How to Clean Zebra ZXP Series 7 Printer: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Keeping your Zebra ZXP Series 7 card printer in optimal condition is essential for producing clear, professional ID cards. Routine maintenance not only improves print quality but also protects the printhead, rollers, and internal components from costly damage. This guide walks you through how to properly clean your ZXP Series 7 using a cleaning card, cleaning wipe, and other approved supplies.

Why Regular Cleaning Matters

The ZXP Series 7 is designed for high-performance printing, but dust, card debris, and ribbon residue gradually build up in the printer’s critical areas. According to the official user manual, regular cleaning maintains your warranty and helps protect hard-to-reach parts like the printhead, transport rollers, and magnetic encoder station.

Recommended cleaning intervals for a typical office environment:

• Card Path cleaning: Every 5,000 cards
• Feeder Path cleaning: Every 5,000 cards

Before You Start: What You Need

Zebra recommends using only approved cleaning supplies. For the Zebra ZXP Series 7, you may need:

• Printer cleaning card (long, short, laminator, or polishing type)
• Feeder cleaning card
• Polishing/lapping card (Zebra-authorized only)
• Cleaning wipes or cleaning swabs (for laminator rollers)

How to Initiate the Cleaning Process on the Printer

All cleaning functions are accessed through the Operator Control Panel (OCP):

1. Press MENU on the OCP.
2. Scroll to Advanced Settings.
3. Select Clean Printer to open the cleaning menu.

1. Clean the Card Path (Primary Printer Cleaning)

This is the most frequently required cleaning routine.

Steps:

1. On the Clean Printer Menu, select CLEAN CARD PATH.
2. Follow prompts and prepare your printer cleaning card.
3. Open the print cover and ribbon drawer, remove the ribbon, then press Next.
4. Insert the long cleaning card into the Manual Feed Slot and press Clean.
5. Wait while the printer runs the cleaning cycle and ejects the card.
6. Flip the card, reinsert, and repeat.
7. Replace the ribbon.

2. Clean the Feeder Path

Cleaning the feeder ensures smooth card feeding and prevents jams.

Steps:

1. Choose CLEAN FEEDER in the cleaning menu.
2. Remove all cards from the feeder cartridge.
3. Insert the short feeder cleaning card into the top slot.
4. Press Clean, then flip the card and run the cycle again.
5. Reload cards into the feeder.

3. Printhead Polishing (Advanced Cleaning)

Printhead polishing is recommended every 5,000 cards, especially when you notice ghosting or faded print.

Note: This feature is password-protected and limited to Zebra-authorized service personnel.

Steps:

1. Enable printhead polishing in the ZXP Toolbox.
2. Open the cover and ribbon drawer; remove the ribbon.
3. Insert a polishing (lapping) card grit-side-up into the Manual Feed Slot.
4. Run the cleaning cycle and wait for the card to eject.
5. Replace the ribbon.

4. Cleaning the Laminator (If Equipped)

The laminator includes three separate cleaning routines:

A. Laminator Card Path Cleaning

1. Select CLEAN LAM CARD PATH on the OCP.
2. Wait until laminator rollers cool below 60°C.
3. Remove laminate cassettes.
4. Insert the laminator cleaning card and press Clean.

B. Laminator Roller Cleaning

Requires cleaning swabs / cleaning wipes.

1. Select CLEAN LAM ROLLERS.
2. Remove laminate cassettes.
3. Use a cleaning swab/wipe to gently clean the top and bottom rollers.
4. Move the swab side-to-side using moderate pressure until rollers stop turning.

C. Laminator Oven (Heater Roller) Cleaning

1. Select CLEAN LAM OVEN.
2. Wait until temperature is below 60°C.
3. Remove four thumb screws and slide out the heater assembly.
4. Insert the hot roller cleaning card between rollers and pull through.
5. Flip the card and repeat before reinstalling the assembly.

Tips for Best Cleaning Results

• Never reuse a cleaning card—Zebra explicitly warns against this.
• Avoid high-pressure air compressors inside the printer.
• Only use cleaning supplies designed for the ZXP Series 7.
• Maintain a dust-free environment and store cards properly.
• Always replace cleaning rollers in the dual cleaning cartridge and manual feed cassette when worn.

Recommended MediTech Cleaning Products

MediTech provides high-quality, cost-effective cleaning supplies fully compatible with Zebra ZXP Series 7 printers:

• MediTech Long Cleaning Card (For Card Path Cleaning)
  Ideal replacement for OEM long cleaning cards used in the card path cleaning cycle.
  Recommended for: CLEAN CARD PATH routine.
• MediTech Short Cleaning Card (For Feeder Cleaning)
  Designed for the feeder inlet to remove dust and debris.
  Recommended for: CLEAN FEEDER routine.
• MediTech IPA Cleaning Wipes / Cleaning Swabs
  Perfect for cleaning laminator rollers, heater rollers, and surrounding components.
  Recommended for: CLEAN LAM ROLLERS and similar manual cleaning tasks.
• MediTech Printhead Cleaning Swab (IPA-based)
  Helps remove debris buildup along the printhead during advanced printhead maintenance.