Common Problems with Printers and Cheap Printer Cartridges

Cheap printer cartridges work smoothly most of the time. But at one point or another, your printer might no longer run and function just as how you expect it to. 

Paper jams are not the only problems that can leave you frustrated with your printer. Streaky or smudged images, blurry text, and other similar ink issues can quickly ruin your print job, or worse, it might even render the task impossible. 

But would you believe that under-usage is the culprit behind these issues most of the time? The ink nozzle will clog and the ink will dry up if you don’t use your printer regularly. To prevent these problems, it is recommended that you print a test page once every week. 

However, if it still doesn’t fix your printer problems, several troubleshooting tips can help you get back on track to getting clean and flawless printouts before you even know it. Take a look at some of the most common problems with printers and printer cartridges and how you can fix them:

Flecks of Color on Black and White Images

Most models of printers right now use a combination of colors to produce the perfect balance of grey, black, and white. It means that it can be rather common to notice some traces of colors even in black-and-white images. However, this can still be a bit annoying. 

Specks of color in your black and gray printouts are often the result of blocked or clogged cartridge heads or printer nozzles. The best thing to do to address this issue is to take out the ink cartridge first. Use a damp soft cloth to wipe the head. if the printer has a printer head or nozzle cleaning function, make sure you also run it.  

Blurry-Looking Printed Texts

Several problems can make your printed texts look blurry when using cheap printer cartridges. However, the most common culprit is blocked or clogged cartridge heads. Just like with the first problem, all you have to do is take out the ink cartridge and then use a damp clean cloth to wipe the cartridge head. 

However, if it fails to do the trick and the problem persists, your next best option is to check the ink levels to make sure that you still have sufficient ink. Refer to the manual for your printer to know the directions on how to align the print head position. Lastly, check the printer drivers and ensure they are also updated. 

Leaky Cheap Printer Cartridges

You might have a serious mess on your hands if your ink cartridge is leaky. Your printer might be smearing ink, printing blotchy pages, or jamming. Leaky printer ink cartridges might be the result of a poor seal or overfilled cartridges. You might need to grab a syringe to get rid of overfill if you bought refilled cartridges or you refilled the ink manually. 

Leaks can also occur because of a poor seal. Here are the steps to follow to fix this problem:

1. Take out the ink cartridge. Make sure that you hold it level to prevent the ink from spilling further.
2. Use a clean cloth to wipe down the cartridge and clean the contact point inside the printer. Several wipes might be necessary so you can completely get rid of all the spilled ink. 
3. Next, press the tape seal found on the cartridge head. Gently squeeze the printer cartridge to check if the seal is already in place. 
4. Put the cartridge back and gently press down until it snaps into its proper position. 

The Colors on the Screen and the Printed Colors Don’t Match

The file on the computer looks great. However, the moment the printed image went out, you notice that the colors were starkly different from what you see on the screen. What could be the reason for this?

One possible reason is that one of the ink colors you are using already run out, causing the colors to look off. Make sure you check the ink levels to confirm that this is not the problem.

Another common reason is that the monitor uses different settings in terms of color. It means that unless you spend money and time calibrating your motor correctly, the colors won’t match that well at all. 

The good news is that there are several things you can do to make the colors and the printed colors match closely with each other as much as possible. These include the following:

• Always use top-quality paper. The specific type of paper you use when printing can affect the appearance of the printed colors. For instance, colors may appear more saturated on glossy paper. 
• Use Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key or CMYK colors on your computer every time you design something instead of Red, Green, Blue, or RBG. Printers and cheap printer cartridges use CMYK as their color settings so that the printed version will look closer to what you see on your monitor. 

Ink Cartridge Not Recognized by the Printer

If you recently bought printer cartridges but your printer doesn’t recognize them, you can take a few steps to address the problem. You can verify first if you bought an approved cartridge. Other printers may only accept OEM or original equipment manufacturer cartridges. 

Put the old cartridge back to check if the printer still recognizes it. The problem might be with your printer if it fails to recognize the old cartridge. Take out the cartridge first and unplug your printer. Plug the printer back in after 10 to 15 minutes and put in the new cartridge. 

Smudged or Streaky Printed Pages 

Clogged or blocked cheap printer cartridges may result in smudged or streaky pages. If the cartridge is fully clogged, no printing may occur at all. Partially clogged cartridges, on the other hand, can cause smudges, streaks, or skips. It often happens if you remove an open ink cartridge from the printer and it gets exposed to air. It might also occur if you don’t use your printer for a few weeks. 

Refer to the cartridge or printer manual for directions on cleaning the heads. You can remove the cartridge from the printer and use a soft clean cloth to wipe the head. Rinse the cartridge head with distilled water, wipe it dry, and install it again.