Ink jet printing apparatus

An ink jet printing apparatus that prints an image on a printing medium by employing a print head capable of ejecting ink from ejection ports, comprising:

• a cap configured to cover the ejection ports;
• a valve configured to open and close an atmospheric communicating portion that communicates an inside of the cap and the atmosphere;
• a change unit configured to change a relation between the print head and the cap to a first state where the cap covers the ejection ports or a second state where the cap does not cover the ejection ports;
• a suction unit configured to generate a suction force;
• and
• a control unit configured to perform an operation where the suction unit applies the suction force to the inside of the cap in the first state where the cap covers the ejection ports and the valve opens the atmospheric communicating portion, the suction force being set at a level at which meniscuses of ink are maintained at the ejection ports,
• wherein the control unit causes the change unit to change the relation to the second state and causes the valve to open the atmospheric communicating portion, and subsequently, while keeping the valve open, causes the change unit to change the relation to the first state and performs the operation.