Would you be surprised if we told you that 23% of Britons wore their shoes in the home? What if we told you that most shoes – including slippers – are ‘dirtier’ than a toilet seat. Would you want to implement a ‘no shoes’ rule? Here, we look at the true health implications of wearing shoes in the home and if, by the end of this article you want to introduce and enforce a no shoes rule, just how you can do it.
What is the consensus on shoe wearing in the home from a hygiene perspective
There are numerous news reports (in the tens of thousands) and scientific articles reflecting on the health implications of wearing shoes in the home. The general consensus is that you are introducing various and large volumes of contaminants into the home when wearing outdoor shoes around the house. One study in particular that stands out is from Dr Charles Gerba, a virologist at the University of Arizona, who found when swabbing 26 soles of shoes, almost all 26 had some kind of faecal matter on them; E.coli was found on a quarter. When you wear your shoes around the home, these contaminants get trapped into the fibres of carpets and upholstery. But most surprisingly, the study also found that this bacteria transferred to non-contaminated tiles in 9 out of 10 instances!
Although it takes a special chain of events – touching the contaminated surface, introducing the contaminant to your mouth, eyes, nose or broken skin, and then beating the internal defences to infect and spread among healthy cells to infect and spread among a household, it isn’t impossible. Those most vulnerable to these contaminants include young children who may pick an item that’s been inadvertently contaminated and put it in their mouth.
You could also be bringing in contaminants that could be harmful to your pets. You can transport fleas in the soles of your shoes, as well traces of toxins that could cause upset to your pets stomachs or even be fatal – antifreeze, as an example which is fatal to cats, is a fluid that could be caught on your shoes and transferred onto surfaces of the home; a cat could ingest this when they groom themselves.
What style of shoe is best for ‘lounging’ around the house?
Although slippers were found to be ‘dirtier than a toilet seat’ in a study conducted by Pavers, these slippers were worn, not just around the house, but in chores around the perimeter of the home, such as taking the bins out.
You may think that going barefoot, or just wearing socks around the house is best with this in mind. But podiatrists universally agree that you should wear shoes, even around the home. Kiera Moore, a York-based podiatrist who worked with Pavers in their article on shoes in the home, highlights that you’re at a greater risk of falls, trauma to toes, and foot pain and ailments when not wearing shoes.
Instead, if the shoes are house-only then you’re taking the most viable steps in stopping any outside contaminants from coming into the home and you’re protecting your feet at the same time.
How to introduce a no shoes rule and notify guests about it?
It can be tricky to implement a change, but know, particularly in an instance like this, it is your home and what you say goes. However, you can make things a little easier and more comfortable for those who visit you.
Give advanced notice, where possible
If you’re planning on hosting friends or family, you can stipulate this requirement in advance. This can help your guests to prepare in advance- they can ensure they put their best socks on, or even bring their own slippers or comfy socks. It’ll help save any discomfort and awkwardness if they can know this ahead of time.
If you’re arranging for workmen to come to your house, and they’ll be coming inside, you could state this requirement when booking your appointment. Again, they’re able to prepare and notify the team and may bring their own covers to allow them to do their jobs whilst keeping their shoes on.
Give your guests somewhere to put their shoes
You may have signals as someone walks through the door that you’re a no-shoes household. Be it a sign in your entryway, or a convenient place to store shoes. Often what you’re wearing on your feet will be an indicator too.
Politely ask as someone comes to the door
You don’t need a justification for the rules of your house. But you can be courteous about it. A polite request is all you need – it’ll be rare anyone would disagree but as a backup, consider having some shoe covers on standby that they can put over their shoes if it is a particular issue for anyone.
If you’re hosting a garden party
It can be tricky to navigate an event that could take place indoors and out. You can try to limit the rooms guests can move through and you could ask guests to take shoes off as they enter the home, be it to use the bathroom or grab a drink etc.. Or, you may decide to relax your rules for particular events. If you end up allowing shoes in the house for such an occasion, be sure to vacuum, mop and/or steam your floors after the event to avoid tracking any potential contaminants through the house.
We’re curious to know – are you a ‘no shoes in the house’ person? How do you implement this rule? Or, having read this article will you now consider it? Let us know in the comments below.
