How to clean my LabelWriter?

This article will guide you on how to clean your LabelWriter device and printer’s sensors and provide you with basic maintenance tips.

Please note: these steps do NOT apply to devices from the LabelWriter 5-series. If you are using our LabelWriter 5-series, please click HERE to access the appropriate guide.

Furthermore, if your LabelWriter experiences issues such as failure to feed labels, excessive/partial feeding, or subpar print quality, you can follow the steps below:

Label Compatibility

Please ensure that you are using compatible DYMO Authentic labels, as they are specifically designed to work seamlessly with our devices. These labels are optimized for label detection and have undergone thorough testing to deliver the best printing output.

Preparing your LabelWriter for the cleaning procedure

Before proceeding, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the various components of your device. If you encounter any uncertainty regarding a specific component mentioned in the guide, feel free to refer back to this diagram.

1. Begin by disconnecting all cables from the back of the printer.
2. Proceed to open the label compartment.
3. Use the Release Lever located on the left-hand side to carefully extract labels from the feeding area.
4. Remove the spool from the printer.
5. Detach the front cover. Firmly grasp the top portion and pull it towards you. For a visual demonstration, please refer to the instructional video below.

Your device should now look like the example below:

Cleaning your LabelWriter

1. If you have a label jam, you should now be able to see it wrapped around the roller. To gain better access, you can lift the gray label guide up. This will provide you with access to the printer roller and the entry sensor.

2. Use tweezers to remove any label pieces you may see in the print area. If your labels are wrapped around the roller, please try to split the label along the top using scissors or a scalpel. If the labels are not moving, pull the Release Lever to relieve tension on the label and simultaneously extract it from the printer.

Please exercise extreme caution when handling sharp objects to avoid injury or damaging the print roller.

3. Once all stuck labels have been removed, we advise removing any possible glue residue. Use a cleaning card or moisten both sides of a business card with isopropyl alcohol.

Please note: The business card should be rigid enough to be properly transported by the roller. Avoid excessive soaking.

Using a cleaning card will eliminate any glue residue that may have adhered to the printer roller. It will also clean the bottom of your entry sensor, which is depicted in the diagram below:

4. Insert the cleaning card under the Entry Sensor and feed it through the device. You may reconnect the power and turn your printer on for this step. Powering on the device will enable you to use the feed button located at the front of the printer. Pressing the feed button will cause your LabelWriter to advance the cleaning card through to the other side, effectively cleaning all sides of the roller. Repeat this process 3-5 times.
5. To clean the Exit Sensor, locate it above the label path exit. Use a dry cotton swab to carefully and thoroughly clean the black chip. Ensure there are no signs of glue or dust on the sensor’s surface.

Please note: Depending on your region, you may have 1 or 2 exit sensors. If you have 2 exit sensors, kindly clean both of them.

6. Once you have finished cleaning both sensors, you can proceed with reassembling your device. Align the two hooks on the front cover with the slots on the bottom of your printer. Apply gentle pressure to push the cover until it clicks into place. Inspect the sides and bottom of the printer for any gaps between the printer and the front cover. If gaps are present, please remove the cover and attempt reattachment again.

Please note: If you require a visual reference on how to reattach the front cover, kindly refer to the video provided at the beginning of this article.

Inserting your labels

1. Reconnect the power cable to the back of your printer. Your device will make noise for a few seconds, while the light will continue to flash.
2. Insert your DYMO Authentic labels into the printer. Ensure that the labels are facing down and aligned completely to the left-hand side. For a visual reference, please refer to our video tutorial below:

LabelWriter 450 Duo Tape Compartment

This following section will guide you on how to clean the bottom tape compartment of your LabelWriter 450 Duo device. If your LabelWriter does not feed the tape, the print quality is not optimal, or if a piece of tape got stuck in the cassette tray, the following steps can be followed:

Tape Compatibility

Please ensure that you are using DYMO Authentic tapes, as they are specifically designed to work seamlessly with our devices. Our tapes have undergone thorough testing to deliver the best printing output.

Preparing your tape compartment for the cleaning procedure

1. Disconnect the printer from the USB cable and the power source.
2. Press the feed button 20 times to discharge the device.
3. Connect the printer to power only.

Before you proceed, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the various components of your device. If you encounter any uncertainty regarding a specific component mentioned in the guide, feel free to refer back to these diagrams.

Clean the print head and the print roller

1. Press the button on the front of the cassette tray to reveal the tape compartment.
2. Remove the cassette from the device.
3. Check if there is no physical label jam inside of the printer.
4. Dampen a cotton swab with a pure alcohol-based solution, such as isopropyl or rubbing alcohol.
5. Carefully but thoroughly wipe the print head with the swab. If one side of the cotton swab becomes soiled, use a new swab.
6. Inspect the rubber roller inside the tape compartment and ensure that there is no tape wrapped around it. If you find any tape wrapped around the roller, please use tweezers to carefully remove the tape. If the tape is tightly wrapped, you may need to use a scalpel or another sharp tool to split the tape and remove it effectively.

Please exercise extreme caution when handling sharp objects to avoid injury or damaging the print roller.

Clean the cutter blade

1. Briefly press the Feed and Eject (refer to the diagram above) buttons simultaneously. The cutter will begin to expose.

Please, keep your fingers away from this area as the blade is extremely sharp.

2. Use a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and clean both sides of the cutter.
3. Once you have cleaned the cutter, press the Eject button once. The blade will return to its original position.

Printing a label

1. Reconnect the USB cable to the back of your printer. Please make sure the other end is connected directly to your computer.
2. Open our DYMO Software and print your labels.