A service call was opened for a thermal printer that has poor print quality. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?

Replacing the print head with an OEM part is a last resort and should not be attempted before cleaning, as the issue may be residue rather than hardware failure.

Using a cotton swab and alcohol is not manufacturer-recommended and risks leaving lint or using an incompatible solvent that could damage thermal print head elements.

Thermal printers produce output by applying heat directly through the print head elements, and residue buildup is the most common cause of degraded print quality. Using the printer manufacturer's cleaning kit ensures the correct solvents and materials are used, preventing damage to the delicate thermal elements while effectively restoring print quality.

Cleaning the print rollers addresses paper feed issues, not print quality, making it irrelevant to the reported symptom.

Cleaning the print rollers does not address print quality problems; the print head, not the rollers, is responsible for producing the printed image.