Digital BW, The Print

I have just started printing B&W on some fine art paper (Ilford) on an
Epson 2200.  The first print that I did (A4) came out with some black
ink smears in the bottom corners, and a little along the lower edge.

This appears to have happened because the paper curls up slightly into
a concave shape, and as the lower part of the image is being printed,
the bottom edge of the paper is free of the rollers holding it down
and rubs up against the bottom of the print head.  You can hear it and
see it happening.

Anyone else had this problem?  What solutions?

I guess I could try and roll the paper the other way before I feed
it.  

Also I tried a variant of the declog-the-print-head technique, by
pressing the ink cartridge button, turning the printer off, and then
sliding pieces of fine paper towel under the print head.  

Sure was a lot of ink there.  How does it get there?  Is it from the
pads that collect the overspray from borderless printing, or is it
from the pad on the right hand side that collects the ink from head
cleanings?

Is there a way to prevent this build-up, or is this just something
that has to be done periodically?

I was hoping to get a few more ideas before I try printing again on
fine art paper.  

F_P