Reasons Why You Should Never Wear Shoes In The House
Most people are guilty of wearing shoes inside their house. But after several scientific studies it has been suggested that is a bad idea — and the reasons why are pretty gross.
While some bacteria is good for us, if you’ve ever gotten a stomach virus, you’ll know that other kinds of bacteria are not.
The University of Arizona did a study and found an average of 421,000 different bacteria on shoes. Coliforms, a bacterial indicator of the level of sanitation of foods and water (and universally present in feces), were detected on the bottoms of 96% of shoes.
On top of that, E. coli was detected on 27% of the shoes, along with seven other kinds of bacteria, some of which can cause urinary tract infections and respiratory infections.
“We walk through things like bird droppings, dog waste and germs on public restroom floors, all of which are sources for E coli”. Says Kelly Reynolds, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona.
Researchers then decided they wanted to track the transfer of bacteria from shoes to uncontaminated home floors. They discovered that the transfer of bacteria from shoes to home floors ranged from 90% to 99%.
Microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona Dr. Charles Gerba commented. “The common occurrence (96%) of coliform and E. coli bacteria on the outside of the shoes indicates frequent contact with faecal material, which most likely originates from floors in public restrooms or contact with animal faecal material outdoors. Our study also indicated that bacteria can be tracked by shoes over a long distance into your home or personal space after the shoes were contaminated with bacteria.”
Public restroom floors have been found to contain around two million bacteria per square inch. Though the average toilet seat contains only about 50 per square inch.
Another home threat: Toxins
Another study done by the Battelle Memorial institute found that toxins from treating your lawn can easily be tracked into the house. Additionally, a study from Baylor University found that people who live near asphalt roads sealed with coal tar have an increased risk of cancer from toxins, and these toxins can be tracked in by your shoes.
Dr. Reynolds commented, “Think about rain water in the street. It can have gasoline in it and chemicals, and those get on your shoes and can be brought into your home”. However it should be noted, that while she cautions the dangers of kinds of toxins, you would most likely have to be exposed many times over the course of your life in order to get sick.
So what is the solution?
In the University of Arizona study, researchers found that washing shoes with detergent in the washing machine reduced the presence of bacteria by 90% or more. In addition, you should also clean your floors and carpets using a disinfecting carpet cleaner — such as a steam cleaner.
But in short, it’s best to leave your shoes at the door whenever possible. In order to avoid all the hassle and keep your house clean, the experts say.
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