How to get why is my printer printing lines simpler that you can imagine

Printing with lines on paper or photos usually indicates that the printer is not working properly. When someone asks why is my printer printing lines, many people are unaware that the answer lies on the surface. It can signal that the printer nozzle is clogged, or the ink cartridge is spraying too much ink.

In addition, the printer head may not perform its main function and this also causes missing lines on photos or paper. Depending on the model, anyone can manually clean the printer head, printer cartridges, check the ink cartridges and turn on the “self-cleaning” mode on the equipment.

Additional reasons that answer the user’s question about why is my printer printing lines

If you have tried all of these options and your issue is still not solved, you can turn to the programs which you print. If there are programs like Sony Memory Maker, Adobe Photoshop Elements, or Picasa, try printing on more native platforms like HP, Cannon, Brother, or Epson. Without a doubt, all of these programs are great photo editors. However, they may not be optimized for your printer’s settings, model, or brand.

This can lead to color palette shifts and overlapping colors.

In some cases, you may even end up with a white sheet or even with a paper jam when printing on it. Get trying the original print suggestion, the user can exclude the potential trouble of applications and programs and try to look for the next solution in case the problem is not solved.

Practice shows that this decision usually works in 10% of cases. Nevertheless, you should always pay attention to it. Let’s review the other causes of printer malfunction more closely and try to find a decision of these problems without assistance of specialists.

What is the cause of discolored lines or lines with a different color

In most cases, the problem is a lack of ink in the cartridge, or a low ink flow rate which takes its origin from the low cartridge supply unit. A shortage of black ink or low ink concentration can also be the cause of the dull color of your documents. If you are using your printer to print a photo, and you see green stripes, this is probably the reason.

In this case, the most effective solution of the trouble is to check the ink container and check the composition and concentration of the ink. Experts recommend checking the ink tank and the ink supply at least once a month if you use the device a lot.

An effective way to clean the print head nozzle without damaging surrounding elements

If you see that there is a real problem with the print head, you need to take the most delicate solution for cleaning it. If you don’t follow certain rules, the part will easily break or become even more clogged with debris.

Below is a list of the most common and safest solutions:

1. Turn the printer off and wait for the print head to return to its original position.
2. Take out the element that is clogged with debris and dirt.
3. Use an eyedropper, ear wand and a small sharp Q-tip, for cleaning the nozzle with a gentle cleaner. Glass cleaner is ideal.
4. Carefully, using the cleaner, fill the nozzle and then gently blot it without damaging the surrounding elements.
5. Allow the part to dry and then insert it back into the holder.
6. Make a pattern on white paper, determining whether missing lines or defects remain on the sheets or the photographs.

These simple steps will most likely help prevent damage to the print head nozzle, as well as related items such as the ink cartridge or ink dispenser. In addition, some of the parts are very expensive or may not be available on the market at all because the printer model may have become outdated. The following heading will provide information on how to recognize a problem with a laser printer.

How to pretend common problems like white lines using a laser printer

If your laser printer is skipping lines or leaving white areas on the paper, it could be a reason for the incorrect work of the drum unit or fuser unit.

The simple steps below are the solution to this problem:

1. If there is a drum/fuser cleaning button, start the cleaning process.
2. If available, start the general cleaning process.
3. Check the drum by hand for defects, dirt or dust, being careful not to touch it too much (usually the drum is a green metal cylinder).
4. If the drum is clogged with debris, try blowing it out with a vacuum cleaner (if this is not possible, the drum will have to be replaced with a new one).
5. Put the drum back in its holder and start the test page process on it.

This usually helps in about 50% of cases. Maybe the electrodes are damaged, the drum is dirty, or something else has clogged up on it. In this case, you will have to buy a drum or fuser and take it to a repair shop.

If a laser printer is a little outdated, a user can still find a good master, who will fix your equipment for an inexpensive fee.

Alcohol – a friend or an enemy when cleaning printing heads

Sometimes you may find that cleaning with a dry or damp cloth does not help remove dust, dirt, or ink residue from the nozzle. In that case, you can try using alcohol. Only isopril form is allowed. Also, make sure that you use only a small amount of alcohol because alcohol can dry out the surface of the nozzle too much.

This can lead to more persistent negative effects from ink, dirt, or dust in the future. It is also not recommended to get alcohol in nearby areas, including the ink cartridges because it can damage the elements of the ink cartridge or disrupt the composition of the ink for the printing.

Keep in mind that alcohol is a corrosive substance and can oxidize wires and batteries. Clean only print heads that are maximally soiled with ink, dust, or dirt and if they directly cause the cartridges to malfunction. Otherwise, always fill up less ink if you don’t want to spend more on the cartridge. It’s an ideal troubleshooting decision for a long time. In addition, it will not affect the quality of the prints.

Nail polish remover is the last, but not the most effective cleaner

Nail polish remover is not recommended for cleaning printer heads, nozzles, or ink cartridges. Their use may cause some parts or surfaces to be damaged by the substance. Varnish consists of acetone, and using it initially is not a good idea. Start with a dry cloth, move on to glass cleaner and only then use to isopril alcohol. Turn to an ear wand or Q-tip if you keep seeing discoloration on paper or photos.

