If you own a Canon printer and are seeing at this article, chances are you just got the "Waste ink absorber is full" error, or something similar, and have no idea what it is or what the printer expects you to do. Unfortunately, or fortunately, you are not the only one with this question and there are ways to solve it. If you call Canon support, they will promptly tell you to bring the printer for servicing, that doesn't help, however, when you have a description or resumé to print by tomorrow.
Firstly, it might be important to note that the waste ink absorber is a diminutive pad that sits under the cartridge's "home" position and collects any loose ink that may be on the cartridge. This prevents smudges, so it's a good thing to have. Many ink jet printers have them, but as far as I know, only Canon Pixma printers display an error when a definite internal counter suggests that the ink absorber may be full. If you've done a lot of printing, the ink absorber may literally be full and you might need to have it cleaned or substituted to ensure the best printing quality. However, if you haven't printed that much or you have and you just need to print something right this minute, there is a way to reset the counter and stop the error from showing up again. Until the counter reaches a definite unknown point, that is, in which case you'll have to repeat the procedure.
Inkjets Cartridges
Unfortunately, the instructions for resetting the counter differ from printer to printer and again, as far as I can tell, are not mentioned in the manual. Citizen have been able to figure out how to do it, however, and there are instructions online for many printers. Searching for your printer model and whether "ink absorber" or "used ink tank" should supply you with a few links to check out. Approximately all of them are pretty easy to follow, albeit contrived and not literally discoverable on your own. Once the counter is reset, you should be able to print again.
If the ink absorber pad in your Canon is literally full, you might want to replace it. Having it serviced is generally not a good option, since it will likely cost Approximately as much as the traditional cost of the printer and is not covered under warranty, since it's considered general wear and tear and not a defect. Canon will, however, sell you a new ink absorber that shouldn't be too hard to replace. The estimate to call, in the United States, is 732-521-7230, which is their New Jersey parts center. They are open Monday straight through Friday, 9:00am to 8:00pm Est and should be able to sell you a replacement. You can also try to clean the ink absorber on your Canon without change using tissue to dispell as much ink from the absorber as you can.
Canon Ink Absorber - How To Clean It