Many people often wonder the fact that why the ink in their printer ink cartridge evaporates. When the printer is left unused, the printer ink evaporates. Actually, the ink used in the printing machine is formulated in a way so that it can dry quickly. This is done to make sure when prints are taken, the output is flawless with no smudges on the paper. And, the soluble constituent of the ink does evaporate. It is common fact that all liquid substances evaporate. Some evaporates faster than the others. So, if the printer is left unused or idle for longer periods of time, there are certainly greater chances of the ink getting evaporated with time.

However, this fact is not similar to toner cartridges. Toner cartridges do not dry up since they use a dry powder toner. They turn into mud or get cakey which happens due to the contamination of moisture inside the cartridge. Toner cartridges consist of a powdery substance that is dry and can easily be stored for a while without worrying about an expiration date. However it is worthwhile to note that you can only store toner cartridges in certain temperatures. The best way to prevent clumping up of toner cartridge is to remove the cartridge from the printer and then store it in a plastic zip lock bag, most preferably with a moist or soaking wet paper towel and then keep it away from heat and direct rays of sun.