It’s customary in many cultures to take your shoes off before entering a home. Some cultures even provide their guests with a pair of slippers to wear during their visit.
While this tradition may have started to help prevent visitors from tracking mud or dirt onto floors and rugs, there’s also plenty of scientific research to support the practice in order to keep invisible germs away, too.
Taking off your shoes as you enter a home helps keep the indoor space clean and could help keep everyone inside healthier.
The most obvious benefit of a “no shoes inside” policy is that dirt, oil, and other contaminants won’t be tracked throughout the home. This can translate to less time spent cleaning and vacuuming floors and could mean a longer life for your carpets.
Removing your shoes inside also cuts down on the possible transmission of disease-carrying bacteria.
Infectious bacteria can attach to shoes when you’ve been walking outdoors, in public restrooms, and other places with high concentrations of pathogens. Pathogens are organisms that cause disease.
The tread and cracks in shoes are ideal places for bacteria to linger. Here are some of the bacteria that can travel on the soles of your shoes and spread indoors.
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
In a University of Arizona study, E. coli was one of the most common kinds of bacteria found on shoe bottoms.
The bacteria can cause intestinal and urinary tract infections. And while E. coli can be found anywhere, it’s most common in rural areas where there are droppings from farm animals and other wildlife where people walk.
Another study found that E. coli was also found in high concentrations on the shoes of people living and working in rural Alaska.
Clostridium difficile (C. diff)
C. diff bacteria cause especially foul-smelling diarrhea and can trigger colitis, an inflammation of the colon.
A study in the journal Anaerobe found that the potential for shoe-related home contamination with C. diff is high, particularly in urban settings.
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria are the most dangerous of the several types of Staphylococcus bacteria.
Studies have found that Staphylococcus aureus bacteria have been most commonly found on the shoes of people working in healthcare facilities and in food service.
Pesticides
Pesticides and herbicides used on crops, parks, golf courses, and other areas can be tracked inside on the soles of your shoes.
These chemicals are associated with health risks as minor as skin or eye irritation and as serious as cancer.
Are there risks to not wearing shoes inside?
Of course, walking barefoot inside has its share of health risks, too.
One
Having a pet can also contribute to greater bacteria levels in the home.
Being shoeless or wearing smooth-sole slippers inside may also make you more prone to accidents, however. A 27-month
To reduce the risk of falls in the home, older adults should consider sneakers or other sturdy shoes that are only worn indoors.
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Poll: Be honest. Do you wear shoes in the house or do you remove them at the door?
When you visit someone else's home, do you ask if they'd prefer you remove your shoes? Do you even think about asking?
