How to Fix Printer Lines

Smudges, Smears, and Shading; Oh my!

We've all been there: you send a job to the printer, and when you pick it up, it's full of smudges, smears, shading, and other artifacts. How did it go so wrong? And more importantly, how can you fix the printer issue so you can get your print job done right?

It's time, once again, to DIY.

The experts at EO Johnson Business Technologies feel your printer pain. As part of our ongoing series about the most common questions we get from our clients, we're taking on those blurred lines at the printer. We call it our February Fix-It blog series. Our goal is when trouble strikes at the office, you know exactly what to do or where to turn. In this installment of our February Fix-It series, we answer the question: how to fix printer lines. And if you're in a real pinch and need a new multifunction printer, the solution starts by entering into your browser bar: "printer vendors near me." Happy with your current printer? Read on for tips to help straighten out and clean up your print jobs.

Tips on how to fix printer lines

When printing is a problem, typically you need a solution fast. The experts at EO Johnson Business Technologies offer the following insider tips. 

Start by taking stock of the problem.

• First, check your original document. Are there any lines, marks or background images, or smudges? If so, you can select a lighter density on your print job to reduce the background reproduction from colored or darker originals.
  
  
• Do the lines show only when making copies using the document feeder on top of your multifunction device? If so, you may be able to take care of the issue yourself. To DIY: lift the feeder and clean off the small strip of glass to the left of the big glass. Using water or glass cleaner on a paper towel or cloth, dry the glass. DO NOT spray cleaner or water directly onto your printer. Dry the glass and try making another copy. If the lines, smudges, or other marks are gone, congratulations! You have fixed the printer lines. If the line or lines are still present, please call your service company for a tech to come out. (Note: Some MFPs have a cleaning wand for cleaning the laser slit glass. The cleaning wand and directions are located inside the front cover of your device.)

• Do you have a standalone black and white printer? Try changing the toner cartridge, as the drum/PCU unit is built into the toner cartridge.

• Do you have a standalone color printer? Check the color of the lines that are showing up on your printed page. You may want to try changing the corresponding color drum unit.
  
  
• Do the lines show up on your multifunction printer when you send them from the computer? If so, it's time for you to contact a service technician to address the problem.

Time to start searching for "printer vendors near me?"

Printing worry-free starts with finding the right partner for your business technologies. But if you're wrestling with your current device, we hope these tips on how to fix printer lines gets you on your way to satisfactory print quality, fast. And when it's time to upgrade, we are here to offer insights into the best multifunction printers and devices available for your business.

Stay tuned! Next week in our February Fix-It blog series, we examine poor print quality: what causes the problem, and how you can fix it yourself.