The Rosenmontag parade in Mainz is one of the three biggest in Germany—and it leaves behind a huge mess. Thankfully, the city of Mainz, home to ZÖLLER-KIPPER, counts on ZOELLER vehicles to tackle the clean-up.

By 4 a.m., while most Narren are still fast asleep, the Mainz municipal cleaning service is already hard at work. The first crews begin clearing up the remnants of Sunday’s celebrations—because Rosenmontag isn’t the only parade in town, explains Thomas Strack from Kommunalen Abfallwirtschaft Mainz und Mainz-Bingen.
“We also spread sawdust on steep or slippery sections of the route to make them safer for the horses. Plus, we drive along the entire route in advance to remove any bulky waste that’s been illegally dumped along the way.”

Cleaning Up the Narrentreiben

At exactly 11:11 a.m., the legendary nine-kilometer-long Rosenmontagszug begins. For nearly four hours, the “närrische Lindwurm,” as it’s affectionately called in Mainz, winds its way through the city. The route may have changed slightly over the years, but one thing stays the same: the mountains of trash left behind.
“Around 600,000 visitors crowd along the route, and in all the excitement, they don’t bother looking for a trash can. Everything just ends up on the ground,” says Thomas Strack. That’s why the city’s cleaning crews are always close behind the festivities. A total of 120 workers, divided into four teams, tackle the clean-up from multiple directions.

“Imagine it like this,” explains Strack. “Up front, there’s complete chaos. Then, about 200 meters behind, you have a long convoy of road sweepers, wheel loaders, bulky waste trucks, and workshop vehicles. And once we’re done, the street looks spotless again.”

Swept, Scrubbed, and Spotless

From abandoned camping chairs and beer crates to cardboard boxes and tiny candy wrappers—first, everything is gathered into piles by hand and then loaded onto bulk waste trucks with wheel loaders. Next, both large and small sweepers move in, and finally, a water tanker washes down the streets. This routine has been fine-tuned over the years, ensuring that Mainz is left spotless once the celebrations end.
Only a few sections of the city center remain uncleared until the following morning, simply because the crowds make it impossible for cleaning vehicles to get through.
And then, there are the übermütige Narren who make the job even harder. “Every year, there are people who try to climb into the wheel loader’s bucket for a joyride,” says Strack.
Another challenge? The Kernzone of the Rosenmontagszug is supposed to be a glass-free zone, but bottles still find their way onto the streets—and under the tires of the cleaning vehicles. In 2025 alone, several tires had to be replaced due to glass-related damage.

A Tradition of Appreciation

By around 6 p.m., the cleaning teams take a well-earned break. As tradition dictates, everyone gathers in the foyer of Mainz City Hall, where the Oberbürgermeister personally thanks the city’s cleaning crews for their hard work.
By 9 p.m., the job is done. In total, around 90 tonnes of waste are cleared from the streets, and Mainz is left spotless.

Photo credits: Kommunale Abfallwirtschaft Mainz und Mainz-Bingen AöR