Choose the option Printers and Scanners.

Click the Apple Menu in your computer and select System Preferences.

Load your printer's paper tray with A4 paper.

Under the General tab, click Print Test Page.

The Devices and Printers window will show up.

Click the option Devices and Printers that will appear.

In your Windows' Search Box, type Devices and Printers.

You can print a test page to check for smearing or blotting. Close the printer's inner compartment door. Properly install the ink cartridges back into the carriage and plug the printer. Wipe with a dry lint-free cloth and let it air dry for 5-10 minutes. Use the cotton swabs to clean stubborn hard spots and clogs if needed. Wipe the ink spills off carriage first with the damp lint-free cloth.

Properly remove the ink cartridges and set them aside on paper towels or on a dry lint-free cloth. Moving the cartridge carrier to the middle puts it in the optimal position to be cleaned. Unplugging the printer prevents potential electric shocks. Wait for the cartridge carriage to slide to the middle of the machine then unplug the power cord. With the printer on, open the printer's inner compartment. You can also soak a few cotton swabs for hard-to-reach areas. Soak a lint-free cloth with distilled water and squeeze out the excess. Tools You'll Needĭistilled water removes more impurities than tap water. How to clean a printer from ink spills is simple with the instructions below. The longer spilled ink stays in the cartridge carriage, the dryer it gets and the harder it makes to clean it off. Spilled ink and leaks in the printer's cartridge carriage can cause smears in your documents.

TROUBLESHOOT: How to Clean a Printer after Spilled Ink or Leaks?

Ink cartridge test page