Best Way To Prevent Clogging

[AlanRab]

I own an Epson Stylus Photo 890 inkjet printer which I use very infrequently
(average usage is once every two months). It always clogs before I need to
use it, per the nozzle check utility. The cleaning utility sometimes makes
it worse.

I have been successful in unclogging the print heads by first removing the
black and color ink cartridges, then, using an eyedropper, placing a drop of
water over each cone-shaped opening (one for each color) in the ink
carriage. It takes several tries, but that ususally works. That is not the
issue here in this post.

How can I prevent this continual clogging? I turn the printer on once a
month, whereby it runs through a "mini-cleaning" routine, but that doesn't
seem to be enough preventive medicine for my use.

Question: After any print job, would I be best off if I removed the ink
cartridges from the printer and stored them in a plastic bag? Would that
help prevent clogging?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Greg Rausch]

Try printing a nozzle check once a week or more often if you can. What ever
you do DON'T remove the cartriages.

Regards,
Greg

 

[DaveC]

How can I prevent this continual clogging? I turn the printer on once a
month, whereby it runs through a "mini-cleaning" routine, but that doesn't
seem to be enough preventive medicine for my use.

What inks are you using? Epson-brand? Some people's experience is that
non-Epson brand inks clog more easily.

 

[Safetymom123]

Leave the cartridges in the printer. Run a cleaning cycle before you turn
it off using the power button on the printer. Then when you turn it on run
another cleaning cycle in addtition to the automatic one the printer will
run.

 

[AlanRab]

I'm using genuine, expensive Epson ink cartridges (T-008)

 

[AlanRab]

If you truly mean use the cleaning cycle, rather than the nozzle check
utility each time as you describe below, I would use up all the ink doing
that! Epson's cleaning cycle uses a LOT of ink. I'd rather use my tedious
waterdropper method to clean, but it is a pain.

 

[Safetymom123]

You asked for suggestions. That is one that is recommended. It doesn't use
that much ink when running a cleaning cycle.