Some local technicians offer this service to reset the counter and physically clean the waste pads. Important Tips Fixing "Service Required" Error:

Try the free method first. If you cannot find a working file or you have new firmware, spend $15 on WIC Reset Utility. It supports L1300 and many Epson models.

Alternatively, John could have contacted Epson's customer support or visited an authorized Epson service center to get his printer reset. While this may have taken longer, it would have ensured that the reset was done safely and professionally.

The following forums have dedicated threads for resetter tools, with attachments verified by thousands of users: