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Cleaning the Print Heads

The print head cleaning and deep cleaning functions allow you to clear up clogged print head nozzle. Perform print head cleaning if printing is faint or a specific color fails to print, even though there is enough ink.
If you perform deep cleaning and the condition still does not improve, perform system cleaning.

The procedure for cleaning is as follows:

Cleaning

  1. Select Cleaning from the pop-up menu on the Canon IJ Printer Utility2

  2. Click the Cleaning icon

    When the dialog opens, select the ink group for which cleaning is to be performed.

    Before running Cleaning, check that the printer power is on.
    Then check the following item:

  3. Execute cleaning

    Make sure that the printer is on and then click OK.

    Print head cleaning starts.

  4. Complete cleaning

    Next, the message for nozzle check pattern printing is displayed.

  5. Check the results

    To check whether the print quality has improved, click Print Check Pattern. To cancel the check process, click Cancel.

    If cleaning the head once does not resolve the print head problem, clean it once more.

Important

  • Cleaning consumes a small amount of ink.
    Cleaning the print head frequently will rapidly deplete your printer's ink supply. Consequently, perform cleaning only when necessary.

Deep Cleaning

Deep Cleaning is more thorough than cleaning. Perform deep cleaning when two Cleaning attempts do not resolve the print head problem.

  1. Select Cleaning from the pop-up menu on the Canon IJ Printer Utility2

  2. Click the Deep Cleaning icon

    When the dialog opens, select the ink group for which deep cleaning is to be performed.

    Before running Deep Cleaning, check that the printer power is on.
    Then check the following item:

  3. Execute deep cleaning

    Make sure that the printer is on and then click OK.
    Click OK when the confirmation message appears.

    Print head deep cleaning starts.

  4. Complete deep cleaning

    Next, the message for nozzle check pattern printing is displayed.

  5. Check the results

    To check whether the print quality has improved, click Print Check Pattern. To cancel the check process, click Cancel.

Important

  • Deep Cleaning consumes a larger amount of ink than Cleaning.
    Cleaning the print head frequently will rapidly deplete your printer's ink supply. Consequently, perform cleaning only when necessary.

System Cleaning

Execute System Cleaning if the status does not improve even after Deep Cleaning is performed.

  1. Select Cleaning from the pop-up menu on the Canon IJ Printer Utility2

  2. Click the System Cleaning icon

    When the dialog opens, select the ink group for which system cleaning is to be performed.

    Before running System Cleaning, check that the printer power is on.
    Then check the following items:

    • When you ran Nozzle Check, were there areas where the print was smeared or unprinted areas?
    • Did the condition not improve even after Deep Cleaning was run?
    • Are the remaining ink levels insufficient?
      • Visually check whether the remaining ink levels are insufficient.
        If System Cleaning is run when the remaining ink levels are insufficient, it may trigger a failure.
      • If you selected All Colors or Black for Ink Group, check that all remaining ink levels are at least at the single dot position indicated on the ink tanks. (The color inks are consumed even if Black was selected.)
        If you selected Color, check that the remaining ink levels for all color inks are at least at the single dot position indicated on the ink tanks.
      • If the remaining ink level is below the single dot, refill the ink to the position of the single dot.

  3. Execute system cleaning

    Make sure that the printer is on and then click OK.
    Click OK when the confirmation message appears.

    System cleaning starts.

  4. Complete system cleaning

    Next, the message for nozzle check pattern printing is displayed.

  5. Check the results

    To check whether the print quality has improved, click Print Check Pattern. To cancel the check process, click Cancel.

Important

  • System Cleaning consumes an extremely large amount of ink.
    Executing system cleaning frequently will rapidly deplete your printer's ink supply. Therefore, execute system cleaning only when necessary.
  • If System Cleaning is run when the remaining ink level is insufficient, it may cause a failure.
    Be sure to check the remaining ink level before running System Cleaning.

Note

  • If there is no sign of improvement after System Cleaning, the ink may have run out or the print head may be worn. For details on the remedial action to be taken, see "No Ink Comes Out."