How to Clean a Printer: A Simple Maintenance Routine

When this guide applies

• Paper misfeeds, feeds several sheets at once or jams often.
• Copies and scans have lines or marks.
• The printer is dusty, or toner or ink has spilled inside.
• You want a simple routine to keep the printer in good condition.

Possible causes

Dust and paper fibres

Paper sheds fine dust that builds up on rollers and inside the printer.

Ink or toner residue

Small amounts of ink mist or loose toner can collect inside and transfer to pages.

Dirty scanner glass

Fingerprints, dust and correction fluid cause marks on copies and scans.

Worn or glazed rollers

Rollers lose grip as they collect dust or wear, causing feed problems.

1. Clean the outside

1. Wipe the case

   With the printer unplugged, wipe the outside with a soft cloth lightly dampened with water. Wring the cloth out well so no water drips. Dry with a second cloth.

2. Clean the control panel

   Wipe the screen and buttons gently with a dry or barely damp microfibre cloth. Avoid pressing hard on touchscreens.

3. Clear paper trays and vents

   Remove paper, wipe out dust from the trays and check that ventilation openings are not blocked by dust or objects.

2. Clean the scanner glass and lid

1. Wipe the flatbed glass

   Lightly dampen a lint-free cloth with water, or a non-abrasive glass cleaner if your manual permits it, and wipe the glass. Dry it immediately so no streaks remain.

2. Clean the ADF strip

   If your printer has an automatic document feeder (ADF), clean the narrow glass strip it scans across and the white strip above it. Dirt here is a common cause of lines on copies.

3. Wipe the lid backing

   Clean the white backing on the underside of the lid, which can pick up marks from originals.

3. Clean the paper feed rollers

Many printers have a built-in roller-cleaning or paper-feed-cleaning function in their maintenance menu. Use that first if it is available.

1. Find the rollers

   Feed rollers are usually rubber wheels visible when the paper tray is removed, or behind a rear access door. Your manual shows where they are on your model.

2. Wipe them gently

   With the printer off and unplugged, wipe each roller with a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with water. Turn the roller by hand if it moves freely, so you can clean all the way round. Let it dry before printing.

3. Test the feed

   Reload paper and print a few pages to check that sheets feed straight and one at a time.

4. Clean the inside carefully

1. Remove loose paper bits

   Open the access covers and remove any paper scraps or debris you can reach easily. See our paper jam guide for where to look.

2. Inkjet interiors

   Wipe away visible ink only from surfaces the manual says can be cleaned, using a dry or slightly damp cloth. Do not wipe the printhead nozzles, the area where the printhead rests, or internal sponges.

3. Laser interiors

   When replacing toner, you can gently wipe loose toner from the cartridge area with a dry, lint-free cloth if your manual allows it. For larger spills, follow the manufacturer’s guidance; specialised toner vacuums exist for this purpose.

5. Parts you should not touch

1. The encoder strip (inkjets)

   A thin clear plastic strip runs along the length of many inkjet printers. The printer uses it to track the position of the printhead. Touching or smearing it can cause printing errors.

2. The drum (lasers)

   The drum’s light-sensitive surface is easily damaged by fingerprints, scratches and bright light.

3. The fuser (lasers)

   The fuser gets very hot and is not designed to be cleaned by owners on most models.

4. Electrical contacts and nozzles

   Cartridge contacts, printhead nozzles and circuit boards should not be touched or wiped unless the manual describes it.

6. A simple maintenance routine and quality settings

1. Weekly (inkjet printers)

   Print a page that uses all colours if you have not printed recently, to help keep nozzles from drying out.

2. Monthly

   Wipe the exterior and scanner glass. Check paper is stored flat and dry. Print a nozzle check or test page and act on any problems early.

3. Every few months

   Clean the feed rollers, remove dust from trays and vents, and check for firmware updates through the printer’s official update option or the manufacturer’s official software.

4. Settings that improve print quality

   Choose the paper type that matches the paper loaded, use standard or high quality rather than draft for important documents and photos, and run printhead alignment after changing cartridges. If you see lines or bands, see how to fix printer streaks.

If it still isn’t working

Use built-in maintenance functions. Many printers have cleaning pages, roller cleaning, nozzle checks and alignment in their menus or companion apps. These are designed for your model and are usually the safest option.

Check the manual for your model. Cleaning instructions vary. If you no longer have the manual, find it on the manufacturer’s official website.

Stop if you find damage. If cleaning reveals broken parts, leaking ink or persistent error messages, check the manufacturer’s official support resources or your warranty.

Frequently asked questions