A thermal printer includes a capstan roller and pinch roller, which feed a continuous color thermosensitive recording sheet from a recording sheet roll. A thermal head operates for image recording to the continuous recording sheet. A roll loading chamber is loaded with one of the recording sheet roll and a cleaning sheet roll. The cleaning sheet roll includes a continuous cleaning sheet wound in a roll form, and discernment indicia provided in a predetermined position. An information reading photoelectric sensor reads the discernment indicia. A controller causes the capstan roller and pinch roller to feed the continuous cleaning sheet when the discernment indicia is read, to wipe and clean the thermal head with the continuous cleaning sheet. In a preferred embodiment, a cutter precuts the continuous recording sheet in a precutting position distant by a predetermined length from a front edge of the continuous recording sheet, to remove a front edge portion.