Buying ink cartridges in advance makes sense — you avoid running out at the wrong moment and can sometimes save by buying in bulk. But how you store them makes a significant difference to whether they perform well when you finally come to use them. Here's what you need to know to keep your ink in the best possible condition.
Keep Cartridges in Their Original Packaging Until You Need Them
The sealed packaging that cartridges come in — whether a foil pouch, a plastic tray, or a sealed box — is specifically designed to protect the cartridge from air, light, and dust until the point of use. The seal preserves the ink formulation and prevents the nozzles from beginning to dry out before the cartridge is ever installed.
The simple rule is: don't open the packaging until you're ready to install the cartridge. Once the seal is broken, the clock starts ticking on the cartridge's usable life, even if it never goes in the printer.
Store in a Cool, Dry Place
Heat and humidity are the two main environmental factors that damage ink over time. High temperatures cause ink to thicken and can alter its chemical composition, while humidity can cause moisture to work its way into the cartridge. Both reduce print quality and can shorten the cartridge's useful life before it's even installed.
The ideal storage temperature for most ink cartridges is between 15°C and 25°C — roughly room temperature in a typical UK home. Avoid storing cartridges in lofts, garages, conservatories, or anywhere that experiences significant temperature swings or direct sunlight. A cupboard, desk drawer, or storage box in a home office is ideal.
Freezing temperatures are also damaging — ink can partially separate when frozen and may not fully recover even after returning to room temperature.
Store Cartridges Upright
Many inkjet cartridges — particularly those with an integrated print head, which includes most HP and many Canon models — are best stored in an upright position, with the nozzle end pointing down as it would be installed in the printer. This helps prevent ink from settling unevenly within the cartridge and reduces the risk of air pockets forming near the nozzles.
Storing cartridges on their side for extended periods isn't always a problem, but upright is the safer default for anything you're keeping in reserve for more than a few weeks.
Protect Opened Cartridges from Air Exposure
If you've opened a cartridge but aren't installing it immediately — for example if you've removed it from the printer temporarily — take steps to protect the nozzle area from air. The most effective option is to place the cartridge in a sealed zip-lock bag. Adding a small piece of slightly damp (not wet) paper towel to the bag helps maintain a little humidity inside, which slows down the drying process at the nozzle.
Avoid leaving opened cartridges sitting exposed on a desk or shelf. Even a few hours of air exposure can begin to dry out the nozzles, particularly in warm or dry environments.
Pay Attention to the Use-By Date
Ink cartridges have a shelf life, and it's worth taking seriously. Most genuine cartridges carry a best-before date of 12 to 24 months from the date of manufacture, printed on the packaging. Beyond this date, the ink can begin to degrade even if the cartridge has never been opened — the chemical composition changes gradually over time, which can affect colour accuracy and nozzle performance.
If you stock up on cartridges, rotate your supply and use the oldest ones first. Our post on ink cartridge shelf life covers this topic in more detail, including what to expect from a cartridge that's past its best-before date.
Don't Forget to Recycle When They're Done
Once a cartridge has been used, don't put it in the bin. At Crazy Kangaroo, every order of genuine HP or Canon ink includes a free prepaid recycling bag — just fill it with your empties and drop it in the post. You can also download a free Freepost recycling label at any time, for any brand, with no minimum quantity required.
And when you're ready to restock, Crazy Kangaroo stocks genuine HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother cartridges with free UK delivery on every order.
