When running a café or restaurant in Bahrain, your espresso machine is one of the most important (and one of the most expensive!) pieces of equipment behind the counter. And yet, it’s also one of the most frequently under-maintained.
The result? Bitter, off-tasting espresso. Accelerated machine wear. Costly repair bills. And in a competitive hospitality market, a damaged reputation that’s difficult to recover from.
The good news: proper espresso machine maintenance doesn’t always require technical expertise. It requires the right cleaning products, used consistently. This guide walks you through exactly what Cafetto products your café needs — and when to use them.
Why Espresso Machine Cleaning Is Non-Negotiable
Every espresso shot leaves behind coffee oils, residue and milk proteins inside your machine. Over time, these build up on group heads, portafilters, steam wands, boilers and milk frothers — contaminating every cup that follows.
Here’s what that build-up actually costs you:
- Flavour degradation: Rancid coffee oils are bitter and acidic. Even the finest Trucillo or specialty beans can’t overcome a dirty group head
- Machine damage: Limescale and mineral deposits cause blockages, restrict water flow and put strain on heating elements — shortening machine lifespan significantly
- Health risks: Milk residue in steam wands and milk frothers is a breeding ground for bacteria — a serious concern for food service operations
- Downtime and repair costs: Neglected machines fail more frequently, require more servicing and ultimately need replacing sooner
In Bahrain’s hard water environment, mineral build-up happens faster than in many other markets — making descaling and regular maintenance even more critical for local operators.
The Cafetto Cleaning Range — What You Need and When
Cafetto is a professional espresso machine cleaning brand from Australia, trusted by café operators and baristas worldwide. Trans Arabia International is the exclusive distributor of Cafetto in Bahrain.
Here’s a complete breakdown of the Cafetto range and which products your venue needs:
1. Espresso Machine Group Cleaners
For traditional espresso machines — daily and weekly cleaning of the group head and portafilter
Espresso Clean® Machine Cleaning Powder
The professional standard for group head backflushing. Espresso Clean dissolves coffee oils and residue from group heads, shower screens and portafilters — removing the build-up that degrades espresso flavour and blocks water flow.
Use it: Daily backflush routine for traditional espresso machines. The most important cleaning step in any café’s daily workflow.
TEVO® Maxi & Mini Espresso Machine Cleaning Tablets
A convenient tablet format for professional backflushing. Each tablet delivers a precise, consistent dose of cleaning agent — ideal for high-volume venues where consistency and speed matter. The Mini version is designed for single-group machines and lower-volume operations.
Use it: Daily group cleaning on traditional machines. View the full Cafetto range →
2. Automatic Espresso Machine Cleaners
For bean-to-cup and automatic espresso machines — internal cleaning cycles
J25 Espresso Machine Cleaning Tablets
Specifically formulated for automatic and bean-to-cup espresso machines. Removes coffee oils and residue from internal brewing units, valves and brew chambers during the machine’s automated cleaning cycle. Compatible with Jura® and Krups® machines.
Use it: As directed by your machine’s automated cleaning programme — typically daily or after a set number of cycles.
S15, T60 & T90 Espresso Machine Cleaning Tablets
Additional tablet formats for automatic machines across different sizes and milk system cleaning needs. T90 is specifically designed for the milk systems of automatic espresso machines — removing milk protein residue and bacteria from internal milk circuits.
Use it: Daily internal cleaning cycles as directed by your machine manufacturer. View the full Cafetto range →
3. Milk System & Steam Wand Cleaners
For steam wands, milk frothers and milk jugs — daily cleaning after every milk service
MFC® Tabs White 4.0 & MFC® Blue Alkaline Milk System Cleaners
The professional standard for milk system cleaning. These alkaline cleaners dissolve milk protein residue, fats and bacteria from steam wands, milk frothers and connected tubing — keeping milk systems hygienic and performing at their best.
Use it: Daily milk system cleaning after service. Non-negotiable for any venue serving milk-based drinks. View the full Cafetto range →
Inverso Milk Jug & Crockery Cleaner
A multi-purpose cleaner for milk jugs, crockery, cups and glassware. Removes coffee and milk stains from service equipment — keeping every part of the coffee service looking and performing its best.
Use it: Daily cleaning of milk jugs, cups and coffee service crockery.
