A printhead cleaning system comprising: a print engine operable to mark a web medium , the print engine including a printhead ; a cleaning assembly comprising: a belt configured to rotate in a loop; a wiper attached to an outer perimeter of the belt ; and a tank configured as a reservoir for a cleaning solution ; wherein the belt is configured in a loop such that a top portion of the loop is parallel with the surface of the printhead and a bottom portion of the loop submerges at least the tips of the wipers in the cleaning solution collected in the tank ; and a drive unit configured to drive the belt so that an end of the wiper is able to drag across a surface of the printhead when in an upper portion of the loop and able to submerge in the cleaning solution of the tank when in a lower portion of the loop; a positioning system configured to move the cleaning assembly in a lateral direction from a storage position away from underneath the printhead to a cleaning position underneath the printhead so that the wiper contacts the printhead ; and a controller configured to determine to initiate cleaning for the printhead , and to direct the positioning system to move the cleaning assembly from the storage position to the cleaning position; characterized in that the controller is configured to direct the drive unit to rotate the belt a first distance to cause the wiper lubricated with the cleaning solution to remove ink from the printhead , and to rotate the belt a second distance to cause the wiper to submerge in the cleaning solution . a print engine operable to mark a web medium , the print engine including a printhead ; a cleaning assembly comprising: a belt configured to rotate in a loop; a wiper attached to an outer perimeter of the belt ; and a tank configured as a reservoir for a cleaning solution ; a belt configured to rotate in a loop; a wiper attached to an outer perimeter of the belt ; and a tank configured as a reservoir for a cleaning solution ; wherein the belt is configured in a loop such that a top portion of the loop is parallel with the surface of the printhead and a bottom portion of the loop submerges at least the tips of the wipers in the cleaning solution collected in the tank ; and a drive unit configured to drive the belt so that an end of the wiper is able to drag across a surface of the printhead when in an upper portion of the loop and able to submerge in the cleaning solution of the tank when in a lower portion of the loop; a positioning system configured to move the cleaning assembly in a lateral direction from a storage position away from underneath the printhead to a cleaning position underneath the printhead so that the wiper contacts the printhead ; and a controller configured to determine to initiate cleaning for the printhead , and to direct the positioning system to move the cleaning assembly from the storage position to the cleaning position; characterized in that the controller is configured to direct the drive unit to rotate the belt a first distance to cause the wiper lubricated with the cleaning solution to remove ink from the printhead , and to rotate the belt a second distance to cause the wiper to submerge in the cleaning solution . <EOS>