Good Morning! Welcome to the 2nd post of the week! Today, let’s touch on another item your copier uses that should be properly cared for as well: Paper!

That’s right, without paper, your copier or printer serves virtually zero purpose in life. Today we are going to talk about the proper storage and handling of your machine’s paper supply. Paper Jams are one common pitfall of a copy machine. A pitfall that can be easily avoided by following a few simple instructions:

* DO NOT STORE OPEN REAMS OF PAPER: If you open a ream of paper, put the whole thing in your machine if possible. You can put it in one tray if it allows for it, or split it among multiple trays or even multiple copiers and printers. Storing an opened ream of paper exposes the paper to air and moisture. Moisture is the number one enemy of paper, as it causes it to soak up said moisture from humidity, causing the paper to distort and deform. Running this through your machine can cause poor print quality as well as jams.

* DO NOT LOAD DAMAGED PAPER: This one should be the most obvious. Running ripped, wrinkled or folded paper through your machine is just asking for jamming issues. Do not do this. Pieces of damaged paper can detach inside the machine, often necessitating a service call to remove it. The sheet itself can also snag on an internal component, and get wound around it, necessitating a service call to remove it.

* AVOID SPILLING LIQUIDS ON PAPER: This is similar, if not far worse than leaving a ream open. Paper that has had liquids spilled on it, such as coffee, tea, soda, etc can get stuck together, causing a multiple feed situation that leads to a jam. Keep the food and drink away from the paper supply.

* HANDLE YOUR PAPER WITH CLEAN HANDS: Don’t try to load paper into your machine right after you just got done eating McDonald’s. That grease on your hands will transfer to the paper, causing jams, poor print quality, and possibly even damage to the machine. Wash your hands first! Gloves aren’t necessary. After all, you’re trying to print on paper, not a cheeseburger.

* REMOVE ODD PIECES BEFORE SCANNING OR COPYING: By odd pieces, we mean receipts, staples, paper clips, post-it notes, anything that isn’t the document itself. These can (and often will) detach inside the feeder, causing all sorts of mayhem that may (will) require a tech visit. If you must scan a receipt or post-it note, consider using the flat bed glass.

* STORE PAPER IN A PROPER ENVIRONMENT: Paper holds up better sealed in it’s packaging (Or in your machine’s paper trays) in a cool, dry environment. Remember, humidity is the #1 enemy of paper!