Ink on a transportation roller that touches the printing surface of a recording medium can be regularly removed without affecting media transportation performance. The cleaning mechanism has a cleaning lever that is pivotably supported with one end extending to above the discharge follower roller downstream from the printing position and the other end urged upward. When a cover attached to the roll paper loading opening is closed, the cleaning lever is held in resistance to this urging force at a position not touching the discharge follower roller by the fixed knife and movable knife of a cutter disposed downstream from the discharge follower roller. When the cover starts to open, the movable knife on the platen unit moves and the fixed knife separates from the cleaning lever, and the cleaning lever contacts the discharge follower roller.