Can printer Ink cartridges dry out overtime when they are not used regularly? The simple and short answer is yes. They do dry out over time and there are multiple factors behind it.
Ink cartridges are filled with liquid and are designed in such a manner that when exposed to air their major component called ink dries up. This is how we print something on papers. And no matter how we store it, the exposure to air is imminent.
Printer’s Ink Cartridges have a shelf life. They come with an expiry date. With precautions we can extend their lifespan. One of the precautions is to regularly use it. Even when you have nothing to print, you should print test pages on regular intervals of time.
In this article we will try to understand some basic questions about printer’s ink cartridges. We will also examine multiple factors which affects printer’s cartridges’s performance, shelf life and output quality.
Life Span Of an Ink Cartridge
Most basic and common question which comes in our mind is, how long does it will take for my ink cartridges to dry out.
Life span of an ink cartridge depends on multiple factors. Before opening it, it depends on proper environment of storage and quality of ink cartridge.
Once opened it depends on environment where the printer is kept and maintained by printing test pages when not used for a while.
How long it takes for ink cartridges to dry out.
When an ink cartridge is stored properly, packed in a suitable environment it lasts for around 36 months.
Once it’s packing is opened and its fitted in a printer it’s lifespan decreases drastically. Once loaded in the printer if stored in ideal environment, it will last for atleast 24 months.
After the first print if you store it carefully, use it on regular intervals and give it proper maintainense. Like cleaning head and nozzzle on time, it will last for 12 months.
If you don’t use it on regular intervals, the lifespan decreases more. With only test page printing and maintainense like head cleaning, the cartridges will last for 6-8 months.
Once left unattended after first use in not so proper environment, ink cartridges dry out within 3-4 weeks maximum.
Why do Ink Cartridges dry out?
Ink cartridges are filled with Ink. Ink is based on liquid, which is meant to dry up. But it has a time frame. If the ink dries up before that time frame, it means something went wrong. There are multiple factors which effects lifespan of your ink cartridge.
Rare use
Ink cartridges are properly packed in factories. Once they are fitted in printers, the counter measures to prevent the ink from drying up is gone. And once you print your first page, ink cartridges are exposed to air through it’s nozzles. Ink nozzles are the contact point to air exposure. When left unattended, the drying process starts from nozzles itself.
Inkjet printers are not designed for rare use. To make sure it functions properly you need to print regularly. Regular printing keeps the ink nozzles clean.
If you have colour printers, make sure that you use every colour regularly. Printing test pages is the best way to use all colours in a colour printer.
Inappropriate Storage
Most people when not using the printer for a long time, leave ink cartridges in printer itself. That’s a mistake everyone should avoid. When you are not using your printer for a long time, store ink cartridges outside the printer. Always keep the protective caps of cartridges safe while installing it in printer. That way you can use them while storing the cartridges outside the printer.
In case you don’t have protective caps, you can use any airtight plastic container to store the cartridges. You just need to remove as much air possible, since air exposure dries out the ink cartridges. You also need to maintain proper moisture in the container boxes. It can be achieved by placing a small damp cloth or towel in the box. Just make sure they don’t come in contact with ink nozzles. Else it will draw the ink out and you will have ink wastage.
While storing you also need to keep the cartridges in upright positions. This will help the ink in settling down at bottom. That is very helpful while ink is passing through the printing sponge. When ink settles at the top of the cartridge, it starts drying because of close proximity to the air exposure point of nozzles.
Improper Temperature
Extreme temperature is one of the most common reason for drying out ink cartridges. The ideal temperature for the environment is 68 degrees. Since ink is in liquid form, it’s highly effected by exterior temperature just like any liquid. Especially in winters when you want to crank up the temperature for high heat, always remember your ink cartridges are going to be effected. In summer blasting up the AC to extreme cold also leaves impacts on your cartridges.
Moisture also plays an important role in lifespan of your ink cartridges. Ink cartridges dry out faster in dry atmosphere. If air in your office or home feels dry, consider using a humidifier to control the moisture. You can also place water in a bucket in your room as a temporary measure to control the moisture.
Dirty Cartridge Heads
To make sure your printer works smoothly, you need to keep the cartridge heads clean. A dirty cartridge head produces imprecise and smudgy results, as the dry ink also contributes in the dirt in cartridge head.
Many printers come with pre-built automatic head cleaning features. If they don’t have that feature, you need to clean the head manually.
Cleaning cartridge heads is pretty simple. You should use a soft cloth to wipe the head smoothly though. Warm water can also be added in the process if it’s required and desired.
Natural Composition of Ink Cartridges
Ink in printer cartridges are made up of a combination of ingredients. It includes varnish, resin, solvents, pigments, waxes and lubricants.
It is designed in such a way that it dries as soon as it’s exposed to air. Ink nozzles are designed to keep the air out and allow only ink to flow out. All other factors like temperature, storage, usages just accelerate the process of ink drying out and result in a dried out ink cartridge.
Improper refilling
An ink cartridge assembled in factory lasts longer than refilled cartridges. Refilling an ink cartridge is quite tricky, Go thorough our article before making up your mind on refilling it yourself. It is a cheaper option, but there is a lot of waste of ink. Real trick in refilling cartridges is to make sure there is no air bubbles in the cartridge.
Once that happens the air starts drying out the ink and nozzle head is clogged. This starts and accelerates the process of drying out the ink.
Unless you are an expert in refilling cartridges or you have proper guidance. We don’t recommend refilling your own cartridges. Instead search for local stores on internet which can do it for you.
How to keep printer ink cartridges from drying out?
Here is a nice diagram explaining 6 steps You should follow to keep Printer’s Ink from Drying out.
How to fix an ink cartridge that is dried out?
So, all of your precautions failed. You couldn’t stop your ink cartridges from drying out. Don’t loose hope, game is not over yet. Your first action should be cleaning of heads. Many printers come with head cleaning features. They also come with printing test pages feature. Print your test page.
Your test page will shed light on which all cartridges have problem in printing. Once you know which nozzles are blocked and need cleaning, you can start the head cleaning.
If your printer doesn’t have the head cleaning feature you can do it manually. Use a soft damp cloth to clean it manually. This will fix many of the cartridges, not all. If this doesn’t fixes your issue you need to accelerate the process.
Remove all blocked and dried up cartridges. Test page has already pointed them out. Take a medium size bowl and fill it with lukewarm water. Submerge the ink cartridge and make sure the nozzles are completely covered with it.
Now using a clean soft cloth, clean the nozzles and area around it thoroughly. You will now notice that ink has started to flow out. If that doesn’t happens keep the cartridge submerged for couple more minutes and try again.
Make sue to give the cartridge a thorough wipe and dry it’s surface completely before placing it in the printer.
If all this doesn’t fixes your cartridge problem, it’s time to buy new ones. Compatible cartridges are available online on reasonable rates.