Clean shoes at Marne Mosterd thanks to BOOTSCLE­ANER

Marne Mosterd is one of the first food companies in the world to adopt an innovative shoe cleaner. This BOOTSCLEANER disinfects the inside of work shoes using UV-C light, which eliminates bacteria and fungi.

On the factory floor in Groningen, dozens of Marne employees work hard every day to produce their famously tangy condiment—under the right conditions, of course. Wearing safety shoes is part of the job, as is keeping them clean. But the team in Groningen faced a recurring issue. “We didn’t have a clear policy for cleaning the inside of our work shoes. If they started to smell, we just grabbed a spray can,” says Paul de Vries, operations director. “Not ideal. It’s just treating the symptoms. Sure, it tackles the smell, but not the source.”

Disinfection

When Paul heard about a new cleaning solution that tackles the actual cause—bacteria and fungi—he was immediately interested. The BOOTSCLEANER, developed by the startup of the same name, is the world’s first shoe cleaner that disinfects and dries the inside of shoes. The machine uses a combination of UV-C light, warm air circulation, and BOOTSPERFUME (food grade).

Thanks to this innovation and other existing cleaning solutions, Marne now has the full package when it comes to shoe hygiene, according to Paul. It’s a great way to make a good impression—but more importantly, it supports the team. “Our staff should be able to do their jobs comfortably. Now their shoes are clean not just on the outside, but inside too. They smell fresh again, and the bacteria and fungi are gone.”

Routine maintenance

The machine is located in one of the changing rooms at the mustard factory. Up to now, employees have been free to pop their shoes—or a colleague’s—into the BOOTSCLEANER for a quick refresh. To bring more structure to this routine, Marne has brought in Siesling, an industrial cleaning company already familiar with the factory through its work on facility and facade cleaning. Siesling now supervises use of the BOOTSCLEANER, helps guide staff, and ensures hygiene protocols are followed.

“We’ve started cleaning Marne’s work shoes with the new machine on a regular basis,” says Bert Sportel, operations manager at Siesling. “The benefit of our involvement is that the cleaning process is now tracked in our digital monitoring system, which means it’s under control. The BOOTSCLEANER solves an issue that’s common across the food industry and brings multiple benefits. It tackles bacteria and fungi to prevent cross-contamination, and it ensures shoes—including visitor footwear—always look and smell fresh.”

Mission

Clean footwear on the shop floor matters—on the outside and inside. Changing that mindset is a mission for BOOTSCLEANER managing director Maxim Santifort and operations director Derek Klomp: “We go beyond the technology. Driven by a passion for hygiene and sustainability, BOOTSCLEANER aims to raise awareness of the importance of proper use and care of work shoes, especially within the food industry. With this vision and commitment, BOOTSCLEANER strives to help create cleaner, healthier workplaces.”

At Marne Mosterd, the team is happy with the new addition. Paul sums it up: “Now we can focus on what we do best. Making mustard.”

Bootscleaner.com