Cleaning printer heads

[Boet3]

I have a HP DeskJet 3720 serial no [Personal Information Removed] which has not been used for some months. I have replaced the ink cartridges. How can I get the printer to clean the print heads?

I can't use the app on my computer to initiate the printer head cleaning because I cannot connect the printer to the WiFi (We have a new service provider and WiFi system).

The manual says that the printer will print the instructions on how to connect to the WiFi if I press the correct buttons; but the printer won't print, I think because the heads are blocked through lack of use. 

Please can anyone help?

Many thanks

[Echo_Lake]

@Boet3

Thank you for posting on the HP Support Community.
 

Don't worry as I'll be glad to help, to provide an accurate resolution, I need a few more details:

• What's the Wi-Fi light status on the Printer(Blinking or Steady)? 
• Is your router dual-band enabled i.e., both 2.4GHz and 5GHz? If yes, make sure the dual-band has different SSIDs for 2.4G and 5G networks.

If you have tried cleaning the printhead through the software but you’re still noticing problems with your print jobs, then you may need to manually clean it. Again, it’s important to be careful when dealing with the ink cartridges and the printhead because they’re easily damaged.

• 1. Turn on the printer then open the access door (This varies by model).
• 2. The printer carriage will move to the center and you can access the printhead and cartridges.
• 3. Wait until the cartridges have stopped moving before unplugging your device from the electrical outlet - about 3 seconds (This keeps the printer carriage in one place so you can remove the clogged printhead).
• 4. Remove the cartridges by lifting up or pushing on the tab that holds them in place and pulling them out (Remove one at a time and try not to leave them out of the printer for more than 30 minutes).
• 5. Set the cartridges on a clean piece of paper on their side making sure the nozzle is pointing away from any surface.

First, clean the ink cartridge contact points.

• 6. Use a lint-free cloth in order to wipe off excess ink from the contacts located on the bottom of each ink cartridge, but do not clean off or touch the nozzle itself.
• 7. The contacts should be pointing away from any surface to avoid damage and the nozzle should not be pointing down, otherwise, you can cause the rest of the ink in the chamber to drain out (Laying it on its side is your best bet).
• 8. If ink remains on the contacts, use a cotton or foam rubber swab moistened with bottled water to gently clean it off (Note: DO NOT use alcohol or any other cleaning fluid to clean the contact points or print head).
• 9. Dry the contact point with a clean swab or allow it to air dry for 10 minutes before replacing the ink cartridge in the printer.
• 10. Once you are done with one cartridge, lay it on its side on your clean sheet of paper and use the same method to clean the rest of the cartridges.

Now it’s time to clean the printhead itself.

• 11. Look for the contact points on the print carriage inside the printer and gently wipe them off using a lint-free cloth.
• 12. Make sure there isn’t any ink left on the printer contacts.
• 13. Just as on the ink cartridges, if you are having difficulty removing the excess ink, use a cotton swab and mineral water until it is clean.
• 14. Wait around five minutes for the print carriage to dry and then reinsert the ink cartridges into the printer.
• 15. Snap them into place and make sure they’re secure before you plug in the power cord.
• 16. Close the cover to the printhead and wait for the initialization process to finish before trying to print any documents.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.
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