Epson Stylus Photo 1280 woes

I spent nearly three hours yesterday trying to fix a problem with my Epson Stylus Photo 1280 printer.  What was the problem?  As everyone that owns an Epson knows, you should never leave your printer to collect dust for too long.  In my case, I left it on my computer desk alone for a few months.  When I first ran a pattern test yesterday, I knew right away I had a nightmare on my hands.  The print nozzles have clogged up!  So, I did what everyone does with their Epson--ran the head cleaning routine and reprinted the pattern test page.  The first cleaning did little to the print head.  Many of the lines in the pattern test were missing and the yellow was totally absent.  Well, twenty head cleaning and pattern test printing later, some pattern lines were still missing and the yellow still absent.  I gave up for the night but around midnight, I had to try something I read from somewhere.

I used a paper towel and folded it many times into a thick strip of half an inch wide (so it looks like a long rectangle), dampened it with hot water (I do not have distilled water), and placed the strip in the groove where the printer head assembly slides over.  I then manually moved the print head assembly over the strip and allow the damp paper towel to dissolve and clean whatever was clogging the nozzles.  After a dozen or so attempts, I started to see some yellow patches on the paper towel.

I was quite excited that I wanted to do a print test right away, but only to find out I was then out of ink.  I have a stash of colour cartridges but none of the black cartridge left.  So, I ordered twelve new black cartridges.  I hope they will arrive in a couple of days so I can see if the cleaning worked!  I am counting down the days now.

I have three photos to print on 11"x17" paper.  I could take them to Kinko's with all the time I have wasted so far, but printing at home is more fun, somehow.