how to clean the inside of an epson 880 photo printer

[smokeone]

put my beloved Epson 880 photo printer in storage for a year. Now it won't work on the same laptop. It thinks it's printing but it's not. This is my second 880 so I know what to do, but this time I don't. Help..

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

If you intend to put an inkjet printer into storage you must remove all the cartridges and either seal them or bin them, then remove the printer's printhead and soak it in warm, soapy water to flush out all the residual ink from the printhead nozzles. Then let it dry thoroughly and put it back.

If you didn't do any of that, the cartridges will have dried up. They can be replaced, but the printhead will also have become severely blocked with dried-up ink, and replacing that will cost almost as much as a whole new printer.

You can try cleaning the printhead now as described above, but I fear it may be too late for that. An inkjet printer has to be used every week, it's not designed to withstand being stored away for even six months, let alone a year.

You will have to start looking at some new printers, or even ask yourself if you really need that type of printer. A monochrome or colour laser printer may meet your needs, and it won't get blocked up because it doesn't use liquid ink.