# Using Shoes Cover Dispensers Inside Data Centers

> Learn how to choose, place, and enforce shoe cover dispensers to protect data centers from dust and contamination. Master best practices to maintain facility cleanliness.

- Author: Ashraf Almuhtaseb (Data Center Cleaning Specialist)
- Published: 2026-07-13
- Updated: 2026-10-19
- URL: https://idata.center/en/articles/using-shoes-cover-dispensers-inside-data

## Key takeaways

- Shoe covers stop grit, sand, and fibers from reaching the data center raised floor.
- ASHRAE TC 9.9 guidelines set ISO 14644-1 Class 8 as the cleanliness target for data centers.
- ANSI/ESD S20.20 requires footwear and flooring systems to remain below 1 × 10⁹ ohms.
- A Cranfield University study found that dust storms in Saudi Arabia peak during the spring.

## Shoe Covers in Data Centers: Choosing, Placing and Enforcing Them at Every Entry

 

Shoe covers stop the grit, sand and fibres that every pair of shoes carries in from car parks, corridors and loading bays before it reaches the raised floor. The [ASHRAE TC 9.9 Gaseous and Particulate Contamination Guidelines for Data Centers](https://www.ashrae.org/File%20Library/Technical%20Resources/Publication%20Errata%20and%20Updates/2011-Gaseous-and-Particulate-Guidelines.pdf) set ISO 14644-1 Class 8 as the cleanliness target and state that sources of dust inside the data center should be reduced.

 

Footwear is one of those sources, and a cheap one to control. A dispenser, two sticky mats and a rule that nobody bends will do most of the work.

 

## Why are shoes such a big contamination route?

 

Filters clean the air. They do nothing about what people carry in on their soles. Technicians, cleaners, contractors and visitors all cross paving, site roads and corridors before they badge in.

 

That dust does not stay on the floor. Foot traffic and airflow through perforated tiles lift the fine fraction back into the air and onto server intakes. ASHRAE lists the effects of dust on IT equipment as blocked cooling airflow and abrasion, corrosion of circuit boards, and electrical bridging between conductors.

 

Tracked dust also ends up under the floor. Every time a tile is lifted, what sits on its surface and edges drops into the plenum, which is why [raised floor tile cleaning](https://idata.center/en/articles/raised-floor-tile-cleaning-guidelines-cautions-and-best-practices-514) starts at the door, not at the tile.

 

[FIELD NOTE: what you typically find on tiles within the first few metres of an entry door where shoe covers are not used]

 

## Manual or automatic shoe cover dispenser?

 

A manual dispenser is a box or wall holder of loose covers. People bend down and fit each cover by hand. It is cheap but slow, and people skip it when rushed or carrying equipment.

 

An automatic dispenser fits the cover with one step: you place your foot in the machine and it stretches a pre-loaded cover over the shoe. Most automatic machines need covers made for that model, so check consumable supply before you buy.

 

| Factor | Manual dispenser | Automatic dispenser |
| --- | --- | --- |
| How it is used | Bend or sit, fit by hand | One step per foot, hands-free |
| Consumables | Any standard cover | Usually covers made for the machine |
| Purchase cost | Low | Higher |
| Best fit | Small rooms, low traffic | Main entries, shift changes, busy halls |

 

## Which shoe cover material should you choose?

 

### PE and CPE film

 

Polyethylene covers are waterproof and the cheapest option, but thin PE slips on smooth tiles. CPE is a thicker, embossed film that grips better and tears less.

 

### Non-woven polypropylene

 

Fabric covers breathe, suit long shifts and slip less. Cheap uncoated fabric sheds fibres, so choose low-linting or coated grades rated for controlled environments.

 

### Anti-static covers

 

These covers carry a conductive strip that you tuck into your sock. The [ESD Association](https://www.esda.org/news/static-control-flooring-conductive-or-dissipative/) explains that footwear and flooring must work together as one system, and ANSI/ESD S20.20 sets that system below 1 × 10⁹ ohms. The strip must touch the skin, and you must stand on ESD flooring. Otherwise it does little, so buy anti-static covers where ESD floors exist and test them at a footwear tester.

