HP 8610 Prints with Ink Splotches After Cleaning? Causes and Fixes Explained

Question:

Thanks to your helpful YouTube videos, I successfully fixed a printer a few years ago. Now I’m trying to repair my grandma’s HP OfficeJet 8610. I initially suspected the printhead was clogged, so I performed several cleanings, used up a lot of ink, and eventually put the printhead in an ultrasonic cleaner. I can now see all four ink colors coming out clearly when pressed to a paper towel, but my prints have blotchy splotches on every page. What could be the cause, and how do I fix it?

Answer:

Ink Blotches After Cleaning: What’s Likely Happening

Based on your description and the symptoms shown in the attached photo, it sounds like the printhead is leaking ink, likely due to residual oversaturation or weakened internal seals after ultrasonic cleaning. This can lead to excess ink pooling at the nozzles, which gets transferred onto the page as large blotches or splotches during printing.

Your observation that all four ink colors are visibly present when blotted on a paper towel indicates that the clogs have been cleared, which is excellent news. However, this also confirms that the nozzles are likely too saturated or not sealing properly after ink flow stops, resulting in droplets forming and dripping during print passes.

Causes and Contributing Factors

1. Overcleaning with Printhead Utility

   • Repeated cleanings through the printer’s software consume large amounts of ink and can oversaturate the internal sponge and nozzle pad inside the printhead.

   • Excess moisture lingers and leaks even during idle periods, which then transfers directly onto the paper during printing.

2. Ultrasonic Cleaning Side Effects

   • While ultrasonic cleaning is excellent for removing deep clogs, it can sometimes dislodge internal seals or expand pores within the nozzle membrane.

   • In some cases, it "works too well," leaving the printhead unable to regulate ink delivery properly.

   • Ink may be seeping through even when it's not being actively fired—hence the blots.

3. Aging or Degrading Printhead Structure

   • HP 8610 printheads are known to wear out over time. If yours is several years old, there's a good chance the internal gasket seals or ink channels have degraded and may no longer handle pressure correctly.

What You Can Try Next

Use the Printer Normally for 1–2 Weeks

Continue printing regular test pages and documents, ideally one or two per day. This will help stabilize pressure within the printhead and may reduce blotting if the issue was caused by excess fluid rather than structural damage.

Dry the Printhead

• Remove the printhead and let it sit nozzle-side down on a dry paper towel for 24–48 hours in a dust-free, room-temperature area.

• This allows moisture trapped inside to evaporate and may improve flow control.

Inspect for Physical Ink Drips

After printing, gently lift the printhead carriage and inspect the bottom of the printhead:

• Is there visible pooling or wetness?

• Are ink drips present under the printer?
  If so, this confirms excessive leakage, not just minor overspray.

Replace the Printhead If Necessary

If the blotching continues beyond a week of normal printing—even after letting the printhead dry—chances are the printhead’s internal regulation system has been compromised. In that case, replacement is the only long-term fix.

You can usually find new or OEM-refurbished HP 8610 printheads online. Just make sure they’re genuine HP heads, not third-party clones, as counterfeit units often have nozzle issues right out of the box.

Hands-On Repairs & Support Options

Troubles like this are common with aging inkjet systems, and unfortunately, they’re difficult to fully troubleshoot without hands-on inspection. Because of this, we don’t offer remote or on-call printer repair services. However, we do provide in-person support through our diagnostic center:
Printer Repair Service
(https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service)

Please note that our service operates on a first-come, first-served basis. There may be a wait time of a few weeks before we can evaluate your printer after drop-off. While we offer both full-printer and component-specific repairs, our pricing may not be the most economical for every situation—especially for older models.

For those pursuing DIY repair, we recommend beginning your search on our YouTube channel homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search icon next to the “About” tab to look up printhead diagnostics, leak fixes, and HP 8610-specific repair videos. We’ve created hundreds of videos over the years, so searching by keyword is your best bet. YouTube may also recommend additional videos from other creators that could prove helpful.

Thank you once again for trusting BCH Technologies. Your proactive approach to fixing your printer is commendable, and we truly hope you’re able to get that HP 8610 back to clean, blotch-free printing very soon.