Imagine you’re working late and need to print an important document, but you start noticing missing lines or streaks on the paper or even smudged portions. All of which can be very frustrating and annoying at such a crucial moment.
If you notice this happening and want to remove these lines and get a proper print job done, it is necessary to understand why streaks appear on your papers.
As there can be several reasons for this happening, we will take you through all the necessary details you need to know regarding streaks appearing on your printed document and how to deal with them.
What Are Streaks?
Streaks are when you notice smudges or lines on the document you printed. Usually, you will see that the print quality could be better.
For example, once the print is out, you will notice faded areas on text or pictures, lines, and the alignment of the text is not straight, and sometimes you may even see the wrong colours printed.
Why Are Streaks Appearing?
There are a few reasons why your printer is printing streaks. The reasons differ between different models of printers. The usual reasons can be ink cartridge problems, printer head issues, or sometimes even incorrect print settings.
How to Eliminate Streaks?
Here are a few tips you can consider to eliminate streaks on your paper.
Inkjet Printer
As the name suggests, an inkjet printer uses ink—the machine prints images or text by spraying thousands of ink drops onto the paper.
Inkjet printers are popular among small businesses and a lot of households.
Here are a few points you should consider if your inkjet printer is printing streaks on your paper or page.
Ink Levels
The ink levels should be accurate. If there is a problem with the ink level in the cartridges, streaks will begin to appear on your page.
How to Check Ink Levels?
You can run an ink level check through your printer control. Through this, you can see how much printer ink is left. If there is very little ink, you must change the cartridges and dispose of them responsibly.
In case you have cartridges that you can refill, you must physically assess the ink levels and do this, you need to remove the cartridge and check the levels.
If you need to replace your cartridges, you can contact Boomerang TCR Qld and purchase new ones.
Old Ink Cartridges
Another thing to do is check the expiration date of your ink cartridge, as old, out-of-date cartridges can lead to lines and streaks on your paper.
Check CISS
If the ink levels are accurate in the inkjet cartridge, but lines still appear on your paper, you must check if the air is getting into the ink-supplying tube.
You will find instructions in the user manual provided to remove air from the CISS of your printer. If you notice that the tube or ribbon is blocked with dried ink, you must clean or change it.
You should also check the height and location of your cartridges.
Print Head Problems
Problems with the printhead can occur when you did not use your printer for a long time.
What Is a Print Head?
A printhead is the main component of an inkjet printer as it applies ink on the page. It houses all the ink cartridges, and the print heads must work properly. Some printers have one print head, whereas some have two. Printers with two printheads have one for coloured ink and the other for black.
Some printers have separate printheads for each ink cartridge.
How to Solve Print Head Problems?
There are a few methods through which you can solve printhead issues, such as cleaning the printhead and nozzles or rinsing this part.
- You can clean the print head by selecting “Print Head Cleaning.” from the printer control.
- You must check on the nozzle. You can check through the services tab. You can even clean the nozzle.
- If you have a dual-cartridge printer, rinse the print head according to the instructions given in the manual.
There might be cases where you have to clean it with the service fluid. In those situations, ensure that you follow the steps carefully.
Print a test page to see if the cleaning process worked.
If you are having trouble with cleaning, you can contact the Boomerang TCR Qld team to help you.
Laser Printer
A laser printer uses a process called electrostatic digital printing. The print produced by laser printers is of high quality.
You will notice different prints forming on your text or image with a laser printer. Here are a few steps you can follow for different instances.
Leaky Cartridge
When a toner cartridge leaks, you will notice stripes on your print. Remove the one leaking and check if there are any toner spills. Once you check, ensure that all the rubber bands are in the right place.
Problems with the Toner Cartridges
When your toner cartridge is not filled correctly, you will notice small dotted strips.
These dotted strips also occur when the reservoir of the waster tonner is blocked or clogged and when the installation of the metering blade is improper.
If you notice these, ensure that you refill the toner cartridge, install the blade properly and clean the reservoir.
An Over Flowing Toner Tank
When there is an overflow, you will see dark lines spaced equally from one another on the printed documents. In this scenario, you must correct it and ensure there is no overflow.
Even after the correction, if you face the same issue, there must be a problem with the parts in the printer. You can contact Boomerang TCR Qld and get the issue sorted.
Problem with the Drum Unit
Wavy dark stripes print on the edge when a drum unit wears out. In this situation, you have to get your drum unit changed.
Tonner Running Out or Shaft Problem
If something falls in the cartridge shaft or the toner runs out, you will notice lines that are constantly printed on different parts of the document or paper.
In these cases, the toner level should be accurate or check if any object has fallen in the shaft.
With laser printers, streaks occur when there is an issue with the toner. If you notice the above issues on your prints, then take care immediately before it worsens.
Points to Remember
- Check for the ink and toner levels.
- Clean the necessary parts while following the user manual.
- Install the right and new cartridge when needed.
- Ensure there is a clean print head
- At times, it is good to clean your printer with a lint-free cloth near the shaft area.
Streaks can be annoying but remember that it is not hard to get rid of them. Before you take steps to remove the smudges or lines, it is essential to know what type of printer you have and the manufacturer.
Knowing about the printer will help you deal with problems in a better manner. It is vital to save the user manual because the instructions will help you solve your problems properly.
Conclusion
If you have any issues with your printer, you can always contact Boomerang TCR Qld and get your problem resolved.
