1. When refilling an ink cartridge, be sure to do it over some old newspapers or a rag like an old shirt. Cloth is preferred because it quickly sops up excess ink.

2. Cleaning off ink stains ought to be done with soap and water. If that fails, I would suggest using a harsher cleaner like nail polish remover or a bleach mixture. Hairspray may also work.

3. Give the cartridge time to re-stabilize its internal pressure before you try to use it. Some cartridges require the use of a plastic squeeze bottle to blow air into the fill hole and raise the air pressure. Other cartridges will self-stabilize after a short time if you just allow them to sit. You should receive specific instructions with your ink refill kit.

4. Don’t delay too long to refill your ink cartridge after it goes dry. The dried out cartridge will get clogged at the micro-holes near the printer head outlet. This will block the ink from escaping, and disallow your ink cartridge from functioning. If you refill a cartridge before there is use for it, store it in a plastic bag like a ziploc to stop atmospheric conditions from messing with it. As little as 20 minutes unbagged may cause an ink cartridge to dry out and its outlet holes to clog, so plan accordingly.

5. Always follow all procedural instructions listed with the refill kit. Don’t try to cut any corners or save time on any steps. Refilling ink is a very precise and order-based, so just go through with the instructions to the letter.

6. When refilling multi-color cartridges, take great care not to let any of the reservoirs to overflow or mix. This will cause dirty looking or muddy colored prints to come out when you try to use the printer.

7. Don’t be worried if the ink leaks a little bit after you finish refilling. The outlet holes have to be unblocked in order for the cartridge to work properly, so ink leaking from those holes just means they are clear and working. If it’s leaking quite significant amount, you have an actual problem of course.

8. Some printer cartridges have switches on the outside that allow the printer to detect the cartridge as full and try to use it. When the cartridge began to run dry, the chip was ‘tripped’ and the printer stopped using the ink cartridge. For some cartridges (Epson particularly) you will have to re-set this chip so the printer will recognize your ink cartridge as full again and be able to use it. These notices should ensure your next ink re-filling attempts go smoothly and without a hitch. Good luck!

Tony Fliven is a blogging and printer enthusiast from Atlanta, GA. In his spare time, he likes to start websites, cook and blog about ink refills for printers.