How To Clean Printer cartridge contacts

You may need to clean HP printer cartridge contacts if the power light is blinking, after installing a print cartridge, and the printer will not print due to clogged cartridge contact or one of the following messages may also display on the computer:
* Incorrect print cartridge'
* 'Print Cartridge is in the wrong slot'
* 'Print cartridge problem'

How To Clean Printer cartridge contacts

1. Gather the following items to clean the cartridge and carriage:

2. Listed below.

* Clean distilled water. Use bottled or filtered water if distilled water is not available. Tap water can contain contaminants that damage the cartridge.

* Clean cotton swabs or any soft, lint-free material that will not stick to the cartridges (coffee filters work well).

* Sheets of paper or a paper towel to rest the cartridge on during cleaning.

3. Open the product cover and wait until the carriage is idle and silent.

4.Remove the cartridge and place it on a piece of paper with the nozzle plate facing up.
NOTE:Clean the contacts quickly so that the cartridge is not outside of the product for more than 30 minutes. If the cartridge is outside of the product for too long, the ink can dry and clog the nozzles.

5.Unplug the product from the electrical outlet.

6. Dip a swab in the clean water and squeeze it to remove most of the moisture. The swab should be only slightly damp.

7.Clean the cartridge contacts.

CAUTION:Do not touch the ink nozzles.

Figure 4: Cartridge contacts
cartilige contacts location
8.Clean the contacts in the carriage, inside the product.


Figure 5: Carriage contacts
Printer contacts location

9.Either let the cartridge sit for 10 minutes to allow the cleaned area to dry, or use a new swab to dry it.

10. Reinstall the cartridge.

11. Reconnect the product to the electrical outlet.

12. Close the product cover.