Paper Feed Issues - Restoring Grip On Your Printer Rollers

If you're having trouble with your printer not grabbing the paper, you may need to give the print rollers a good clean. Matte rag papers, in particular, tend to be a bit more dusty and don't have a tacky, grip friendly surface like the gloss and semi gloss papers so over time the rollers get clogged and have issues grabbing the paper.

To clean the print rollers, the best option is to use distilled water on cotton tips - you can use an alcohol based cleaner but this is not recommended as these will dry out the rubber over time.

Once properly clean, they will perform better, but to get them like new again, you should apply a restoring compound which lubricates the rollers and restores their tackiness. Oritech has a Rubber Roller Restorer that you an use on the rollers, for approximately $15, that will last you a life time.

Once you have done this, run a few sheets of plain paper through the printer before you resume printing on your proper paper as this will soak up any excess and prevent you getting marks on your prints. The rollers should be cleaned regularly, and also be replaced periodically depending on the amount of printing done.