{"id":7863,"date":"2019-08-23T22:34:17","date_gmt":"2019-08-23T22:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ldproducts.com\/blog\/?p=7863"},"modified":"2026-09-30T18:21:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:21:02","slug":"how-to-clean-an-hp-printhead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ldproducts.com\/blog\/how-to-clean-an-hp-printhead\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Clean an HP Printhead (Menu, HP smart, Manual)"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Learn how to clean your HP printhead so you can keep your cartridges and printer running longer.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

HP printheads clog periodically as small amounts of ink or dust dry up and collect in the nozzle. Faint, streaky or spotty prints are all common signs of a clog but a simple cleaning can usually get your HP ink cartridges working again. Printheads clog due to infrequent cartridge use. If you regularly go a few weeks without printing, your cartridges will eventually dry out and need to be replaced. Cleaning the printhead can prolong your cartridge life and hopefully delay that replacement cartridge purchase! In this guide we’ll explain how HP printheads work and show you the best way to keep them clean.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n

Quick answer:<\/strong> To clean an HP printhead, open the HP Smart app, select your printer, and choose Print Quality Tools > Clean Printhead, or use Tools or Printer Maintenance in the printer’s Setup menu. Check the test page, and run the second- and third-level cleanings only if needed. If streaks remain, clean the printhead manually or replace the cartridge.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n

What is a printhead?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The printhead is a printer component that helps transfer ink onto the page. It does this by firing tiny droplets of ink via numerous printer nozzles to create a desired print. When one of these nozzles gets clogged your prints appear faded or streaky.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"LD<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What are the types of HP printheads?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Printheads can either be a part of the printer cartridge or built into the printer \u2013 it all depends on which HP printer you own.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Type 1: Printheads that are built into the cartridge<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Printer cartridges with a built-in printhead are called integrated printer cartridges. With this type, the nozzle plate (printhead) is built into the side of the cartridge. Every time you replace one of these printer cartridges you are also replacing the printhead, so if you are having a hard time with a particularly streaky cartridge, swapping it out with a brand new cartridge<\/a> will usually solve your print quality problem. HP only sells integrated printer cartridges in black and tri-color and they are often used in cheaper Deskjet and ENVY printer models like the Deskjet 1112 or the ENVY 7855.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"HP<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Integrated ink cartridge examples:<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

HP 61<\/a> series, HP 62<\/a> series, HP 63<\/a> series, HP 64<\/a> series, HP 65<\/a> series and HP 67<\/a> series<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Type 2: Printheads that are built into the printer<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

HP printheads that are built into the printer use individual ink cartridges to create a print. The nozzle plate (printhead) for these types of cartridges is included in the printer and the cartridges install into that printhead to create a print. These kinds of printheads require replacement after long term use \u2013 however, since replacement printheads can be expensive and hard to find, it is usually cheaper to just buy a new printer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"HP<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\"HP<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Individual ink cartridge examples:<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

HP 902<\/a> series, HP 952<\/a> series, HP 910<\/a> series, HP 962<\/a> series<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"Best<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n

How to automatically clean an HP printhead<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The easiest way to resolve your print quality issue is by running a cleaning cycle. On printers with a touchscreen, tap Setup (gear icon), then Tools or Printer Maintenance, and select Clean Printhead. You can also run it from the HP Smart app: select your printer, then choose Print Quality Tools > Clean Printhead. Menu names vary slightly by model, so check your printer manual if you don’t see these options.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"HP<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Each cleaning takes a minute or two, uses some ink, and prints a test page when it’s done. If the test page looks good, you can continue printing. If not, many HP printers offer a second- and third-level cleaning, which are more thorough. If a badly clogged printhead still isn’t printing well, wait at least 30 minutes before cleaning again (per HP Support<\/a>). If you still aren’t getting quality prints after that, move on to our manual cleaning instructions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n

How to manually clean an HP printhead<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Before we continue, you need to know that some HP inkjet printers come with a built-in printhead separate<\/em> from the ink cartridges, and there are also some HP inkjet printers with printheads built into<\/em> the individual ink cartridges.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Cleaning printheads built into the printer<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Manually cleaning a printhead that is built in to your printer takes a bit more work. The steps below are for HP printers that have a removable printhead, like the HP OfficeJet 8710. You can also use this method on non-HP printers with printheads built into the printer.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Required supplies: a plastic container, a couple of dry paper towels, a lint-free cloth and warm distilled water.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \r\n
  1. Fold the dry paper towel into quarters and place it in the plastic container<\/li>\r\n
  2. Pour about two inches of warm distilled water on top of the paper towel so that it is completely submerged<\/li>\r\n
  3. Open up the printer and remove all of the ink cartridges from the machine<\/li>\r\n
  4. Set the cartridges aside on a separate paper towel while you continue the printhead cleaning process. Make sure the cartridges are facing up on the paper towel.<\/li>\r\n
  5. Lift up on the gray latch behind the cartridge carriage that holds the cartridges. This will release the printhead from the printer.<\/li>\r\n
  6. Pull the printhead up and out to remove it from the machine.<\/li>\r\n
  7. Dampen the lint-free cloth with warm distilled water.<\/li>\r\n
  8. Gently wipe away any excess ink on the printhead nozzle.<\/li>\r\n
  9. Place the printhead in the container with the submerged paper towels. The nozzle should be facing down. Be careful not to touch the nozzle as it can be damaged easily.<\/li>\r\n
  10. Let the printhead soak for about ten minutes. Then remove it from the container and set it on a dry paper towel to dry for fifteen minutes. The nozzle should be facing up.<\/li>\r\n
  11. Reinstall the printhead back into the printer. Don\u2019t forget to secure the latch! Then reinstall the cartridges and run the cleaning function on the machine again.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Cleaning printheads built into ink cartridges<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    If your printer uses cartridges with an integrated printhead, you can try the \u201cpaper towel method\u201d to resolve your print quality issue.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Required supplies: A warm, damp paper towel and a dry paper towel<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n