The upkeep and maintenance of a laser printer is just as important as maintaining a computer but is often overlooked. A laser printer that is properly maintained will print better and provide many years of service. With a couple of short procedures and a minimal amount of time, a clean and well-maintained printer is never far away.

Maintenance procedures for a laser printer should be performed on a monthly basis. These procedures can also be used to correct printing problems such as streaking, gaps in printing, and toner smears on printouts.

NOTE: This article provides a general overview of how to clean a printer and recommendations for cleaning materials. For best results, please refer to your printer’s documentation for detailed printer maintenance instructions.

Printer Maintenance

1. Unplug printer. For safety reasons it is best to let the printer sit for about an hour to cool down before starting the cleaning procedure.


2. Remove paper trays.


3. Open printer and remove toner cartridge. Place cartridge on a piece of disposable paper or newspaper. Be careful not to tip or shake the toner cartridge as this may lead to toner leakage.


4. Clean the interior of the printer with a dry lint free cloth. Many models of laser printers provide a brush inside the printer that can be used to gently remove toner from hard to reach areas. If no brush is provided a clean and dry paintbrush can be used.


5. If the printer has corona wires gently wipe the wires with cottons swaps dipped in isopropyl alcohol – take care if a wire breaks can be expensive to fix!


6. Clean the rollers with a slightly damp cloth to remove dirt buildup.

General Cleaning
The outside of the printer should be kept clean with a damp cloth. Care should be taken with toner cartridges when inserting or removing from printer to help prevent toner leakage. Toner can stain clothing, fabric and carpeting so care should be taken when handling a toner cartridge.

Toner/Paper Quality
Though it can be tempting to purchase cheap toner and paper for a laser printer this is not always a good practice. Lower quality paper and toner can greatly reduce the printers functionality can cause printing and hardware problems – it is worth staying with the manufacturers recommendation for toner and paper. If using recycled toner cartridges make sure the cartridges are from a reliable source as cheap cartridges can leak toner and cause damage.

Laser Printer Cleaning Sheets
Use these sheets to quickly clean the inside of a laser printer. Removes excess toner and dirt.