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HP Recommended
HP Smart Tank Plus 651 Wireless All-in-One
Microsoft Windows 11

When I print, I am getting black smudges at the top of page.  I suspect there is ink on the rollers in the back of the printer where the paper is fed into the printer initially, but I have no idea how to get to them to try to clean them.  Any suggestions?  I've inserted a picture below.  The top white is a "clean paper smear" print out and the bottom is an actual printed page (some of the black is the wording printed on the other side of the page, but I circled where the smudges are).  TIA20250407_190914.jpg

1 REPLY 1
HP Recommended

@YodieSmiley, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding Cleaning Ink Smudges from Rollers on HP Smart Tank Plus 651! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

  

To resolve issues with black smudges appearing at the top of the page on your HP Smart Tank Plus 651 printer, you can follow these steps to clean the ink rollers where the paper is fed into the printer:

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Turn Off the Printer: Press the power button to turn off the printer. Disconnect the power cord from the back of the printer.

Access Print Zone:

  • Open the front door and the cartridge access door.

Locate and Clean Rollers:

  • Gently move the print carriage to the far left of the printer.
  • Look for the feed rollers inside the printer.

Cleaning Materials:

  • Use distilled water and a lint-free cloth (avoid alcohol-based cleaners).

Cleaning Process:

  • Dampen the lint-free cloth with distilled water.
  • Wipe the rollers carefully to remove any ink residue. Ensure to wipe both the face and edges of the rollers.

Handling Torn Paper:

  • If there are any torn pieces of paper inside the printer, carefully remove them to avoid future paper jams.

Reassemble and Test:

  • Close the cartridge access door and the front door.
  • Reconnect the power cord and turn on the printer.
  • Load plain white paper and print a test page to check if the smudges are resolved.

By following these steps, you should be able to clean the rollers and remove any ink smudges impacting your print quality.a  

  

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

  

Regards, 

ZOEY7886
I am an HP Employee

† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.