It isn’t uncommon for people with inkjet printers to be aware that their ink cartridges can dry out for a number of different reasons, however, when it comes to laser printers and toner cartridges, many don’t realise that they can ‘dry out’ too. Whilst they won’t necessarily dry out in the same way that ink does, just because these cartridges are filled with a dry fine powder rather than liquid ink doesn’t mean that they will last forever.
When you’re new to using a laser printer and toner cartridges, no matter how frequently you tend to print things or how many cartridges you purchase at once, it is always beneficial to be aware of the common reasons why they ‘dry out’. Whilst some of these reasons will be similar to what causes problems with ink cartridges, there are some additional reasons to be aware of too, so keep reading today to find out more in this regard.
You’re not storing additional cartridges correctly
Even though there will likely be an ‘expiration date’ on a toner cartridge box, this date is much more flexible than the date on an ink cartridge box and a cartridge can be used past this date if it has been stored correctly. But, unfortunately, many who stock up on toner cartridges when they’re on offer, won’t store them properly and this leads to them ‘drying out’.
To prevent this from happening and in an attempt to make a cartridge usable after its expiration date, keep the cartridge in its packaging and store it in a temperature controlled environment to stop it from getting too hot or too cold. Make sure the toner cartridge is lying flat as well.
You’re not using your printer frequently enough
Not everyone will use their printer on a regular basis and as you may expect, whenever you leave a printer cartridge sitting unused in a printer for a long time, you do run the risk of it drying out. In the case of a toner cartridge, often moisture will get into the cartridge and cause the powder to clump up, making the cartridge unusable.
Whilst it takes significantly longer for a toner cartridge to ‘dry out’ than an ink cartridge, you should still try to print a few documents every now and then. Regular printing can help to prevent your toner cartridges from being no good to anyone.
You’re not refilling the toner cartridge correctly
Due to the fact that toner cartridges can be quite expensive, many will choose to refill their cartridge rather than replace it. This isn’t a problem and refilling can be a brilliant idea, but it needs to be done correctly and if you’re not really sure what you’re doing, you’d be much better off investing in a replacement instead.
Should you DIY refill a toner cartridge incorrectly, not only can this affect your print quality and damage your printer, but of course, it will dry out the toner really quickly too. Many will recommend that you simply purchase replacements to avoid this hassle altogether.
You’re not cleaning your print heads
Unlike those in inkjet printers, laser print heads don’t get clogged up with ink, but this doesn’t mean you can overlook cleaning them. Dust and debris can still affect the print heads in the same way clogged ink can, causing some of the same problems, so you should ensure that you’re cleaning these on a regular basis.
It is actually surprisingly easy to clean a laser printer and not having to deal with messy ink residue will make this job more straightforward. So, make sure that you’re taking good care of your printer as well as good care of your cartridges.
Purchasing new toner cartridges
When you use toner cartridges in your printer, hopefully, the information above will be beneficial and you can now ensure that your toner cartridges aren’t going to waste because they’re drying out before you get to use them. Of course, it goes without saying that you should always double-check whether a toner cartridge is dry before you attempt to print with it to prevent any irreversible damage being caused to your printer.
If you’re searching for somewhere to purchase new toner cartridges for your printer, be sure to visit the Toner One website. We specialise in supplying genuine, new and unused printer cartridges from leading brands in the printer consumer sector. On our website, you will find OEM printer cartridges such as HP, Brother, Samsung, Canon and Dell, all at competitive prices and we invite you to browse through our available products today. Should you have any questions at all about the toner or ink cartridges on our site, please feel free to contact us.