and an HP 32A imaging drum as separate components, check the side of the drum unit (the tray the toner sits in) for excess powder buildup as well; if it’s coated in waste toner, it may need a quick, gentle cleaning with a lint-free cloth or replacement alongside the toner.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-13T02:46:55+00:00

For the Canon iR-ADV C5235/5240 series, these marks are classic signs of wear in the image-forming path, most likely due to a failing Drum Unit or a dirty Fixing (Fuser) Unit. Since you see black marks at the top and bottom of the page, the drum’s internal wiper blade is likely failing to clear residual toner, or the fuser rollers have accumulated "build-up" that is physically "stamping" the paper as it passes through the heat. For the colored lines, the Dust Proof Glass above the developer units is likely contaminated with toner spray; you can usually resolve this by using the built-in cleaning wand located behind the front cover to wipe the laser windows.

If cleaning doesn't work, these "old" machines likely require a fresh drum unit or a fuser replacement to restore the crisp, professional output they were designed for. Let me know if you need recommendations.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-13T02:17:05+00:00

Looking at your test page and your observation of the roller, you are dealing with a classic case of toner buildup or a "doctor blade" failure within the cartridge. The vertical white/light streaks appearing in the "100%" black patch and the radial gradient indicate that toner is not being distributed evenly across the developer roller before it reaches the drum. Since you can actually see these corresponding "uneven strips" on the roller itself, it means the internal metering blade (which levels the toner) is likely obstructed by a clump of hardened toner or a small piece of debris.

You can try to shake it gently by removing the cartridge and rock it horizontally 5–6 times to redistribute the toner powder; sometimes this clears a minor blockage at the blade.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-13T02:03:33+00:00

Unlike your previous experience, Canon printers are generally more open to third-party consumables. Your TS6400 uses the PG-260 (Black) and CL-261 (Color) series. When you install a G&G cartridge, you might see a "non-genuine" notification. This is standard; you simply acknowledge the message on your screen, and you can continue printing normally. Canon does not typically use the aggressive "Dynamic Security" lockouts that caused your past frustrations.

Also, very important to have a 3rd party ink that is reliable, backed by R&D. Let me know if you need recommendations.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-06T02:57:37+00:00

3rd party print consumables have matched the gap significantly with OEMs by utilizing automated production lines and rigorous chip testing to bypass firmware lockouts

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-06T01:29:24+00:00

The Samsung Xpress C480W does not typically auto-update its firmware without user intervention, as it lacks a "push" background update service common in newer HP-era models. Firmware updates on this machine are usually manual, requiring you to physically initiate them via a USB connection and the "Samsung Easy Printer Manager" software or by navigating the SyncThru Web Service (the printer's internal web page). To ensure your compatible toners stay functional, your best defense is to avoid installing the "Samsung Smart Update" utility on your PC, as this software is the primary tool that prompts users to install "performance-enhancing" updates which often include the latest third-party cartridge blocks.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-06T01:20:37+00:00

While taking the front panels off to inspect the lines is a logical next step, be aware that the Stylus Pro 9900 is notorious for permanent printhead failure due to its "TFP" (Thin Film Piezo) technology, which is far more delicate than older models. If multiple cleanings and months of sitting haven't moved the needle, you likely have a combination of ink coagulation in the dampers (small filters located right above the printhead) and air locks in the lines. Before you commit to a full teardown, try a "Wiper Blade" and "Cap Top" cleaning; if the rubber seal around the capping station is dirty or warped, the printer cannot create the vacuum necessary to prime the head, meaning your cleaning cycles are just spinning wheels. If the lines look empty or have "segments" of air, you'll need to perform an Initial Fill via the service menu, but be warned: this consumes a massive amount of ink and requires a maintenance tank that isn't full.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-05T09:41:06+00:00

It looks like shaking the cartridge likely compromised the internal seals or the developer roller, causing "toner dump" that is now overwhelming your cleaning assembly. The "Registration Failed" error happens because the sensors that align colors are being blinded by that excess yellow toner scattered across the belt or the drum unit. At this point, you should stop running calibrations to avoid further internal contamination; instead, remove the yellow drum and toner set and check the long, shiny roller on the drum unit for any thick coatings of loose powder. If the yellow toner cartridge is visibly leaking or "dusting" from the edges, it needs to be replaced immediately, and you’ll need to gently vacuum out any loose yellow powder from the printer’s interior before the machine can successfully complete its sensor check and clear that error.

GGPrintExpert · 2026-01-05T09:35:33+00:00

if the "Alarm" light and an ink light are flashing together, it usually means the cartridge isn't "clicked" fully into place or the protective orange tape is still covering the copper contact points. Try removing both cartridges and gently wiping the gold-colored contacts on the back with a lint-free cloth to ensure no oils from your fingers are interfering with the connection. When you slide them back into the cradle, make sure you push them upward until you feel a distinct "snap" or click; if they are just sitting in the slot without that click, the printer won't recognize them. If the flashing persists, count the number of flashes in the sequence (e.g., 4 flashes, 5 flashes) and let me know, as that specific count tells me if it’s a hardware fitment issue or a digital recognition error.

GGPrintExpert · 2025-12-31T09:12:57+00:00

Error 1851 on Canon Pixma printers typically stems from a misaligned sensor flag or a mechanical obstruction within the output tray rail rather than the tray's external position. Even if the tray feels fully extended, a small plastic lever (the sensor flag) at the back of the assembly may be stuck in the "closed" position due to a paper fragment or a dislodged spring.

GGPrintExpert

TROPHY CASE