Introduction
Do you have smudges and streaks in your Windows 7 print outs? If you do then this guide will show you how to solve them. You have to go to your Maintenance Menu Tab in your Printing Preferences and perform several maintenance functions. These functions include:
- Cleaning
- Deep Cleaning
- Print Head Alignment
8 Steps to Enter the Maintenance Menu Tab
- 1. Left Click the Start button
- 2. Left Click Devices and Printers
- 3. Go to Printers and Faxes
- 4. Go to your default printer, earmarked with a green check mark
- 5. Left Click default to select it
- 6. Right Click on your default printer
- 7. Left Click Printing Preferences
- 8. Left Click on the Maintenance tab
Smudges
If your words are smudged or you can’t read certain text in your document, then it’s time to do a cleaning. You start with a basic cleaning that will help remedy this situation.
Cleaning
Go to your Maintenance Menu and Click Cleaning; this is ideal if you got smudges or lines in your print outs. Do this up to three times, and then perform a Nozzle Check.
Nozzle Check
Click Nozzle Check. Now you will print out a visual of all the ink levels, and a criss-cross pattern of the black ink. Follow the onscreen instructions. Nozzle Check prints a display that shows if there is any blurring or smudging, or streaking in the document. You will perform this test regularly to see improvements in printing after you have performed cleaning, deep cleaning, or print head alignments.
Streaks
The streaks in your print outs indicate a problem with the print head alignment. The streaks may be jagged and manifest as vertical or horizontal lines. So the next step is to Click Print Head Alignment.
Print Head Alignment
You will print out a pattern of columns. It will then ask you if the patterns printed out normally and if there’re no patterns or if they’re blurred. If the last two questions are true, start from the beginning. If they’re normal patterns and not blurred -then you have passed. Next you will proceed to check if there’re white streaks in your columns.
The White Streak Test
Now you type the number of the columns on the pattern page that has the least white vertical and horizontal streaks. After you have entered the numbers your print head alignment is complete.
Deep Cleaning
The deep cleaning is used to unclog your printer. If your prints are too light, or contain white spots and horizontal lines your printer is clogged. Click Deep Cleaning and the printer will automatically start to perform it. Do up to three deep cleanings before doing another Nozzle Check.
Summary
After all those steps have been performed your printer should print clear, colorful, printouts, with all four colors, and with not streaks and smudges.
