Among the components of a PC system, the printer is the last in the list of parts for upgrade and even for cleaning. This, however, should not be the case. Without a printer, one cannot produce hard copies of important documents.

While printers do not generally bog down (not as often as one's operating system or cd player), it is still important that people take care of their printers. Unlike personal computers that undergo constant upgrading, printers can be used for years. New printers in the market have basically the same function. Often, the difference lies in the speed, which will only be a point of contention if the printer is used at the office.

To help you keep your printer in tip-top shape even after several years of use, here are some tips that you can follow:

Use the prescribed paper

As it will be mighty expensive to actually purchase the specialized papers that each brand of printer recommends, most people do not actually use them especially with extremely tight budgets. Often, consumers will settle on alternative papers that have more or less similar thickness. Sticking close to the prescribed paper will prevent paper jams and smooth paper feeds during printing jobs. It is also important to note that the quality of the paper can also affect ink consumption. Thin and adsorbent papers will generally use up more ink compared to thick ones.

Another big no-no in using your printer is to feed in crumpled paper. Crumpled paper often results in paper jams that may eventually affect the printer's performance besides being a tad inconvenient. Scratch papers are also discouraged. Because they have already been used before, scratch papers will not be as crisp as new paper. Another worry is that people often forget to remove staples wires scratch papers before feeding them in the paper tray.

Clean the cartridge

Excess inks during printing jobs settle at the cartridge, thereby affecting the print quality of the printer. This will often result to smudges and dirty prints. To get rid of this ink problem, it is important that you occasionally conduct cartridge cleaning. Your printer comes with a software that will help you through the process. Some, in fact, will even remind you of a scheduled cleaning in case you forget.

For instance, with HP printers, cartridge inkjet cleaning involves printing a one pager of nothing but ink. Using all four colors, cyan, magenta, yellow and black, the procedure removes hardened blocks of ink that have settled at the bottom of the cartridge.

Clean the inside of the printer

Blowing out the dust with pressurized air canisters made for this function is especially useful to extend the life of your printer. Dust and dirt will settle in even if your computer unit is ensconced in an air-conditioned room. When neglected, dirt can affect print quality and the flow of printing jobs.

Following these tips can extend the life of your printer by many months, if not years!

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