The printer is the one computer component that requires the most attention, though the importance of regular maintenance is often overlooked. Your printer is the single conduit between concept and creation --- the device that brings your virtual media into the physical world.

In this article I will provide tips to maximize your print quality and introduce you to regular maintenance procedures. This information is provided to assist you in consistently producing quality prints and to extend the life of your printer.

Whether you use your ink jet printer frequently or infrequently, to improve and lengthen your printer’s life it is essential to ensure that it is clean, running smoothly and is clog free. It is recommended that you clean your printer thoroughly every 6 months for optimal performance based on how often the printer is used. Also, if you have pets it is a good idea to blow the printer with compressed air from time to time as dust and hair take their toll over time.

Keep in mind that the maintenance processes consumes ink, so only perform it when necessary or swap out your ink with inexpensive cleaning cartridges to conserve your ink levels. The maintenance tools can be accessed through the printer driver or control center. Once the cycle begins it is imperative that you run the complete cycle before restarting the printer.

•Check the Nozzle: Are you experiencing a faint print quality or are certain colors failing to print? You will need to run your nozzle pattern check utility. If the printout still shows gaps you will need to clean the nozzles.

•Clean the Print Heads: If your nozzle check indicates that your print heads are clogged, it will be necessary to run the cleaning utility which removes the blockages. Occasionally it may be necessary to perform the cleaning utility more than once to remove the blockage. Also, some printers have a built in ‘deep cleaning’ option that you may need to perform.

•Align the Print Heads: If the lines and colors are out of sync or there is banding, it may be necessary to align your print heads. This can be done by choosing the ‘alignment’ option on your printer’s utility menu.

If cleaning and aligning do not solve your problem, you will have to contact the original manufacturer to assess the cost of the repair. If your printer isn’t covered by a warranty you should weigh the repair cost versus the cost of a new printer. Sometimes a new printer equipped with new cartridges is the most logical alternative.