Abstract: An ink jet printhead scrubbing and priming method and apparatus are provided. The apparatus of the method includes a capping member for capping a nozzle face of an ink jet printhead. The capping member has a bottom wall and side walls defining a capping recess and a priming path into the capping recess. A nozzle face of an ink jet printhead being capped, the bottom wall and side walls of the capping member together define an enclosed gap within the capping recess that contains air. The apparatus of the method then includes pressure applying devices for alternatingly applying positive and negative pressure within the enclosed gap and to nozzles in the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped. The positive and negative pressures effectively agitate and scrub the nozzles in the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped, thereby facilitating easy and effective subsequent priming of the nozzles in the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped.