Handy Inkjet Refill Tips

Please follow the cartridge-specific instructions carefully before refilling. For additional help, see the tips provided below.

Printer Care

Always remove cartridge from printer before refilling. (See manufacturer's instructions for assistance.)
Do not place hands inside printer until the head has come to a resting position.
Do not force head or move head by hand. (See manufacturer's instructions for assistance.)
Occasionally, you may wish to test the quality of your print cartridges. Please see our Printer Test Page for assistance.

Always refill over an easy to clean surface. Spillage can cause permanent surface stains.
Attach needle to syringe. Use needle to carefully puncture ink-seal. Pull plunger slowly to fill syringe to desired quantity. (See cartridge-specific instructions for appropriate quantity.
Always close bottle immediately and securely with original cap.
Wipe exterior of bottles clean before storing to avoid stains.
Syringe and needle can be cleaned by drawing warm water into the syringe and slowly using the plunger to expel water. Point needle away from eyes or mouth and avoid splashing. Repeat as necessary until expelled water is clear. Always clean the syringe and needle as described before filling each color.
Store bottles and syringe securely out of the reach of children and pets.

When handling cartridges, do not touch ink surfaces, contacts or metallic parts.
To help avoid the need for a cartridge replacement and/or leakage, do not allow cartridge to remain empty for more than 2 days. For best results, refill cartridge before it empties.
Be careful to fill ink into the appropriate chamber. See cartridge-specific instructions for help identifying proper cartridge and/or chamber. For additional confirmation, insert syringe into cartridge and draw a small amount of ink into the chamber for visual inspection. NOTE: Magenta refers to red and Cyan refers to blue. Light Cyan and Light Magenta also known as Photo Cyan and Photo Magenta.
Do not over-fill cartridges. It is always best to under-fill in order to avoid leakage. If necessary, draw a small amount of ink out of the cartridge once it is full.
NEVER insert a leaky or dripping cartridge into your printer. If you notice leakage or dripping, you may wish to draw additional ink from the cartridge by re-inserting the needle and slowly pulling the plunger. If ink continues to expel from the cartridge, place the cartridge on its side so that the outlet or print head is not touching any surface. Leave the cartridge for up-to one hour and check for additional leakage.
Store unused cartridges in a sealed plastic back or air-tight container at room temperature. Rotate unused cartridges to keep them from drying out.
Do not store used cartridge for extended periods.

Refilled cartridges with integrated print heads should be gently cleaned with a small amount of print head cleaner before storing. Print head cleaner can be applied using a soft paper towel. Repeat this step before using stored cartridges in order to remove any dried ink from the print head surface. (See cartridge-specific instructions to determine if your cartridge has an integrated print head.)
Many Epson cartridges will require an application of clear adhesive tape sealing the ink outlet when inserted into the printer. (See cartridge-specific instructions to determine if this applies to your Epson cartridge.) In such cases, a good tight seal is required in order for the printer to recognize the new cartridge and to properly draw ink into the print head. Once inserted, the head will puncture the seal.
Hewlett Packard and Lexmark cartridges use a white sponge. The sponge should still appear white once the cartridge has been filled. If it is not, it has been overfilled. Re-insert the syringe and draw a small amount of ink from the cartridge. Repeat as necessary until the sponge appears white.