Your toner cartridges are a kind of consumables for your printer and if you are a regular user of printers then you need to keep a sufficient amount of stock of these cartridges. Typically, these cartridges may not expire soon as long as you know how to store them properly.
While storing your cartridges, you need to store them in a dark, dry, and cool place so that they may not be destroyed. You must protect them against moisture, heat, and light.
With improper storage, you will always get a surprise and your printer will need more ink for printing as it will run out of toner or ink too soon. Many companies often buy printer cartridges in bulk quantities in advance to ensure that their printing work remains undisrupted.
Printer cartridges, on the other hand, have expiry dates and must be handled carefully to avoid poor print quality or any printer damage during installation. Here are some guidelines for storing newly purchased printer cartridges.
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1. Store them upright within the original packaging
The moment you buy these cartridges, you must store them properly. All leading manufacturers will recommend storing them in their original package till they will be used. This prevents any air penetration or dust particles from getting inside the cartridge that can alter their performance when they are put to use.
Always store them in an upright position for preventing the contents from shifting.
2. Store in a dark, cool, and dry place
As mentioned before, you must store them in a dark, cool, and dry place. Also, ensure that cartridges are not unnecessarily exposed to extreme temperatures like -50°F or above 90°F.
You must ideally store them at room temperatures that is ranging from 60°F to 75°F. Extreme heat conditions may bubble out or leak the printer ink
3. Avoid storing them near any chemicals
You must ensure that you should not store them in any cabinets where any gaseous cleaning materials e.g. ammonia or bleach are placed. Any chemicals can degrade the ink composition or toner present in cartridges and also reduce their shelf life.
Take proper care and keep them in the right environment. Usually, toner cartridges can easily be stored for 2 years without any kind of deterioration.
4. Check best-before date
While buying toner cartridges/ink cartridges, you must always check the expiry date or sell-by date recommended by the manufacturer. This will indicate for how much period the manufacturer will take responsibility for the printer cartridges.
You must use a cartridge much before the expiry date. Often a few people install printer cartridges after their best before dates. In case, you have decided to do this, then check for issues e.g. initializing problems or any print head clogging.
Can your toner cartridges be refilled?
Refill kits for certain popular HP toner cartridges are available online, however, refilling your toner cartridges is not recommended. As you are dealing with plastic toner powder, the refill procedure can be messy, and most users do not consider it is worth it.