Chill Colour Indicating Cold Beverage Cleaner
A colour-indicating cleaner for cold beverage equipment and milk systems. The colour change indicator confirms when cleaning is complete — removing guesswork from the process.
Use it: Regular cleaning of cold beverage dispensing equipment and cold milk systems. View the full Cafetto range →
4. Descalers
For removing limescale and mineral deposits — monthly or quarterly depending on water hardness
In Bahrain’s hard water environment, descaling is one of the most important and most frequently overlooked maintenance steps. Mineral deposits restrict water flow, reduce heating efficiency and cause significant long-term damage to boilers and heating elements.
LOD® Green Liquid Descaler & Renew Descaler
Professional-grade descalers that dissolve limescale and mineral deposits from boilers, heating elements, water circuits and internal components. Renew Descaler is ideal for heavily scaled machines or environments with particularly hard water.
Use it: Monthly descaling cycle for traditional and automatic espresso machines — more frequently in high-volume or hard water environments. View the full Cafetto range →
5. Grinder Cleaners
For espresso grinders — weekly cleaning of burrs and grinding chambers
Grinder Clean
Professional grinder cleaning tablets that absorb coffee oils and remove residue from burrs and grinding chambers — without requiring disassembly. Simply grind the tablets through the machine and follow with a short purge of coffee beans.
Use it: Weekly grinder cleaning to maintain grind consistency, protect burr longevity and prevent rancid coffee oil contamination of fresh beans. View the full Cafetto range →
6. Brewer Cleaners
For filter coffee brewers and cold brew systems
Brew Clean Coffee Brewer Cleaner & Polar Clean Cold Brew System and Blender Cleaner
Professional cleaners for filter coffee brewers, cold brew systems and blenders — removing coffee residue and oils from brewing chambers, carafes and blender components.
Use it: Daily or weekly cleaning of filter coffee brewers depending on volume. Regular cleaning of cold brew systems after each use or service period. View the full Cafetto range →
7. Home Range
For home espresso machines — professional cleaning for home setups
Cafetto Cleaning Collection for the Home Barista
A complete home espresso machine cleaning kit covering group head cleaning, milk system maintenance and descaling — everything a home barista needs to keep their machine performing at its best. Includes Evo sachet for weekly backflushing, MFC Powder Eco sachet for monthly milk system cleaning, and Renew Descaler sachet for monthly descaling.
Use it: Regular home espresso machine maintenance — weekly group cleaning, monthly descaling.
Eco Capsule Clean
Nespresso-compatible cleaning capsules that run through the machine’s standard brewing cycle — removing coffee residue and oils from internal components without disassembly or manual cleaning.
Use it: Monthly internal cleaning for Nespresso-compatible machines. View the full Cafetto range →
8. Cleaning Accessories
Steam Tip Brush Set & Milk Frother Brush Set Professional brushes designed for cleaning steam tip nozzles and milk frother components — reaching internal surfaces that standard brushes cannot access.
Use it: Daily cleaning of steam tips and milk frother internals after service. View the full Cafetto range →
The Recommended Daily Cleaning Schedule for Cafés
Here’s a practical daily routine using Cafetto products that any café in Bahrain can implement immediately:
During service:
- Wipe steam wand with a damp cloth after every use
- Purge steam wand before and after every milk texturing
End of service — daily:
- Backflush group head with Espresso Clean® Powder or TEVO® tablets
- Clean steam wand with MFC® Tabs White 4.0 or MFC® Blue
- Clean milk jug with Inverso
- Clean steam tip with Steam Tip Brush Set
- Run milk system cleaning cycle with T90 (for automatic machines)
- Run J25 tablets through automatic machine cleaning cycle
Weekly:
- Run Grinder Clean tablets through the grinder
- Deep clean portafilters and baskets with Espresso Clean® soak
Monthly:
- Full descaling cycle with LOD® Green Liquid Descaler
- Deep clean filter coffee brewer with Brew Clean
Where to Get Cafetto Products in Bahrain
Trans Arabia International is a distributor of Cafetto professional cleaning products in Bahrain. The full range is available for wholesale supply to cafés, hotels, restaurants and coffee shops — with competitive pricing and reliable delivery across Bahrain.
Whether you’re setting up a new café and building your cleaning routine from scratch, or looking to upgrade your existing maintenance programme, our team is happy to advise on the right Cafetto products for your specific machines and service volume.
