24 Cleaning the Print Head
Cleaning the Print Head
If print quality has declined and the nozzle check indicates clogged nozzles, you can clean 
the print head. Print head cleaning uses ink, so clean it only if necessary.
Note: You cannot clean the print head if an ink cartridge is expended, and may not be 
able to clean it when a cartridge is low. You must replace the cartridge first (see 
page 26).
1. Press   if necessary, then press l or r, select Setup, and press OK.
2. Select 
Maintenance, then Head Cleaning.
3. When you see the first screen, press OK, then choose the ink set you want to clean.
Tip: Use the nozzle check pattern to determine which colors need cleaning. You 
can save ink by cleaning only selected colors.
Cleaning takes a few minutes. When it’s finished, you see a message on the LCD 
screen.
Caution: Never turn off the product during head cleaning or you may damage it.
4. Select Print Nozzle Check Pattern. Then press one of the x buttons to print the 
nozzle check and confirm that the print head is clean.
Note: If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning the print head four times, leave 
the product on and wait at least six hours to let any dried ink soften. Then try cleaning 
the print head again. If quality does not improve, one of the ink cartridges may need to 
be replaced. If that doesn’t help, contact Epson as described on page 35.
If you do not use your product often, it is a good idea to print a few pages at least once 
a month to maintain good print quality.
Cindy_FG_QG.book  Page 24  Thursday, February 14, 2013  11:41 AM