1. When refilling an ink cartridge, set it up first to do it over some old newspapers or a rag like an old shirt. Cloth is preferred because it expediently picks up excess ink.
2. Washing off ink stains can be done with soap and water. If that fails, try using a more abrasive cleaner like nail polish remover or a bleach mixture. Hairspray can also work.
3. Give the cartridge time to re-stabilize its internal pressure before you try to use it. Some cartridges require the use of a plastic squeeze bottle to blow air into the fill hole and raise the air pressure. Other cartridges will self-stabilize after a short time if you just allow them to sit. You should receive precise with your ink refill kit.
4. Don’t hold off too long to refill your ink cartridge after it goes dry. The dried out cartridge will get clogged at the micro-holes near the printer head outlet. This will disallow the ink from escaping, and disallow your ink cartridge from working. If you refill a cartridge before you need it, keep it in a plastic bag like a Ziploc to stop atmospheric conditions from messing with it. As little as 20 minutes out may cause an ink cartridge to dry out and its outlet holes to stick, so plan accordingly.
5. Always regard all procedural instructions printed with the refill kit. Don’t attempt to cut any corners or save time on any steps. Refilling ink is a very tricky and step-based, so just follow the instructions to the letter.
6. When refilling multi-color cartridges, take great care not to let any of the reservoirs to run over or mix. This will cause dirty looking or muddy colored prints to be produced when you try to use the printer.
7. Don’t be worried if the ink dribbles out a little bit after you finish refilling. The outlet holes have to be unblocked in order for the cartridge to function, so ink leaking from those holes just means they are clear and working. If it’s leaking quite significant amount, you have an actual problem of course.
8. Some printer cartridges have chips on the outside that let the printer to detect the cartridge as full and try to use it. When the cartridge ran low on ink, the chip was ‘tripped’ and the printer stopped using the ink cartridge. For some cartridges (Epson particularly) you will have to re-set this chip so the printer will recognize your ink cartridge as full again and be able to use it. These steps should ensure your next ink re-filling attempts go smoothly and without a hitch. Good luck!
Tony Fliven is a blogging and printer enthusiast from Atlanta, GA. In his spare time, he likes to start websites, cook and blog about ink refills for printers.
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