Cleaning method and fluid ejecting apparatus

A method for cleaning a fluid ejecting apparatus including a fluid ejecting head that has a plurality of nozzle openings through which fluid is ejected, a fluid supply passage through which the fluid is supplied toward the fluid ejecting head, an open/close valve that is provided on the fluid supply passage, and a pressure reduction mechanism that generates negative pressure in a space outside the nozzle openings, the cleaning method comprising:

• a valve-closing operation of putting the open/close valve into a closed state;
• a pressure reduction operation of generating negative pressure in the space by using the pressure reduction mechanism after the valve-closing operation to cause the fluid to bulge outward at the nozzle openings;
• and
• a negative pressure relief operation,
• wherein the pressure reduction mechanism includes a capping member that is brought into contact with the fluid ejecting head in such a manner that the capping member encloses the nozzle openings to form the space, a sucking section that applies a force of suction to the space, and a negative pressure relief section that relieves the negative pressure in the space;
• wherein the sucking section applies the force of suction to the space as the pressure reduction operation;
• and wherein after the pressure reduction operation, in the negative pressure relief operation, the negative pressure relief section relieves the negative pressure in the space in a state in which the open/close valve remains closed and, in addition, the bulges of the fluid are exposed at the nozzle openings,
• further wherein the pressure reduction mechanism includes a tube pump that includes a flexible tube and a pressing member;
• an upstream end of the flexible tube is connected to the capping member;
• the pressing member reciprocates while pressing the tube;
• the pressing member moves outward from an upstream side of the tube to a downstream side of the tube in the pressure reduction operation;
• the pressing member moves homeward from the downstream side of the tube to the upstream side of the tube in the negative pressure relief operation;
• and negative pressure relief time during which the pressing member moves homeward is longer than pressure reduction time during which the pressing member moves outward.