How can I prevent smeared ink and droplets on my printouts?

• The print head can gather dust over time, which then gathers ink. This accumulated ink can get deposited on the substrate during printing. Cleaning the wiper blade and pump cap assembly can solve this problem. Do the following:
  
  1. Turn off the printer.
  2. Open the top cover and press the cutter solenoid down to release the print head.
     
     Note: This photo shows the Pro 4800 cutter solenoid assembly; the assembly in the Pro 4000 is black.
  3. Move the print head to the left.
  4. Locate the wiper blade and clean it with a moist cotton swab.
     
     Note: Most of the wiper blade is located behind the clear plastic shield, which may be difficult to clean. If you use a long cotton swab you'll be able to reach further back and clean the blade more thoroughly. The blade is split down the middle so be sure to clean both sides of the blade and inside the split.
  5. Inspect the foam pad area of the pump cap assembly for any large pieces of debris and gently remove them with a moist cotton swab. Then use the swab to gently wipe the topside frame of the plastic housing that holds the multi-colored foam pad.
     
     Caution: Do not try to remove the foam pad.
  6. The flushing box next to the multi-colored cap assembly does not typically come in contact with the print head, but you should gently clean any debris that may have accumulated there.
  7. Close the top cover and turn on the printer.
  8. Print a nozzle check and inspect the printed pattern.
     • If the nozzle check pattern looks good, you are ready to print; you don't need to continue with the following steps.
     • If the nozzle check pattern is not satisfactory, continue with the next step.
  9. If the nozzle check pattern is not satisfactory, run a cleaning cycle and print another nozzle check. In the printer utility, be sure to select Print (not Auto) for the nozzle check.
     1. If the nozzle check pattern is still not complete, repeat step 9 until you see a good nozzle check pattern or you have run three cleaning cycles.
     2. If the nozzle check pattern looks good, you are ready to print.
  10. If the nozzle check pattern still is not good after running three cleaning cycles, contact Epson technical support for further assistance.