FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions

Click on our frequently asked questions to find out more information about the Cafetto range.

Why is cleaning your machine and equipment important?
  • Improve machine and equipment performance
  • Increase the life span of the machine
  • Increase machine reliability
  • Reduce service downtime
  • Improve flavour of coffee
What machines can Cafetto products clean?

Cafetto offers a range of products for espresso, coffee brewing and beverage dispensers including:

  • Traditional Espresso Machines
  • Fully-Automatic Espresso Machines
  • Pod and Capsule Machines
  • Milk frothers
  • Grinders
  • Cold coffee systems
  • Coffee and tea pots, brewers, bain maries
  • Soft serve, slushie, and gelato machines
Who certifies Cafetto’s Certified Organic Range?

Our organic range is certified by ACO, and has undergone stringent testing to ensure each product in the range effectively cleans coffee equipment. Read more about our certifications here.

Why do I need to descale a machine?

Descaling products are designed to efficiently and safely descale espresso machines and other coffee brewing equipment. The descaling process (also known as decalcifying) removes hard water scale from the boiler or thermo-block, and the group head or coffee brewer.

What is hard water?

‘Hard water’ occurs when water contains high levels of dissolved minerals including both calcium and magnesium. Filtration can reduce the hardness of water with the right unit. Interestingly, espresso made from hard water tastes better as the coffee extraction flavour intensifies with harder water.

What is scale and hard water scale?

Hardness in water can cause scale deposits. This occurs when a build-up of mineral deposits forms a noticeable white crust on the heating element. The build-up of scale increases the amount of energy required to heat the water, resulting in more repairs and eventually shortening the lifespan of equipment. Once scale has formed in the boiler and pipe network, it can only be removed by the use of specific acidic descaling chemicals.

What is the difference between an espresso cleaner and a descaler?

Espresso machine cleaners are alkaline, therefore while they are effective removing the build-up of coffee oils and residues, they will have little impact on scale removal. The correct use of a descaler will remove the scale from the boiler and machine pipe work, improving machine performance and reducing service costs and downtime.

How often should you descale your machine?

Depending on the water quality of the area you live in, we recommend descaling every three to six months. Some espresso machines are programmed to alert you to descale and we advise that you do so as the machine manufacturer recommends.

How should Cafetto products be stored?

All Cafetto products should be stored between 15°C - 30°C (60°F - 85°F) away from moisture and direct sunlight.

Why do you need to clean your grinder?

Grinding without cleaning leads to loss of grind speed, loss of dosing consistency and a higher temperature.

Regular Cleaning with Grinder Clean will deliver:

  • High dosing consistency
  • Consistent temperature
  • Improve the life span of equipment
  • Removes old, oily, stale coffee residues blocking the grinder spout, therefore improving flavour
How often should I clean my grinder?

Based on the average consumption of coffee in a café, we recommend cleaning your grinder at the end of every day.

Can I use Grinder Clean on a fully automatic espresso machine?

We do not recommend using Cafetto Grinder Clean on fully automatic espresso machines.

Is your Grinder Clean Gluten Free?

Yes Cafetto Grinder Clean is Gluten free, natural and 100% food safe.

What is the difference between organic products and non-organic?

All Cafetto products marked with the ACO logo have been registered with an Australian Certified Organic certification and are approved for use in organic systems. Non-organic products do not have these certifications.

What is the difference between a powder and a tablet cleaner for traditional espresso machines?

Both products effectively clean machines however it is a matter of user preference. Cafetto powder jars include a measuring scoop for accurate dosing. Cafetto tablets are made in a convenient portion controlled dose.

Which MFC should I use for my machine?

There are many factors to consider when choosing a suitable milk cleaner for your machine. It is important to effectively clean all milk components of a machine to avoid any blockages, prevent breakdowns, and remove odour and bacteria. See this quick milk cleaner reference guide below.

Milk Cleaning Chart
Why do I need to alternate between an acidic milk cleaner and an alkaline milk cleaner?

