Now that old Windex unavailable, what common chemicals should be used for nozzle/head clean?

[Hogwild]

I want to clean the nozzles/head on my Stylus Color 1400. It's been a long time since I did any nozzel/head cleaning, and that was on another printer. Back then, we could use the Windex with ammonia formulation and alcohol.

However, the original Windex with ammonia formulation is no longer available where I am. I don't want to spend a ton of money on commercial cleaning fluid, as it's pricey, and I intend only to clean the nozzles/head on this one printer once... just enough to demo the printer properly so I can sell it. So, what common chemicals are recommended nowadays for cleaning?

Also, there seems to be some difference of opinion about the best method to clean heads/nozzles. Some tell you to push cleaning fluid into the nozzles and others say that's not as safe as pulling ink up into they syringe, which they claim avoids damage. What do you recommend?

 

[The Hat]

What do you recommend?

Why don’t you try good old window cleaner, it may not have ammonia in it, but works just as good.. Don’t know the best method to use on Epson printers..

 

[Hogwild]

Well, many cleaners have very different ingredients. I don't want to risk using something that might damage the printer. And in many case, they don't list/won't tell you the ingredients of the product.

 

[The Hat]

I don't want to risk using something that might damage the printer

Windex was more harmful than you think, why do you reckon they removed the ammonia..

 

[Hogwild]

Then, what inexpensive chemicals do you suggest I use? I don't want to fork out $25.00 or 30.00 or so to clean one printer once.

 

[PeterBJ]

You could try pharmacist's cleaning solution. I have used that successfully several times. I have also used a window cleaner with ammonia successfully several times. As there is no such thing as a standardised clog I cannot tell what is best, but both seems to work well. Not all clogs can be cleared though.

Here is more about the preparation of pharmacist's cleaning solution.

 

[Hogwild]

Okay, and diluted with...water I assume? Tap water? Distilled water?

 

[PeterBJ]

Use distilled or de-ionised water. Don't use tap water.

 

[Hogwild]

Got it. And is the "push" method with silicone tubing safe? Should I use the "pull" method instead?

 

[PeterBJ]

I know next to nothing about Epson printers so I cannot recommend a cleaning method for the printhead. I have seen posts on the forum about Epson printheads that were ruined by pressurising them. This caused an internal de-lamination that caused leakage and cross contamination.

Why not do as pharmacist did:?

Today I suffered from a tenacious clog in my Epson Pro 3800 in the magenta and cyan channel, caused probably by long term of non-usage and the very low humidity in my room because of the high heating since it is now freezing in Belgium. Even after 3 cleaning cycles the clog did not go away. In the past one cleaning cycle is enough to clean minor clogs. So today I folded a piece of towel paper into a nice thick and even strip and drenched it with my cleaning solution and put it under my printhead and let it soak for about 1 hour. After that I executed one cleaning cycle and...all the clogs are gone. Whow it works fantastic and the formula is very cheap to make.