Once you know, a shoes-off policy is the only way to go.
Once you learn what you may be tracking into your home, you wont forget.
Ill never forget watching the Today Show one morning.
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Al and his crew were outside chatting with fans.
The segment was about how dirty shoes actually are, says podiatristDr.
They grabbed an audience member wearing flip-flops and swabbed the shoe for a microbial evaluation.
Then they cultured the shoe and the results were astonishing.
They cultured out hundreds of different microbes, both bacterial and fungal!
That random flip-flop-wearing audience member isn’t alone in his dirty sole woes, either.
Astudy from the University of Arizonareveals that shoes from outside have an average of 421,000 units of bacteria.
Armed with this knowledge, a household shoes-off policy seems like the way to go.
Many Southern households have long imposed this rule for cultural or hygiene-related reasons.
House rules embargoing outside shoes can save you both time and trips to the doctor.
Why You Should Take Your Shoes Off Inside
Shoes can track in dirtweve known this.
The sameUniversity of Arizona studyfound that dangerous germs thrive on the outside and bottom of shoes.
Coliform bacteria, like E. coli was found on a whopping 96% of two-week-old shoes.
This is especially likely if youre prone to sweating or have to wear heavy boots for work.
In this way, taking off your outdoor shoes when you enter the house is a win-win.
Consider Slippers
However, ashoes-offpolicy doesnt necessarily mean going completely barefoot.
Freels recommends following the lead of a beloved tv star and minister.
Mr. Rodgers showed us best, she says.
He took off hisoutdoor shoesand changed into his house slippers, immediately upon entering the house.
Of course, youll still need tovacuumand keep things tidy, but not as often.
Realistically, many of us will keep our shoes on until we hit the recliner orcouch, says Williamson.
For hard surface floors, we should mop them regularly with an antibacterial floor cleanerespecially if you have toddlers!