Both products should be used because they target different soil types from the milk.

Acidic cleaners only target the mineral components deposited by milk. Whereas an alkaline cleaner targets the protein-based soils.

Do I need to clean my steam wand?

Yes, milk residue can build up on steam wands and cause blockages.

How do I clean my steam wand?

After each milk steaming
Open the steam valve for a few seconds to purge any milk left in the nozzle. Wipe the wand clean with a damp cloth to prevent any crusty milk build-up.

Daily Cleaning
Soak the steam wand nozzles in hot water, rinse and wipe clean. If you have a milk frother, clean with a Cafetto Milk Frother Cleaner, follow the instructions on the label.

Weekly Cleaning
Clear the steam wand holes with a steam wand brush, soak in hot water and wipe clean. If you have a milk frother use a Milk Frother Cleaner, following the instructions on the label.

Do I need to descale my machine if I use filtered water, or water purification technology (RO)?

Yes, machines that use filtered water will still require descaling. The frequency will depend on the type of filter used and whether it contains any scale inhibiting properties. Machines using a Reverse Osmosis system should not require descaling if the system is running effectively.

Why am I seeing yellow specks on my Cafetto tablets and can these tablets be used for cleaning my coffee machine?

The cause for the tablet appearance variation is due to one of the raw materials during the manufacturing process and is completely harmless when used in cleaning your coffee machine.

As part of our approved supplier program, all raw materials and technical documentation are reviewed by our technical teams and the raw material was assessed as suitable to be used for tablet production.

Cafetto can confidently assure you, our customers that the difference in tablet appearance are efficacious in cleaning your coffee machine. These specks leave no harmful residues, have no impact on product efficacy and will not cause corrosion within the coffee machine.

For more information, please contact our support team by clicking here.

How do I know if I'm seeing a counterfeit product on external sites?

To our valued customers,

The Cafetto® team has been made aware of the counterfeit products being sold on external sites that are made to mimic the products within our range. Please note, all Cafetto® products include the registered trademark, and have a 'Made in Australia, Manufactured by Cafetto®' statement present on the label. Any packaging that states Made in China is fraudulent.

Please note, we are doing everything we can to make sure we are protecting our consumers from illegitimate products.

Should you have any questions or enquiries regarding suspicious products, please contact the team at: enquiry@cafetto.com or contact us by clicking here.

Why am I seeing a bloating at the bottom of my product jar?

To protect our consumers and maintain product efficacy, our team may alter packaging elements to ensure they are suitable for the region of use.

As of such, a few of our products will include an induction seal. The purpose of this tamper proof seal is to preserve the product’s integrity by eliminating the risk of heat, humidity and moisture entering and compromising the product’s usability. The induction seals are used for regions that have high-humidity levels. As a result, this necessary packaging addition ensures that the products’ integrity is protected and the product’s efficacy maintained, meeting shelf-life expectations.

Over a period of time, you may notice on some of these products, the bottom of the jar slightly expanded causing the jar not to stand straight. Cafetto is aware of this observation and can confidently assure you, our customers that this has no bearing on the product’s integrity, efficacy, or the tamper proof packaging. You will also notice that once the seal is open, the jar will revert to its original form.

See below for reference of jar expanding:

Induction seal on Cafetto jar

If you have any follow up questions or would like further information, please contact our support team by clicking here.

What is the expected shelf life for Cafetto products?

Cafetto products should be used within 36 months of date of manufacture, with a few exceptions. For instance, our Grinder Cleaner, Barista Wipes & Chill Cold Beverage Cleaner are sealed with an approved shelf life of 2 years from the date of manufacture. For complete transparency, all Cafetto products are stamped with a batch code and best before date:

  • Jar - you will find this information on the lid
  • Chamber bottles - you will find this information on the back
  • Sachet products - you will find this information on the individual sachets within the carton
  • Wipes - on the back of the packaging

If you have any follow up questions or would like further information, please contact our support team by clicking here.