Figure 2. Wiping Directions - HP C Maintenance Manual

Never use the following to wipe the printhead:
Watch Out!
The cloth must be soft so that it does not scratch the printhead. It should be
fiberless because small fibers from the cloth can be left behind and block the
nozzles of the cartridge. The cloth must also be moist with liquid or it will
scratch the printhead. Scratches on the printhead prevent the ink from coming out
of the nozzle straight. If the ink drops do not come out of the nozzles straight
they will not land on the paper in the proper place causing fuzzy text. Distilled
water is better than tap water because tap water contains an unmonitored amount
of minerals. During wiping the water cleans out the nozzles and the firing
chambers. A small amount of water mixes with the ink in the chambers. Over
time, the minerals in tap water can leave behind deposits in the chambers that
block it completely. A blocked nozzle will show up as a white streak in text or
graphics. The direction and force of the wipe is also important to note. During
wiping, harmful particles on the top of the printhead can be wiped into the nozzles
if one is not careful. Certain cartridges need to be wiped certain ways to obtain
optimal print quality.
It is important to wipe the following cartridges in the direction of the nozzle rows
(see Figure 2) for optimum print quality:
Don't Forget
Industrial paper towels (These cloths usually contain a high recycle
content and are abrasive.)
Toilet paper (These cloths are usually not fiberless.)
Sponge (Particles from the sponge can be left behind on the nozzle
plate.)
HP51645A, HPC6104A
HP51641A, HPC6105A
HPC1823A, HPC6116A
HPC6168A, HPC6169A, HPC6170A
6