The difference between a home printer designed for personal use and a business printer is like the difference between a drone and a fighter jet. They both can fly, but the drone is limited and capabilities and scope. Business printers are networked printers that cater to the needs of everyone working in the same office. They save on resources, are more durable, and won’t break down as much as the other variety. Business printers have many functionalities and can scan, copy, print, and fax all in one machine. Which is why you need to maintain them.

Just like most modern gadgets, office printers come in different sizes and shapes. Each colour laser printer has its own set of features and capabilities which can be a challenge if you’re in the market looking for a printer for small business. However the following tips should help you maintain your printer and make it last longer.

1. Clean your print head
The printer head is the one part of the machine responsible for dispensing of ink or toner depending on which type of colour laser printer you’re using. You need to clean the print head at least once a month to prevent ink/toner clogging. To do that use warm water and a piece of clean cloth. Remember to remove the cartridge first. Don’t use tissues or alcohol to do the cleaning. Let it dry before reinstalling the cartridge.

2. Clean the insides
Business printers and office photocopiers alike need to be maintained regularly. Dust and grime pile up inside the machines and eventually will stop it from functioning properly. Open up the machine and use a piece of dry cloth to wipe away the dust. Remember to be gentle and not use too much force or pressure while cleaning it since most of the inner parts are fragile. If you encounter stubborn grime in the corners use compressed air or Q-tips to gently remove it.

3. Check under the hood
Just like a car, a printer for small business needs to be checked under the hood. What you’re looking for are any broken or jammed parts. Usually you’ll get a warning from the machine if something isn’t working well, that’s why you need to pay attention to the maintenance lights. If you get an alert from the printer take immediate action to prevent any serious damage. Replacing a small part can be cost effective comparing to replacing the whole printer.

4. Choose the right refill
Most inkjet printers cost a lot when it comes to refilling cartridges. If you think you’d save money by using cheap cartridges you’d be doing yourself a disservice. Cheap and generic cartridges do more damage to your machine and cost you more money in the long run. They also produce low-quality printing and waste more ink than they use. Always buy the branded cartridges recommended by the manufacturer.

5. Be careful when you replace cartridges
You’d better follow the instructions in the manual when replacing cartridges. This process is usually tricky and you’ll be doing it a lot. Don’t touch the bottom of the cartridge when replacing it since it affects the quality of the print. Also as mentioned high-quality cartridges are not as sensitive to the touch as the knock-offs you get cheap.

6. Replace cartridges before they dry up
If you wait until last minute before you replace the cartridge thinking you’d get every last print out of it, you risk damaging your machine. The colour laser printer alerts you when they run low on ink so that’s the best time to replace the cartridge.

7. Turn it off
When not using your office printers or office photocopiers for some time better switch them off. Even when on standby printers still generate a lot of heat which can dry the printer header and the ink cartridges. This can lead to a clogged header and damage the machine itself.