Scanners are quiet workhorses in busy offices. Assuming your hardware is working properly, you’ll be running hundreds of pages every day. This is not true. Not without maintenance.
If you don’t want it to look like you scanned a dirty window, you need to keep the glass clean. Manufacturers usually agree on one standard: clean the scanner after every 5,000 sheets. This is not advice. This is a rule of thumb to maintain image quality.
You don’t need a chemistry degree to do this. Get the right supplies. Purchase wet scanner wipes from the manufacturer or visit your local copy shop. Rubbing alcohol and a soft, lint-free cloth can also be effective.
Here’s how to clean the scanner without harming it or yourself.
Step by step cleaning process
Safety first. Always unplug the scanner before touching the inside or top of the cover. Electricity and water don’t mix, so it must be safe even if you just wipe the glass.
- **Open the cover. ** Lift up to reveal the platen.
- **Wipe the glass. ** Use the damp wipe made for scanners. If you’re using an alcohol-soaked rag, wring it until it’s barely damp. You don’t want liquid to seeping into the inner machinery. This is an easy way to kill a sensor array.
- **Wipe the backing. ** Don’t forget the white plastic backing on the underside of the lid. It gets dirty just like glass.
- **Check the transparency lamp. ** If your scanner has a transparency unit for slides or negatives, check the lamp itself for dust and debris. Wipe if necessary. A dirty lamp can cause streaks in scans, especially on transparent materials.
- **Close and reconnect. ** Close the lid. Plug the scanner back in.
When should you increase the frequency of cleaning?
The 5,000 page rule is average. Your reality may be different.
If you frequently scan documents with heavy ink images, pencil markings, or chemical coatings, you may need to clean more often. Calcium residue on some papers leaves a residue that accumulates faster than regular toner dust.
The Heat Warning
Do not clean the scanner immediately after completing a large scan job. During use, the glass surface gets very hot. Direct contact may cause burns. Wait until it cools down.
“Be careful not to get the rag or fabric too wet, so that the liquid does not get inside the machine.”
Most people skip this step. They get lazy. They run a stack of 200 documents, never wipe the glass, and wonder why their next invoice looks like there’s a shadow in the corner. The shadow is dust. The shadow is oil from your fingers. The shadow is neglect.
Keep the glass clear. It takes 30 seconds. The alternative is blurry documents, frustrated staff, and ultimately replacement unit you could have avoided.
Does anyone still use transparency units for slides? Maybe not many people do that anymore. But if you do, that lamp is a pain point. Dust there ruins everything.
Wipe it off. Unplug
