Abstract: A manually operated cleaning tool for use in a liquid jet printing apparatus of the type having a manifold assembly with an interior cavity and which generates a linear array of droplet streams under pressure through an orifice plate in fluid communication with the interior cavity. The preferred embodiment of the cleaning tool comprises a vacuum head for contacting the surface of the orifice plate, an adjustable handle operatively connected to the vacuum head for rotatably positioning the vacuum head to contact the orifice plate along a corridor defined by the orifice plate mounting structure, a fluid conduit operatively connected to the vacuum head, and a vacuum apparatus for continuously removing excess printing fluid from the orifice plate.