How to Fix Print Smudges on Paper: A Comprehensive Guide

Print smudges and dots on your documents can be frustrating and unprofessional. These imperfections are often a sign of a simple issue that you can resolve yourself. Typically, these marks, which appear as unwanted ink or toner on the page, are caused by foreign materials interfering with your printer’s drum unit. This guide will walk you through the steps to clean your drum unit and eliminate those annoying print smudges, ensuring your documents look crisp and clean again.

It’s worth noting that Brother Industries, a leading printer manufacturer, emphasizes the importance of using genuine Brother drum units and toner cartridges. Their printers are specifically engineered to work optimally with Brother supplies. Using third-party consumables can sometimes lead to hardware performance issues, reduced print quality, and even affect the machine’s reliability. Furthermore, issues arising from the use of non-Brother supplies may not be covered under the Brother limited warranty. While this guide provides a general solution, using genuine parts is always recommended for best performance and longevity of your Brother printer.

Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Printer Drum and Fixing Print Smudges

Before you consider replacing any parts, cleaning the drum unit is the first and often most effective step in resolving print smudge problems. Follow these steps carefully:

Step 1: Print a Printer Settings Report to Diagnose Print Smudges

The first step is to determine if the smudging issue is consistent across all printing or related to a specific component. Printing a Printer Settings report helps you assess the general print quality of your machine.

1. Navigate to Print Reports on your printer’s control panel by pressing the ▲ or ▼ buttons, then press OK.
2. Select Print Settings using the ▲ or ▼ buttons and press OK.
3. Press Go. Your printer will now print the Printer Settings report.
4. Once printed, press the Back button twice to return your printer to the Ready state.

Alt text: Brother printer control panel with power button highlighted, used to navigate menus and print reports.

Examine the printed Printer Settings report closely.

• If there are no smudges or dots on the report: Congratulations! The issue might have been temporary or resolved itself. Continue using your printer as normal.
• If smudges or dots are still present on the report: Proceed to Step 2. This indicates a persistent issue likely related to the drum unit.

Step 2: Print the Drum Dot Check Sheet to Isolate Drum Issues

The Drum Dot Check Sheet is a specialized printout designed to help pinpoint if the drum unit is indeed the source of the print smudges.

1. From the Ready state of your printer, navigate to Print Reports using the ▲ or ▼ buttons, and press OK.
2. Select Drum Dot Print using the ▲ or ▼ buttons and press OK.
3. Press Go. The printer will now print the Drum Dot Check Sheet.
4. Press the Back button twice to return to the Ready state.

Step 3: Perform Manual Drum Cleaning to Remove Print Smudges

Manual drum cleaning is a hands-on process that directly addresses potential foreign material buildup on the drum unit.

1. Power Off: Press and hold the power button to turn off your printer completely.
2. Open Front Cover: Open the front cover of your printer to access the internal components.

Alt text: Illustration showing how to open the front cover of a Brother laser printer to access internal components.

3. Remove Drum Unit Assembly: Carefully remove the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly from the printer.

Alt text: Hands removing the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly from a Brother laser printer for cleaning.

Note: Place the assembly on a sheet of disposable paper to protect your workspace from any accidental toner spillage.

4. Separate Toner Cartridge: Push down the green lock lever on the drum unit and detach the toner cartridge from the drum unit.

Alt text: Step-by-step diagram showing how to detach the toner cartridge from the drum unit in a Brother printer.

Note: Handle the toner cartridge with care. Toner can stain, so wash off any toner that gets on your skin or clothes immediately with cold water.

5. Flip Drum Unit: Turn the drum unit over, ensuring the gear is on the left side as illustrated.

Alt text: Image showing the correct way to flip the drum unit over to access the drum roller for cleaning.

6. Locate Mark on Drum: Refer to the Drum Dot Check Sheet you printed in Step 2. Use the numbered markers on the drum roller to find the corresponding area indicated on the check sheet. For example, a dot in column 2 suggests a mark or debris in drum region “2”.
7. Rotate Drum Gear: Rotate the wheel at the end of the drum unit while pressing the shaded area, as shown, to inspect the entire drum surface for marks or foreign material.

