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In many countries it is not customary to wear shoes when entering a house. But it is not just a tradition: many countries around the world have realized something that is proven by many studies: shoes can be a major source of pollution in your home. That’s why:
421,000 species of bacteria per pair
Think about your normal day. You go to work, have your daily cappuccino at the regular coffee shop, then go to the office bathroom, make a stop at the supermarket, and go home. These are the many places where your shoes step. And all these floors pollute the soles with much more than dust and mud.
When microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba analyzed a pair of shoes, he and his team found an average of 421,000 species of bacteria, not only attached to the soles but also growing on them. They also found that about 3,000 species of bacteria live inside shoes. And the most shocking: 96% were of fecal origin; that is, in practice, your shoes may be dirtier than a toilet seat.
For example, nearly 3 out of 10 shoes had E. coli, a bacteria that thrives inside your gut and, while generally harmless, is known to cause many stomach problems. Some species of E. coli even get stronger against antibiotics. Additionally, microorganisms that cause urinary tract and lung infections have been found in 7 out of 10 shoes.
Public toilets can be one of the main sources of contamination, where millions of bacteria breed. Some of them can survive the power of your most reliable cleaners and antibiotics, such as the C. difficile bacteria, identified in 39.7% of the sole of the shoe and responsible for severe stomach pains, episodes of diarrhea and inflammation of the intestines ., All of which are especially difficult for children.
Beware of hazardous materials
And if all these nasty micro-organisms aren’t enough for you, we have one more thing to worry about: chemicals. On a normal day, you not only step on dirt, but also harmful toxins and dangerous chemicals that come from the gas station, dripping liquid from a car or cigarette on the floor. Some of them, like those found on carbon-sealed asphalt roads, can even be carcinogenic, according to researchers at Baylor University in Texas.
Bottom line: it’s not about paranoia, it’s about hygiene.
On your daily wanderings you step on dog and bird droppings, rotten food waste, public toilets, strong chemicals, and who knows what else. This is a nasty chemical and bacterial cocktail for you.
So if you don’t take your shoes off before entering your house, then you will invite 90% to 99% of these harsh living things and dangerous substances on the floor, on the couch and if you’re not careful, on your bed.
It’s not paranoia, because we still need to be able to produce antibodies, just be careful what you put inside your house.
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