Common Nozzle-Cleaning Mistakes

1. Purging at the wrong temperature

The biggest mistake. People set the hotend for the material they're about to print, not the one they're removing. A material that prints at 280–290°C won't melt at PLA's 220–230°C. It just stays put. Always purge at the temperature of the hotter material.

2. Pulling a cold pull too soon

If you pull before the tip has solidified, half the debris stays behind, broken off into a bigger chunk that's even harder to remove. Wait until the hotend is below about 150–160°C.

3. Not purging enough

Stop only when the output is translucent and milky, with no previous color and no black specks. Carbonized specks are stubborn and can take a while to clear.