The problem with ribbon and adhesive labels is that residue increases and blocks the print head. The increased residue after some time needs the print head to operate harder to generate the image. The harder the components in the print head have to function, the fast they burn out. A print head that is intended to print nearly ten million labels can burn out just after a million if there is no proper care taken. This generates a huge working expense.
Most printers will consist of a release which allows the print head to open. Once the head is open, the apparent method is to clean it with a rag and alcohol. A little amount of alcohol is put on a rag and the print head and platen roller should be wiped clean. After it is done, all the label material and ribbon should be reloaded.
An other option instead of alcohol and a rag is cleaning kits which consist of pads and swabs pre-loaded along with alcohol. In this method, the pad should be removed and should be inserted into the open print head. After this, the print head should be closed and then pad should be pulled through. This helps in cleaning both the head and the platen roller simultaneously.