The final test is a running printer cleaning cycle

After new ink cartridges will be installed and cleaning nozzles or print heads will be prepared for work, you should perform a routine cleaning cycle every few months. Especially if you use it regularly. Most modern models have a quick cleaning on the printer’s control panel on the services tab. Once you activate this cycle, the equipment can automatically perform several cleaning procedures on its own. It automatically will rise the print quality.

Note: Don’t be scared if you hear any new, unusual noises like blowing or any gears. It is performing a cleaning procedure and this is absolutely normal. 

When the cleaning cycle is complete, you may see that the equipment has given you several blank sheets. This most likely means that it has completed the cleaning procedure. After that, it is recommended that you immediately try to print a document or photo. This procedure will help make sure that the device is not leaving a missing line, stripes, or distorted color on the photo.

How to fix printing or missing lines on an inkjet printer using your PC

Sometimes it happens that the problem may not be with the print heads, but with the cartridges. It can be leaking physically and have an incorrect configuration on your PC. It is also a common cause of an inkjet printer producing documents with missing lines or photos with distorted colors.

Solving this problem is easy by following a few simple rules:

• start the cartridge or print head cleaning process on your PC;
• select the settings and select the print head or cartridge cleaning option;
• follow the Cartridge Equalization option to predetermine any color alignment issues on the cartridge;

If your device does not have a print screen, you can make settings on your device.

To do this, find the “Control Panel” section on your computer. Then right-click on the word “Printer” and select “Printing Preferences”. The cleaning option very often may be found in the services tab. In many cases, it is necessary to run the cleaning procedure up to 3 times to see changes in the form of missing bands, blurry text, or distorted color palettes in the photo.

You may also be interested: Can you use sublimation ink for regular printing?

Why is my printer printing black line

The printer leaves black marks on the paper for many reasons. If you don’t have a lot of time, it’s frustrating to see black horizontal lines on your documents. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common problems with a printer. Nevertheless, this problem is quite easy to solve on your own. All you need is some knowledge, which is easily realized in practice.

The problem of black horizontal lines can happen with any printer whose main operating element is the cartridge. Brands such as Brother, Lexmark, Xerox, HP, Canon printers and others are not protected from this problem. There are several reasons why dark ink stains appear on the paper, and below we will look at each of them in detail.

The main reasons why black lines appear on the paper

Inside ink-based printers, paper is moved by rubber rollers, while laser printers are moved by a belt (often called a transfer belt). Cartridge and ink problems occur because the belt or tape gets covered with lint, dirt and dust and the belt can no longer slide easily over the slider. This usually happens if the borders of the sheet of paper are stained with ink from the top or bottom.

If you see ink in the middle of the sheet of paper, it may be an indication that the transfer belt is damaged. This is a very common problem with laser printers.

In addition, if there are droplets of old toner stuck to the transfer roller or belt, this additionally reduces the ink flow during printing.

An effective and quick solution to the problem of black lines in printing

The best solution for cleaning the belt, which is near the cartridge, is to gently clean it with a cotton swab and glass cleaner. As with other printer parts, you can also use isopropyl alcohol. Before that, many experts recommend picking up major dirt, dust, and trash with a vacuum cleaner. In general, cleaning the belt or rollers is not too different from cleaning the print head.

In the case of a transfer belt, it is still better to contact a professional, as there are many nuances to working with laser printers, one of which is the delicate print elements. If none of the above methods work, you will most likely need to have your transfer rollers or transfer ribbon changed at a workshop.

Note: It is highly recommended that you wear disposable rubber gloves for all cleaning work. This way, you won’t damage nearby parts or leave a greasy residue that can eventually cause problems with printing and color reproduction on your photo.

How to make a test of the print nozzle

Checking the print head nozzle may indicate that it is clogged and may be a result of the printer not working properly. In general, for almost every brand and model of printer, checking the print head nozzle is similar.

For HP:

• Press the Ink button;
• select the desired item about print head information;
• Select the print head you want;
• edit the desired settings for that particular print head;
• save changes.

For Epson:

• Insert several sheets of white paper into the product;
• find the Setup button;
• select item Maintenance;
• find and press “Check print head nozzles”;
• Press “Start” button to start printing.

Note: Epson support provides excellent service and can check your tool for defects based on the type and a serial number of the printer you are using.

For Brother model:

• Press the Ink button on the control panel;
• if your tool does not have an Ink button, try finding the Menu button by scrolling the mouse wheel to the Ink option on your PC and clicking the related button;
• select Test Print from the drop-down list.

Note: Most elder devices may not have the print head nozzle test via PC printing. In this case, you must manually clean the print head nozzle because it may have become clogged with time or become unusable due to other conditions of use. 

Read also: Difference between screen printing and sublimation.

Conclusion

Many masters say that each printer has its peculiarities of operation. Sometimes additional equipment may be required. For some printers, you can easily solve the problem by cleaning the printer, while for others, you need to set the correct settings on the printer panel or call the services tab for help.

Either way, the work of a good specialist who has been repairing the printer for many years is likely to guarantee that all your printer problems will be fixed in a short time for an adequate price. The device will serve you for a long time.