Clean the Canon Pixma IP1000 Printer Waste Ink Absorber

When the waste ink absorber reaches capacity, the Canon Pixma IP1000 printer will no longer work.

Steps

Open your printer.
To protect hands from Ink wear thin latex (or similar) gloves.
Locate the Waste Ink Pads on the inside of your printer. They are on the right hand side and are quite small.
You can remove the pads and the holder with a gentle pull.
Using a tissue, soak up as much ink as possible and clean the area around the waste ink area.
There is one more waste holder in the right back bottom of the printer. A kind of sponge. There are few screws and plastic parts to be removed and this sponge needs to be washed, dried and placed again. Be careful and patient. This is no understatement. On the iP1500 this requires the dismantling of most of the printer. Take a photograph (even with your cell phone) so you can trace back your steps. On the iP1500 the drive motor on the side (Just behind the waste ink pads) has to be removed to get to the main sponge. You also need to take care as you lift the slide/carriage. Below this you find 5 little springs.
Carefully replace the holder and the pads. Close printer.
Whilst printer is disconnected from the mains power, press and hold the power button and reconnect to ac power.
Release the power button.
Press the power button again.

If you find it difficult to re-install the pads, use a thin set of tweezers to put the pads back in.
Use gloves if you don't want ink on your skin

Make sure the printer is disconnected from power whilst performing cleaning actions.