Copier tips: Remove jams & adding toner, how to avoid problems

Many copiers include diagrams on their inside covers that show exactly how you should remove a jam – what doors to open, where to pull the paper from, what rollers to turn.  Follow these instructions to avoid ripping the paper or damaging parts of the machine.

Most copiers also include instructions for loading new toner – either on the machine itself or packaged with the new toner.  Follow these instructions to avoid the risk of a toner spill or a broken part.  Many toner hoppers are made of plastic with plastic handles, and they can break very easily if you push or bend them the wrong way.

Keep staples and paperclips away….

Staples and paperclips can easily fall into cracks or crevices in the copier,  lodging between gears or causing paper jams.  Keep them as far away from the copier as possible!

Beware of Wite-Out!

Wite-Out and other liquid paper correction products take a while to dry when applied to paper.  If you need to copy a piece of paper that has Wite-Out on it, make sure the Wite-Out has dried completely.  If it hasn’t, the correction fluid could rub off on the copier’s  internal parts – rollers, guides, or even the scanner glass – and cause all sorts of problems, both for you and for the people who need to use the copier after you. Did you have big black blobs on your copies? That could be a result of Wite-Out that dried on the platen glass. If you clean the glass, make sure you spray the rag or paper towel first. You never want to spray the machine directly!