Control method for a fluid ejection device, and a fluid ejection device

A control method for a fluid ejection device that performs at least one of a cleaning operation that suctions fluid from a nozzle and a wiping operation that wipes the nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzles are disposed when dropped dots result from one or more of a plurality of nozzles for ejecting fluid not ejecting fluid droplets, comprising:

• a dropped dot detection step that tests for dropped dots and determines if dropped dots occur;
• an elimination history detection step that, when the dropped dot detection step determines there are dropped dots, determines if a history of eliminating dropped dots by means of a wiping operation remains;
• a wiping step that performs the wiping operation when the elimination history detection step determines the elimination history does not remain;
• and
• a cleaning step that performs the cleaning operation without performing the wiping operation when the elimination history detection step determines the elimination history remains.