Alt text: Illustration demonstrating how to rotate the drum unit gear to thoroughly inspect the drum surface for print smudge causes.

8. Clean Drum Roller: Gently clean the drum roller’s surface using a lint-free cloth or a cotton swab slightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol (91% preferred, 70%-75% acceptable). Alcohol swabs from first-aid kits can also be used. Rotate the white gear on the left to ensure you clean the entire drum surface.

Alt text: Fire hazard symbol warning about the flammability of isopropyl alcohol, advising to keep away from flames.

Alt text: Close-up of a drum roller being cleaned with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol to remove print smudges.

Important: Isopropyl alcohol is flammable. Ensure you are working in a well-ventilated area and keep it away from open flames.

Drum Damage: If you notice physical damage such as scratches, nicks, or gashes on the drum surface, cleaning will not resolve the issue. The drum unit (DR730 or equivalent for your model) will require replacement. Drum damage is often caused by foreign objects or improper print materials and is not covered under warranty.

9. Allow to Dry: Let the alcohol evaporate completely from the drum surface before proceeding.
10. Clean Corona Wire: Locate the primary corona wire inside the drum unit. Gently slide the green tab from left to right and back several times to clean it.

Alt text: Diagram showing how to clean the corona wire inside the drum unit of a Brother printer using the green tab.

Note: Ensure the green tab is returned to its Home position (indicated by ▲) and aligned with the arrow on the drum unit. Incorrect positioning can cause vertical stripes on your prints.

11. Reinstall Toner Cartridge: Firmly reinsert the toner cartridge into the drum unit until you hear it click and lock into place.

Alt text: Hands reinstalling the toner cartridge back into the drum unit after cleaning, ensuring it locks in place.

12. Reinstall Drum Unit Assembly: Place the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly back into the printer.

Alt text: Image showing the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly being reinstalled into the Brother laser printer.

13. Close Front Cover and Power On: Close the front cover of your printer and press the power button to turn the printer back on.

Step 4: Print Blank Pages for Further Cleaning

To ensure any remaining loose debris is cleared, print 10 to 15 blank pages from your computer. This process helps to further clean the drum surface.

Step 5: Print Printer Settings Report Again to Check for Print Smudges

Finally, reprint the Printer Settings report as you did in Step 1 to see if the cleaning has resolved the print smudge issue.

1. Navigate to Print Reports -> Print Settings and press Go as before.

Examine the newly printed Printer Settings report.

• If there are no smudges or dots on this report: The issue is resolved! Your printer should now be printing cleanly.
• If smudges or dots persist: A second manual drum cleaning might be necessary. Repeat steps 3-5.
• If smudges or dots continue after two cleaning attempts: It’s likely that the drum unit (DR730 or equivalent) is damaged or nearing the end of its life and needs to be replaced to permanently fix the print smudge problem.

Preventing Future Print Smudges on Paper

While cleaning the drum unit is effective, preventing smudges in the first place is ideal. Here are a few tips:

• Use Genuine Brother Supplies: As recommended by Brother, using genuine drum units and toner cartridges ensures optimal performance and reduces the risk of issues caused by incompatible supplies.
• Handle Paper Carefully: Store paper in a dry place and avoid dusty environments. Fan the paper stack before loading it into the printer to remove loose paper dust.
• Regular Printer Maintenance: Follow your printer’s recommended maintenance schedule, which may include cleaning other components and replacing parts as needed.
• Avoid Foreign Objects: Be careful not to drop paper clips, staples, or other small objects into the printer, as these can damage the drum unit.

Conclusion

Print Smudges On Paper are often caused by easily resolvable issues, primarily related to foreign material on the printer’s drum unit. By following this step-by-step guide to clean your drum unit, you can often eliminate these imperfections and restore your printer to optimal working condition. Remember to use genuine Brother supplies and practice good printer maintenance to prevent future occurrences and ensure consistent, high-quality prints.