How to Clean a Fargo DTC4500 Printer with MediTech products

Question

Maintaining the cleanliness of your Fargo DTC4500 printer is essential for optimal print quality and prolonged device lifespan. Regular cleaning helps prevent card jams, printhead damage, and costly repairs. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best practices for cleaning your Fargo DTC4500 printer, featuring recommended MediTech products to make the process easy and effective.

Why Regular Cleaning is Important for Fargo DTC4500 Printers

Over time, dust, card debris, and ribbon particles accumulate inside your printer. This buildup can lead to:

• Poor image quality
• Smudging and streaks on printed cards
• Misfeeds or card jams
• Damage to the printhead and rollers

Essential Cleaning Supplies

For optimal maintenance, we recommend the following MediTech branded cleaning products:

• Printerhead Cleaning Swabs: Pre-saturated swabs for safe and effective printhead cleaning
• Adhesive Cleaning Card: Removes debris from rollers and platen automatically
• Alcohol Cleaning Card: Deep cleans rollers and feed paths manually
• Cleaning Wipes: Gently clean exterior surfaces without leaving lint or residue

Step-by-Step Cleaning Instructions

1. Printhead Cleaning with MediTech Printerhead Cleaning Swabs

Tools Needed: MediTech Printerhead Cleaning Swabs

Steps:

1. Turn off and unplug your printer for safety.
2. Remove the ribbon cartridge.
3. Open a MediTech Printerhead Cleaning Swab, break it to moisten the tip.
4. Gently swab the tip back and forth across the top of the printhead 3–4 times.
5. Allow to dry thoroughly before resuming printing.

Tip: Clean the printhead regularly to prevent streaks and faded prints.

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2. Cleaning Platen & Card Feed Rollers with MediTech Adhesive Cleaning Card

Tools Needed: MediTech Adhesive Cleaning Card

Steps:

1. Open the printer’s front cover and remove the print ribbon.
2. Remove all cards from the input hopper.
3. Peel off the adhesive backing from both sides of the cleaning card.
   • If your printer has a magnetic encoder, leave the small liner strip on top of the card to protect the magnetic head.
4. Insert the cleaning card into the single feed slot until it stops.
5. On your computer, open the printer driver > Printing Preferences > Toolbox > Clean.
6. Click Clean to start the automated cleaning cycle.

Result: This removes dust and debris from the platen and rollers, reducing card feed errors.

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3. Deep Roller Cleaning with MediTech Alcohol Cleaning Card

Tools Needed: MediTech Alcohol Cleaning Card

Steps:

1. Remove all cards from the input hopper.
2. Open the front cover and remove the ribbon cartridge.
3. Remove an alcohol cleaning card from the package.
4. Insert it into the card feed slot.
5. Use the printer’s forward and back buttons to move the card back and forth several times.
6. Let the rollers dry for 10 seconds before printing.
7. For lamination modules, use the adhesive or IPA card and run rollers as above.

Tip: Alcohol cleaning cards remove sticky residue and oils that adhesive cards may miss.

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4. Exterior Cleaning with MediTech Cleaning Wipes

Tools Needed: MediTech Cleaning Wipes

Steps:

• Wipe down the printer’s exterior with a MediTech Cleaning Wipe from your cleaning kit.
• Only use these approved wipes to protect the durable casing and maintain the printer’s appearance.