 

## Where should shoe cover dispensers be placed?

 

Set up every entry to the white space in the same order:

 

1. Sticky mat on the outer side, so the first layer of grit comes off before anyone stands at the dispenser.
2. Dispenser just before the controlled door, with a bench or grab rail if covers are fitted by hand.
3. Second sticky mat inside the door, to catch anything picked up while fitting the covers.
4. Removal bin on the exit side, apart from the dispenser, so used covers never cross the clean route.

 

This applies to every door, including loading docks and fire exits used for deliveries. One uncontrolled door cancels the rest.

 

## The no-exceptions rule for visitors and contractors

 

Write the rule into the site access procedure: nobody enters the data hall without covers, whatever their rank or visit length. [ISO 14644-5:2025](https://www.iso.org/standard/88599.html) treats personnel entry and gowning as part of an operations control programme for cleanrooms. A data hall is not a cleanroom, but the same logic holds.

 

- Security checks covers at the badge point, not inside the hall.
- Contractor method statements include covers, and site works follow the dust controls in [drilling inside data centers](https://idata.center/en/articles/drilling-inside-data-centers-dust-control).
- Torn covers are replaced at once, and a fresh pair is fitted on every re-entry.

 

[FIELD NOTE: how contractors usually react when first told about the rule, and what made it stick]

 

## Waste and refill routine

 

1. Every shift: check dispenser stock and refill it, with a sealed spare pack kept beside the unit.
2. Every shift: empty the used-cover bin and close the bag before carrying it out.
3. Daily, or sooner when the sheet turns grey: peel the top layer of each sticky mat.
4. Weekly: clean the dispenser base and mechanism and clear any jammed covers.
5. Monthly: compare cover use with the access log. A large gap means people are skipping.

 

Store carton stock outside the hall. ASHRAE warns that fibrous dust from cardboard can foul heat sinks.

 

## How does Gulf sand and dust change the routine?

 

In the Gulf, fine desert dust sits on every outdoor surface. A [Cranfield University study](https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/14177) of 27 Saudi weather stations from 2000 to 2016 found dust storms peak in spring, with the eastern part of the Kingdom recording 10 to 60 events a year. On dusty days, add cover stock, peel mats more often and keep airlock doors closed. More on local conditions is in [data center cleaning in Saudi Arabia](https://idata.center/en/articles/data-center-cleaning-saudi-arabia).

 

Shoe covers are the cheapest contamination control in the building, and they only work at every door, every time. Choose the material for your floor, place each dispenser between two mats, and apply the rule to everyone.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why are shoe covers needed in data centers?

Shoe covers stop grit, sand, and fibres carried in from outside before they reach the raised floor, reducing dust sources as required by ASHRAE guidelines.

### What is the difference between manual and automatic shoe cover dispensers?

A manual dispenser requires bending down to fit loose covers by hand, while an automatic dispenser stretches a pre-loaded cover over the shoe in one step.

### Which shoe cover materials are available?

Options include waterproof PE and CPE film for grip, non-woven polypropylene fabric for breathability, and anti-static covers with a conductive strip.

### Where should shoe cover dispensers be placed at entries?

Place a sticky mat outside, the dispenser just before the controlled door, a second sticky mat inside, and a removal bin on the exit side.

### How does fine desert dust in the Gulf affect the maintenance routine?

On dusty days, you should add cover stock, peel the sticky mats more often, and keep airlock doors closed.

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Ashraf Almuhtaseb is a Data Center Technical Cleaning Expert with over 9 years of specialized field experience since 2017, and the only independent professional in the MENA region publishing dedicated technical content on data center cleaning, contamination control, and ISO 14644 compliance.

© 2026 Ashraf Almuhtaseb — https://idata.center/