HP OfficeJet 5255 Printer - Print Page is smearing

[KLaws1]

Hi. 

I just purchased & set-up my HP Officejet 5255 Printer (All in One) at home today.

When I print, the font on the edges only (the first letter, at the beginning of the line and the last letter, at the end of the line) are SMEARED - at the border.  (The rest of the page looks great). This is doing this with both the color ink and the black ink.

Does anyone know how to fix this issue?

The smeared ink, when printing, on just the borders (first & last letter only - each line, on the page).    

I asked the "HP Print and Scan Doctor" to scan it for errors, and they say everything is correct & the print "test" page even printed correctly. Online, some people have suggested that I clean the ink cartridges, with a Q-tip & warm water (which I did), but that did not fix the issue.  

I hope that you can help.   Thanks. 

[KLaws1]

I wanted to add to my post (above). 

Here are 2 photos, to show you what the printing looks like.

See the "smear". 

 

This is a brand new printer.

Hope that you can help.

Thanks.

[sandytechy20]

@KLaws1

Welcome to HP support community.

Manually clean the area around the ink nozzles

1. Gather the following materials:

   • A clean, lint-free cloth or a clean, dry cotton swab

   • Distilled or bottled water

        CAUTION: 

     Do not use tap water because it might contain contaminants that can damage the printhead.

2. Gently grasp the handles on either side of the printer, and then raise the ink cartridge access door until it locks into place.

   The carriage moves to the center of the printer.

   

3. Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you continue.

4. Lift up the lid on the ink cartridge slot, and then pull up on the ink cartridge to remove it from the slot.

   

5. Hold the ink cartridge by its sides.

   

6. Lightly dampen a clean, lint-free cloth or swab with bottled or distilled water.

7. Clean the face and edges around the ink nozzle with the cloth or swab.

      CAUTION: 

   Do not clean the ink nozzle plate.

   1. Nozzle plate - Do not clean

   2. Area surrounding ink nozzle - Do clean

   3. Ink cartridge contacts - Do not clean

   4. 

8. Wait for the cleaned area to dry before you continue (approximately 10 minutes).

9. With the nozzles toward the printer, insert the ink cartridge into its slot until it snaps into place.

   NOTE: 

   Install the color ink cartridge on the left and the black ink cartridge on the right.

   

10. Close the lid on the ink cartridge slot to secure the ink cartridge into place.

11. Repeat these steps to clean around the nozzles on the other ink cartridge.

12. Close the ink cartridge access door.

You can refer this HP document for more assistance:- Click here

I hope that helps.

To thank me for my efforts to help you, please mark my post as an accepted solution so that it benefits several others.

Cheers.