Dealing with Ink Spatter Around Gray Pads on Canon MX886 Printer: Causes and Solutions

Question: 

Why is there so much ink spattering around my Canon MX886 printer's gray pads, and how can I fix it? I recently followed your advice and did a cleaning to unclog the print heads and performed an alignment on my Canon MX886, which led to the 6A81 error. Afterward, I noticed excessive ink spattering around the gray pads. The area has become very sticky and inky. Is there a tray inside the printer that I should be emptying? The ink buildup is messy. Also, I saw the pads were getting stuck, and I recall your demonstration on how loose the pads should be. However, I noticed that the part holding the two gray pads was stuck to the abovementioned piece. I’m worried it might get stuck again. I’m hesitant to take the printer apart, as it looks complicated and error-prone. If I lived near you, I’d just bring it in for repairs. What should I try next to fix this issue?

Answer:

The ink spattering you're noticing around the gray pads is quite common and usually happens during the printer’s cleaning and purging cycles. The printer flushes ink through the printhead into the capping station during these processes. Excessive ink can accumulate over time, leading to the spattering effect you see. This is especially true for older printers like your Canon MX886, which can have difficulty handling ink overflow as it ages. It's also worth noting that the waste ink tray, which collects this excess ink, is not always easy to access on this model, so the buildup can become more noticeable as time goes on.

If you're dealing with sticky or stuck parts, that's likely caused by dried ink binding the movement of the capping station. I completely understand your hesitation about taking the printer apart—it's not easy, and you don't want to risk damaging any internal components. As a first step, you could try using a small syringe with distilled water to gently clean the area around the pads without disassembling the printer. This should help loosen any dried ink and clean up the mess without causing further issues. If the ink spattering persists or the capping station continues to get stuck, a more thorough cleaning or even a replacement of the capping station might be necessary.

If you need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to email me at support@bchtechnologies.com. I’d happily guide you through additional troubleshooting steps or help you find the right parts.

Please note: Addressing printer issues can be complicated due to the hands-on nature of these problems. As such, we cannot provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer in-person evaluation and repair services at our local diagnostic facility, which you can learn more about at https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service. Due to high demand, our services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, so scheduling a repair may take a few weeks. Our rates may not be economical, so we recommend exploring self-help options through online research, especially on YouTube. Our channel, BCH Technologies, has a variety of videos, and you can use the search function on our YouTube homepage to look for solutions to specific issues. Additionally, YouTube may recommend helpful videos from other channels.