Scanner Cleaning

Have you heard or said some of the following about your Images?

• Why is there a streak in my document?
• Why are there so many spots on my documents?
• I keep getting double feeds for no apparent reason?
• I’m missing pages from my scanning?
• Why does this alarm keep going off on my scanner?
• Unusual noises from the scanner?

Well, maybe you need to clean your scanner.  All scanners require cleaning whether they be high-speed production scanners or your Multi-Functional device on your desk.  Depending on the scan volume determines how often you should be cleaning it. Paper is atrocity dirty!  From the oils on your fingers to the fluff that comes off the paper to who knows what else gets on the paper.  All this gunk gets transferred to your scanner rollers, glass and guts.

Here are some general guidelines for performing scanner cleaning:

• High-Volume scanning should be cleaned on a at least a daily basis
• Medium-Volume scanning should be cleaned on a at least a weekly basis
• Low-Volume (Desktop) should be cleaned on a at least a monthly basis

Every scanner should have major maintenance performed on a yearly basis.

You can get cleaning sheets (for rollers only), cleaning wipes, or cloth and cleaner fluid.  Either works, but the cleaning sheets are convenient but more expensive.   Before you clean, be sure of the following:

• Do not clean a scanner that is hot!  Always clean a scanner before you start scanning for a day or after it’s cooled off. 
• Unplug the scanner from the electrical socket.

The following areas should be cleaned:

• All Rollers (top and bottom) (feed and exit)
• All Glass surfaces (be sure to get the top and bottom glass surfaces for two-sided scanners)
• Sheet Guides
• Document Sensors

If you use cleaning sheets for the rollers, you will need to use two for cleaning the top and bottom rollers.         

And of course, this shows how not to clean a scanner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4HqI1s8Xgs

Be sure to consult your scanner’s user’s manuals for proper procedure for your scanner.  If you have misplaced your manual, you can get them from the scanner manufacture site on the web.  The following are the URL’s for some of the major scanner manufactures US support sites:

• Fijitsu: http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/computing/peripherals/scanners/support/index.html
• Kodak (and now Bowe, Bell & Howell): http://graphics.kodak.com/docimaging/US/en/Support_Center/index.htm
• Canon: http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer
• Panasonic: http://www.panasonic.com/business/psna/products-document-imaging/scanners/index.aspx
• Ricoh: http://www.ricoh-usa.com/support/support.aspx
• HP: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/support-drivers.html
• Xerox: http://www.support.xerox.com/support/enus.html
• Epson: http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/SupportIndex.jsp