On average, small business owners spend upwards of $40,000 to get off the ground in their first year. Much of this funding is allocated for maintaining various devices, including copiers. These all-important machines can make a world of difference for your organization, but they can also be a money pit if you don’t take good care of them.
That’s precisely what we’ll help you avoid. We’ve compiled the 5 best tips on how to maintain your copiers correctly.
Why Are Copiers Important for Your Business?
Chances are, you belong to the vast majority of enterprises that are digitalizing their workspace. That being the case, you might be considering removing copiers from your office altogether. After all, why should you keep them if you’re utilizing digital documents to a greater extent?
But don’t discard your machines just yet. Here’s what makes them one of your greatest assets:
- Productivity gains – With an in-house copier, there’s no need to make time-consuming trips to a copier store.
- Keeping up with modern trends – Although copier technology has been around for ages, manufacturers are making sure machines can keep up with modern trends. For instance, you can now find multifunction copiers and cloud-based devices to revolutionize your office.
- Less paper waste – Double-sided copying and many other features of cutting-edge copiers lead to less waste to help reduce the carbon footprint of your company.
How to Maintain Copiers the Right Way
It’s no surprise why copiers remain the staple of many organizations. If you want to keep your devices in great shape, apply the following tips:
1. Clean the Device From Top to Bottom
As you might have guessed, much of your copier maintenance comes down to cleaning. Even if you don’t use the device very often, it still attracts piles of dust and debris. Removing them is key to optimizing the machine and extending its lifespan.
Here are the parts of your copier you need to clean and how to do so:
- Glass – This is the most obvious copier component you need to clean. It’s also where you can easily see dust and grime, which makes the task somewhat easier. To clean your copier glass, apply a specialized glass cleaner onto a cloth and gently wipe the unit down. Never spray products directly onto the glass to avoid damaging your copier.
- Ink cartridge head – As the name suggests, the ink cartridge head is where your copier stores ink. Like the glass, it can get packed with dust, which is why you should clean it at least once a week. Dampen a cotton swab with some water and gently wipe the part to eliminate any dust and sticky residue.
- Drum – The drum is another critical part of your system, as it transfers ink to paper. To stop stains from smearing your documents, give your drum an in-depth wipe-down every seven days or so. Additionally, you may need to bring in the big guns (professional help) to remove any stuck toner. In addition, there are specialized bars designed to eliminate toner stains safely and efficiently.
- Rollers – Rollers allow paper to circulate through the copier but are notorious for attracting dust. Thankfully, a quick treatment with a lint-free cloth helps keep the parts in mint condition.
- Rest of the inside – Once you’ve cleaned the glass, cartridge head, rollers, and drum, don’t sit back just yet. Other parts inside the toner also require an occasional wipe-down, including the exposure lamp and paper tray.
2. Insert Paper Correctly
Forcing paper inside the copier just doesn’t seem right, does it? It creates wrinkled, unprofessional-looking documents, but that’s not the only problem. Inserting paper using brute force also leads to paper jams, resulting in downtime and hindering your productivity.
These paper insertion best practices should save the day:
- Don’t overload the tray – Most devices are designed to hold at least 500 sheets, so don’t exceed this threshold. To stay on the safe side, place about 70%-80% of the machine’s capacity at a time.
- Make sure your papers are aligned – The ones at the top of the pile may seem fine, but what about those at the bottom? If they’re all over the place, they may fail to enter the copier correctly, which causes jams. A few seconds’ worth of adjustments goes a long way in preventing this.
- Don’t put stuck sheets inside – Paper manufacturers tend to use a lot of glue when packaging their products. Some of it may end up on the sheets, making two or more papers stick together. Inserting them in this condition is a no-go, so check for any glued sheets before firing your machine up.
3. Use Top-Quality Paper
Poor-quality paper not only causes subpar copies but also wreaks havoc on the machine by releasing a ton of dust during the copying process. The solution is simple – invest in better paper. A higher price tag might be off-putting, but it pays off in the long run.
If you’re not sure which paper to use for your copier, consult the instruction manual. It contains useful information, including compatible paper and other maintenance tips.
4. Shut It Down When Not in Use
Copiers that remain on when not in use have dramatically shorter lifespans than the machines you turn off when you no longer need them. Therefore, make sure your team shuts the device down at the end of their shifts.
5. Go Easy on Your Machine in the Morning
When you first arrive at your office and turn on your copier, don’t start mashing the “copy” key right off the bat. Like most other devices, your copier needs some time to warm up. Give it at least two or three minutes to “wake up” before putting it to work.
Bonus Tip – Don’t Let Ageing Machines Hold You Back
Despite your exhaustive maintenance, your copier won’t serve you forever. You’ll eventually need to replace it with a high-end model to avoid downtime and optimize productivity.
That’s where On Demand comes in. We provide a wide range of office equipment to help skyrocket your growth. One of the main highlights of our assortments is copiers. Get in touch with us and choose the right device for your Houston business.