Most people do not know how to clean a printer or when to clean a printer.  You will know it is time to clean a printer when you begin to experience dark lines, washed-out sections or lighter coloured text. With a clean printer, though, your documents will always come out legible.
It does not make any difference if the brand of the printer is an Epson, HP, or Canon - the basic cleaning process is the same. If you happen to have a larger size printer, such as one designed for advertisements on larger format materials, it’s basically the same procedure, just on a bigger scale.

If you’re cleaning a printer that gets used every day, you usually just need to give it a good rub down. The important part is not damaging the printer by applying cleaners that are intended for tougher jobs. You should avoid using cleaning chemicals such as alcohol or other harsher cleaning materials. These chemicals may cause damage to the electrical areas and cause more problems than the original dirt. Stick to light cleaning supplies, such as baby wipes or moistened, non-shedding towels. Whatever you do, avoid getting water on the inside of a printer.
When you clean a printer, start by unplugging it. Move the plug away from the printer and make certain that all the operating lights are dark.
Open the printer from the front and with a damp lint-free cloth lightly, wipe down the inside removing any dust or paper particles that have built up. If black marks tend to show up on the back of printed papers, check the inside of the printer and wipe off any excess ink. Be certain to wipe the area more than once to make sure that all the moisture is gone.

Always clean your printer cartridge. Take out all the cartridges and clean up any extra ink. Be careful not to leave any fibers around the exit ports. Remove the paper basket, and check around the legs for paper shards, dirt, and dust. A thorough printer cleaning also includes washing off the basket with a gentle detergent. To clean parts of your printer that are otherwise inaccessible you can use a cleaning cartridge.

You will also need to clean the head if the printer hasn’t been used for a while. In this case, go to your control panel and click on printers to clean your printer. The unit is able to run trouble-shooting programs, as well as get the printer heads up.

Because larger printers have more specialized uses, cleaning them requires another approach. The most important tool to have on hand is an approved vacuum system. To be sure that no damage occurs to the interior parts through static shock, the vacuum you use should be static free, and have a motor unit that is separate, and kept away from the printer.

It is especially important to clean the printer in the spring and winter. Dry winter air allows dust to accumulate. Use care so that you do not let off a static charge.

Now that you know how to clean a printer give it a good clean every clean every now and again to avoid any imperfections in your printing.