On Tulip Sunday and Rose Monday, the "Orange Sparks" from the municipal services once again played a leading role in Aachen's carnival processions with their sweeper ballet - traditionally the last group on the road. As every year, more than 145 employees of the municipal cleaning service ensured that the streets, squares and sidewalks were clean and safe.

The men and women were out and about with a total of 12 small and large sweepers, seven flatbed vehicles, three compactors, a workshop van and, of course, on foot. 27 tons of waste were collected after the removals on Sunday and Monday. In comparison: last year, 25.3 tons of waste were collected, compared to 22.3 tons in 2024. "All the rain on Monday didn't make our work any easier," says Dieter Bohn. "The wet streets and the waterlogged waste were a new challenge compared to last year's confetti."

On Tuesday, the city cleaning staff are still busy with the follow-up cleaning: "We assume that we will have the city completely clean again by the afternoon," says operations manager Indra Balsam.

Side streets and areas that were difficult or impossible to access after the Rose Monday parade, for example due to barriers or grandstands, such as on the market square, will be cleaned after the equipment has been dismantled. The green maintenance staff also began cleaning the parks and play areas along the route of the parade on Tuesday morning.