A recording apparatus comprising: a recording head for discharging a plurality of inks in different colors; an ink absorber for absorbing the plurality of inks discharged from the recording head; a waste ink storage for collecting ink having been absorbed in the ink absorber; a detection means including a light emitting means for emitting light onto a predetermined position of the ink absorber, and a light receiving means for receiving reflected light from the predetermined position on the ink absorber; a control means for controlling the detection means to perform a detection operation in which the light emitting means emits light onto the predetermined position, and the light receiving means receives reflected light from the predetermined position of the ink absorber; and a determination means for determining whether to perform a predetermined operation related to ink accumulation on the absorber, based on an amount of light received from the predetermined position on the ink absorber, characterized in that the control means controls the recording head to discharge a predetermined amount of an ink in a chromatic first color among the plurality of inks to the predetermined position of the ink absorber in response to a decision to execute the detection operation by the detection means, and controls the detection means to perform the detection operation of the predetermined position, wherein the predetermined amount of ink corresponds to an amount of ink that makes the color of the surface of a substance that is accumulated onto the ink absorber or that adheres to the ink absorber the first chromatic color; and the control means controls the recording head not to discharge an ink to the predetermined position during a period from when the recording head discharges the ink in the first color to the predetermined position through an end of the detection operation. a recording head for discharging a plurality of inks in different colors; an ink absorber for absorbing the plurality of inks discharged from the recording head; a waste ink storage for collecting ink having been absorbed in the ink absorber; a detection means including a light emitting means for emitting light onto a predetermined position of the ink absorber, and a light receiving means for receiving reflected light from the predetermined position on the ink absorber; a control means for controlling the detection means to perform a detection operation in which the light emitting means emits light onto the predetermined position, and the light receiving means receives reflected light from the predetermined position of the ink absorber; and a determination means for determining whether to perform a predetermined operation related to ink accumulation on the absorber, based on an amount of light received from the predetermined position on the ink absorber, characterized in that the control means controls the recording head to discharge a predetermined amount of an ink in a chromatic first color among the plurality of inks to the predetermined position of the ink absorber in response to a decision to execute the detection operation by the detection means, and controls the detection means to perform the detection operation of the predetermined position, wherein the predetermined amount of ink corresponds to an amount of ink that makes the color of the surface of a substance that is accumulated onto the ink absorber or that adheres to the ink absorber the first chromatic color; and the control means controls the recording head not to discharge an ink to the predetermined position during a period from when the recording head discharges the ink in the first color to the predetermined position through an end of the detection operation.