Today’s post is a quick tip! If you are concerned about printer ink consumption and have found a nice printable – like the ones in my shop 😉 – but are more of a minimalist planner and prefer black and white, then follow the steps in this post to print any printable in black and white.

How to clean your printer

Note: I’m using a Windows computer. 

1. Go to the Control Panel of your computer

2. Click on Devices and Printers

3. Select your printer

4. Click on display printer properties 

5. Click on the Maintenance tab

I’m using a Canon printer – your printer menu may look a little different if you’re using a different printer brand – it’s may say something like ‘advanced’ instead.

Start with cleaning and if the printables still aren’t printing correctly, try deep cleaning if their of those work then go a print head alignment, nozzle check, bottom plate cleaning and roller cleaning.

Note that when ink cartidges are running low the print quality will reduce. From my own experience my printer is more prone to making words look ‘fuzzy’ when printed. If you’re printing something important then I suggest prematurely changing the ink cartidge. I purchase my cartridges inexpensively off eBay. I buy the non-genuine ink catridges that are only a couple of dollars each (compared to $30+ for the genuine cartridges in a retail store!)

More helpful posts for printing printables:

• Best Paper for Printing Printables
• Which is Cheaper: DIY Printable Planners or Pre-Printed & Assembled Planners?
• 7 Ways to make colors POP when printing using an Inkjet printer 
• Don’t own a printer? Here are 5 companies that will print and ship printables to your door
• How to Choose a Printer (Including the best printer for printing printables and planner stickers) 

Related: Week 20: Weekly planning using only a checklist and habit tracker – download a free printable

Re-sizing Printables

• How to print printables at Erin Condren planner size from your home printer (step by step tutorial) 
• How to print printables at Plum Paper planner size from your home printer (step by step tutorial) 
• How to get rid of a white border when printing printable (borderless, no bleed, no scaling step by step video tutorial)
• How to print printables at MAMBI Happy Planner Size (step by step tutorial)

Related: Printing Tips

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Related Posts:

• How to download Adobe Photoshop (the software I use to make all my printables!)
• Raster, vector, png, .TIFF, CMYK – what does it all mean?! (Graphic design terminology explained)
• My 5 Favourite Color Tools for Graphic Design