Can You Refill a Canon Ink Cartridge Without Removing the Sponge? What Works (and What Doesn't)

Question

I watched your video about refilling Canon cartridges. Can I just put ink on top of the sponge so I don't have to take the sponge out? Thank you for your products!
Video reference: Unlock the Secret to Hassle-Free Canon Cartridge Refills! Answer

Can you drip ink onto the top of the sponge without removing it?

In most cases, no-at least not if you want a reliable refill.

Here's why: the sponge inside many Canon cartridges is designed to hold ink evenly throughout its structure, and the outlet at the bottom needs consistent saturation to feed ink properly. If you only apply ink to the top, the ink can pool on the surface or soak only the upper layer, while the bottom remains underfilled or dry.

That causes common refill problems like:

• Weak or missing colors even right after refilling

• Intermittent printing (prints fine, then suddenly gaps)

• Air pockets forming near the outlet

• "Looks full" but prints empty behavior

So your proposed shortcut runs into a physics problem: capillary action works best when the sponge is saturated from the bottom area upward, not just wet on top.

What "actually works" for a stable refill

Your original answer is exactly the key point: the bottom of the sponge must be filled. If ink doesn't reach and saturate the lower portion, the cartridge can't maintain consistent flow.

Depending on the exact Canon cartridge model/design, the most reliable approaches generally include:

1) Bottom-up saturation (preferred concept)
Even if you don't fully remove the sponge, you still need a method that ensures ink reaches the lower portion. The goal is not "making the top wet," but making the sponge uniformly inked where the outlet draws from.

2) Slow fill + time to wick (only sometimes helps)
If someone insists on not removing anything, the only way it can sometimes work is by adding ink very slowly in small amounts, then giving it time to wick downward. But even then, it's inconsistent and often leaves the bottom underfilled-especially if the sponge is partially dried, compacted, or already has trapped air.

3) Avoid overfilling the top
Overfilling from the top can create a mess and introduce more problems:

• ink leakage

• pressure imbalance

• ink flooding into areas it shouldn't

• messy printhead contact and smearing

Quick "symptom checks" after refilling

If you refill and run into trouble, these are clues the bottom isn't properly saturated:

• Prints start out faint and don't improve after cleaning cycles

• One color is missing entirely

• You see streaking that doesn't match a clogged nozzle pattern

• Cartridge leaks shortly after refilling (overfill/pressure imbalance)

About error codes

In your question, no specific printer error codes were mentioned, so there aren't any I can accurately call out here. If you do see a Canon message like "ink has run out," "cartridge cannot be recognized," or a cartridge-related alarm after refilling, that often relates to chip/recognition behavior rather than the sponge itself-but the ink-delivery symptoms above are still a strong indicator of incomplete sponge saturation.

Addressing printer issues can be tricky because so much depends on hands-on inspection and the specific cartridge/printer condition. Because of that, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting or direct repair guidance for printer fixes. We do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our local diagnostic facility (printer repair service [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service]). Due to high demand, everything is first-come, first-served, and it may take a few weeks before we can accept a drop-off. Our services are set up to repair either an entire printer or specific parts, with clear steps on how to proceed. That said, we understand our rates may not be the most budget-friendly-so we strongly encourage self-help through online research. A great place to start is YouTube, especially our channel homepage (BCH Technologies YouTube channel [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]). You can use the search icon next to "About" on the right side of the menu bar to find relevant videos. I receive dozens of requests daily asking for a video on a specific topic, and after creating videos over the past nine years, it's difficult to remember every single one-so YouTube search is the fastest method. It can also suggest helpful videos from other creators that may apply to your exact situation.

Thanks again for your support and for using our products-and thank you for taking the time to ask.