Storing cartridges

It’s always a great idea to stock up on ink cartridges, so when your printer runs out, you have ink stored away and ready to be used! However, it is important to store your extra ink cartridges correctly to avoid problems such as leakages, a reduced shelf-life, clogged nozzles or even the ink drying out. Read below to find out the best ways to store your ink cartridges to ensure it’s ready to use when you need it!

Storing brand new, unopened ink cartridges

Your brand new ink cartridge will come in sealed packaging, which protects your cartridge from air, dust, moisture and sunlight. It is best to leave the ink cartridge in its original packaging until you intend to use it.

When putting extra ink cartridges away, you should:

• Ensure the cartridge is placed upright to avoid any leaks or air bubbles in the cartridge
• Store it in a cool and dry place, with an ideal storage temperature of 15-25°C
• Avoid a storage space with direct sunlight or extreme temperatures as this can cause the ink to degrade
• Handle the cartridges with care as they can become damaged with falling or bumping

If you follow these steps, you should be able to store your ink cartridges for as long as you like with no issues!

The shelf-life of your unopened ink cartridge

The shelf-life of an unopened ink cartridge can typically range from 1 to 2 years, but if stored correctly, a high-quality, unopened ink cartridge can remain functional for a number of years! However, ink quality or printer performance may decline over time.

Most manufacturers will issue either an expiration date or warranty date on ink cartridges, guaranteeing that the ink is high-quality but may start to decline after this date. At 123ink.ie, we offer a 100% lifetime guarantee on all of our own-brand ink cartridges! So, even after the date printed on your cartridge, if the ink does not work as it should, we will repair or replace it for you!

Storing ink cartridges that have been opened, but are not in the printer

If you have opened an ink cartridge, but removed it from your printer, you will need to take a few extra steps to ensure you are storing it correctly. Once opened, you are exposing the ink cartridge to oxygen and this can cause the ink to dry out.

To help prevent your ink cartridge drying out in storage, you will need to:

• Seal the ink cartridge as airtight as possible, so in a plastic ziplock bag or plastic container
• Add a slightly damp paper towel to the bag or container, without letting it touch the nozzles, to help maintain humidity
• If the ink cartridge has a protective clip or cap, reattach this to cover the nozzles (you can cover the nozzles with plastic and some tape if you no longer have the clip/cap!)
• Similar to an unopened cartridge, store upright in a cool and dry place

These steps will help keep your ink cartridge functional for a couple of days to a couple of weeks, but if you intend to store them for any longer, you may want to check the nozzles from time to time! By inserting the cartridge back into the printer and testing the print, you will know whether the nozzles are drying out or not.

Storage time of an opened ink cartridge

The storage time of an opened ink cartridge largely depends on how well it has been preserved, but once it has been properly stored it may last for 1 to 2 months without any significant issues! Leaving an opened ink cartridge in storage for longer than three months can lead to the ink drying, nozzles clogging and an overall degraded print quality. Running the occasional print test every few weeks will help to keep ink flowing and maintain performance.

Find what you need to store opened ink cartridges here!

 

Storing an ink cartridge in your printer

If you are regularly carrying out print jobs, then leaving the ink cartridges in your printer is not something that will concern you. However, if you do not print regularly, then you may have to worry about ink cartridges drying out while in your printer. If left unused for three or more months, your ink may dry inside the cartridge and printhead and will require a new cartridge and a deep clean of your printer!

To prevent the ink from drying out and keep your printer in top printing condition, you can do the following:

• Keep the printer turned on (or on sleep mode), as many printers perform automatic maintenance cycles to prevent ink from drying in the nozzles
• Use the printer a little more regularly, even just print a test page to keep the ink flowing through the nozzles
• If you must turn the printer off, use the printer’s power button instead of just unplugging it, as this means the print heads will be properly sealed
• Run a deep clean from time to time to ensure the nozzles of your printer are clear from any dried ink and ink can flow freely

If you are leaving your printer unused for several months, it may be best to remove the ink cartridges and store them as outlined above!

Stored your ink cartridge incorrectly and now need a new one?

If, before now, you were unfamiliar with how to correctly store your ink cartridges and the ink has dried out or the quality of the ink is not optimal, then you may need to purchase a new ink cartridge! We recommend choosing 123ink version ink cartridges for your printer because they are high-quality ink cartridges that often contain more ink liquid than your original brands, at a much better price! And with our 100% lifetime guarantee, you get the best warranty available for your ink cartridges!

If you have any questions about any of the above storage tips, don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Service team!