If you’ve converted a printer for sublimation, you may be wondering what kind of care or attention it may need keep it running smoothly. The last thing you want is to be ready to craft, only to find streaky prints, missing colors, or worse… a full-on clog. Don’t worry with some simple maintenance tips and quick fixes we can get your printer up and running.
My Sublimation Printer Got Clogged While I Was on Maternity Leave. Here’s What I Learned
I’ll be honest—when I had my baby, sublimation was the last thing on my mind. I took a break, soaked up all the newborn cuddles, and before I knew it, weeks had passed without me printing anything. And guess what? When I finally turned my printer back on, it was not printing properly. Streaks everywhere, missing colors, total chaos. I ran a nozzle check, and sure enough, half the colors were clogged.
I tried everything,head cleanings, purge prints, even letting the printer rest for a bit—but it was stubborn. Eventually, I had to use a cleaning solution to break up the dried ink, which worked, but I learned my lesson. Now, I make sure to print at least once a week, even if I’m not actively working on a project. It takes less than a minute and saves me from dealing with clogs later.
So if you ever need to step away for a while (because, you know, life happens), set a reminder to print a color purge sheet once a week, future you will thank you!
Daily & Weekly Maintenance Tips
A sublimation printer isn’t like a regular printer that can sit for weeks without use. If you want bright, vibrant prints every time, here’s how to keep your machine happy:
1. Print Every Few Days
Sublimation ink loves to flow, and if it sits too long, it can dry up and clog the nozzles. Even if you’re not working on a project, print a color purge sheet every few days to keep the ink moving. I try to print at least once a week.
2. Use High-Quality Ink & Paper
Not all sublimation inks are created equal. Low-quality ink can lead to clogs and color inconsistencies. The same goes for paper, cheap sublimation paper can cause unnecessary buildup on your printhead.
3. Keep It Covered & Dust-Free
Dust is sneaky. It settles inside your printer and can mix with your ink, leading to printhead clogs. Cover your printer when it’s not in use and make sure your workspace stays clean. A plastic cover or even a simple towel will do the trick.
My Printer is Clogged! Now What?
So, you skipped a few days of printing (it's okay, life happens), and now your colors are streaky, or worse, one color is completely missing. Before you give up on your printer lets try to troubleshoot iy.
1. Start with a Simple Head Cleaning
Run a printhead cleaning from your printer settings (Not a deep cleaning), then print a nozzle check. If the colors are back, you’re good to go! If not, move to the next step.
2. Print a Few Purge Sheets
Sometimes, ink just needs a little push. Printing a few full-color purge sheets can help force the ink through and unclog any minor blockages.
Note: If you’re ever in a situation where you need to print purge sheets, make sure to use regular copy paper instead of sublimation paper. We don’t want to waste sublimation paper when we’re just running maintenance prints. Save the good stuff for your actual projects!
Scroll all the way down for your free Purge sheet!
3. Use a Cleaning Solution
For stubborn clogs, a cleaning solution might be your best bet. There are printhead cleaning kits designed to break down dried ink. Follow the instructions carefully, and only use a sublimation safe cleaner no random DIY mixes!
4. Let It Rest!
Sometimes, giving your printer a break for a few hours or days allows the ink to settle and flow again. If you’ve tried everything and the clog is still there try taking a break, and come back tomorrow to print more purge sheets.
Keep Your Printer Happy!
The best way to avoid clogs is to prevent them from happening in the first place. I like to print at least once a week, even if I don’t have an actual project to work on. This small habit has saved me so much frustration and wasted ink!
If your printer ever gives you trouble, go through the troubleshooting steps before jumping to extreme fixes like power cleanings. A simple nozzle check, light head cleaning, or purge print is usually all it takes to get things running smoothly again.