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Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona, joined forces with shoemaker Rockport to study what types of microorganisms are transported by footwear. Ten people were given a brand new pair of shoes to use for two weeks before having them tested for bacteria.
After two weeks, more than 420,000 units of bacteria were found on the outside of the test shoes. Of that bacteria, 27% were deadly E. Coli virus. Also detected was Klebsiella pneumonia, which can cause pneumonia and wound and bloodstream infections and Serratia ficaria, which can lead to infection of the respiratory tract.
“The common occurrence (96 percent) of coliform and E. coli bacteria on the outside of the shoes indicates frequent contact with fecal material, which most likely originates from floors in public restrooms or contact with animal fecal material outdoors,” said Gerba. “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.”
Even more disturbing to moms of little ones – 90 to 99% of bacteria found on the exterior of the shoes was transmitted to hard tile and carpet.
Any germs picked up by bare feet, knees and hands will then be transported to the crib at naptime.
To help keep these germs at bay, simply remove your shoes and leave them by the door when you get home. Frequent vacuuming and mopping will also help. The study also found simply washing the shoes eliminated more than 90% of germs.
If you aren’t comfortable asking your babysitter or guest to walk around in their bare feet or socks, there are many cute house slippers on the market (and several organic versions) that won’t leave anyone feeling awkward.
Photo credit: Creative Commons License, A.K. Photography on Flickr
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Ewwwww…shoes in the house. I never understand how people can do that, gross gross gross.
And now they reason to leave them by the door!
i’ve also read that removing shoes can eliminate about 80% of dirt in the house! who loves house cleaning? i don’t
We have had a “no shoes in the house” rule for years, and I swear all my visitors and family members thought we were crazy. I think I need to forward this post to all of them so they can understand why we do it. And leaving them at the door really saves on having to have the carpet cleaned since there’s no tracking of mud, dirt (or E. Coli). Just the thought of E. Coli being tracked into my daughter’s bed at naptime would be enough to make me a convert.
Yes, the report was an eye opener for me. We usually go sans shoes, but the thought of those germs in his crib made me shudder. Feel free to forward the post!
I’ve always had the no shoes in the house rule. Think of what you step in and can carry into your home. Fecal matter, spit, oil. Now, imagine your children laying around on the floor/carpet. It’s disgusting. I keep a small basket by my garage door with socks or footies for my guests to put on.
We take off shoes at the door. Visitors notice the shoes at the door and generally follow the cue. We have trays set at the door to set shoes on. I have been wanting to have slippers there for guests. Now I have a reason to do more shopping! I will think of it as stimulating the economy!
I love the idea of a rack by the door. We line ours up and it can get a little messy.
Slippers are a great idea!
I agree 100%. My family is Italian and we grew up removing our shoes when coming into our home and going to others. When I met my husband I his step-children I started them on removing their shoes when they come into the house since it was a newly build one. I also ask the childrens friends and my in-laws to do the same. At first I felt uncomfortable since they were not use to it and at times for new visitors I still feel uncomfortable but we now have 5 month old twins and they will be crawling soon and I do not want the dirt from the outside to get into their mouths. When my husbands ex stops by to drop off/pickup my step-kids, she is so rude and does not remove them, I just don’t understand some people. Also my husband does admit that the carpets and floors stay looking newer. I do like the idea of a box of socks by the door. I had an Asian co-worker bring me back some slippers from Taiwan for the same purpose which I keep in the closet by the front door but Men may feel awkward putting them on. How do you feel about asking ALL your guests to remove their shoes when your having a party? I’m still nervous about doing that.
Totally agree. Take those shoes off!
I have an whole blog about this. You might want to take a look.
This must be a regional thing. We take our shoes off. I’ve never had a guest leave his or shoes on, so I’ve never had to ask. If you live anywhere that they salt and sand the street, you take your shoes/boots off in the house. The habit stays through summer. I actually find it weird when people tell me not to bother removing my shoes in their house.
Here in Norway, taking off your shoes when you go into someone’s house is standard practice – I was very surprised the first time I went to the US and discovered that they didn’t do that! I’m glad to know science is on my side
We have a shoe rack by the front door. The kids just automatically kick of their shoes and place them in thier shoe baskets when they come in. Slippers for guests? Not very sanitary…unless you plan on designating a pair for every guest who comes over. I know I wouldn’t want my bare feet to touch the inside of used slippers. Our floors are clean…we walk barefoot.
Yes, I’m not sure why we in the States are less comfortable with removing our shoes. That’s great to learn its standard practice in Norway.
And I agree Bombaygirl, it would gross me out a bit to put on someone’s slippers.
We have a shoe rack by the door.When we arrive home its shoes off and slippers on for the whole family.I cant imagine us wearing shoes (or socks for that matter)in the house.I think providing guest slippers is going a bit too far.I grew up in canada so taking off your shoes at the door is simply second nature.
Seriously?! “Deadly” E. coli?! You do realize that a good percentage of your gut bacteria is E. coli, yes? That you could not live with out it? I’m all for leaving shoes at the door on the grounds that they carry dust and crud all over the floors. But on the grounds of safety? Not so much. Bonus point: all you parents who sanitize the heck out of everything, enjoy making your kids even more ill when they start school with NO immune system.
I do have a question or three.
If I came to your house, would I find a nice clean pair of slippers that hadn’t been worn by other toe-jam infected guests? Have you seen athlete’s foot growing on a petri dish? Yum!
Will they be in my size (women’s 12), and will they meet the requirements of the American Diabetic Association for patients with diabetes? I wouldn’t want to get a splinter or scratch, not feel it due to nerve damage, and then have my foot–and/or leg– amputated just so your baby doesn’t eat a microorganism.
Do you also put your purse/diaper bag down on the kitchen/bathroom counter when you come into the house? Have you seen the diseases that can grow on the bottom of a woman’s purse (not to mention a diaper bag)? Germs spread to the counter–to your hands–and then to your precious “gifted” future Harvard graduate. I’m not kidding.
I have a better idea. Why not simply avoid walking on your floors at all? They’ll last forever that way. Longer than your friendships. Whatever happened to making guests feel comfortable and welcome? You’re telling them at the door that they aren’t acceptable because *you had a baby*. Get off your high horse, honey. Even roaches have kids.
Attention, you $#@&* morons. You are accomplishing NOTHING by removing your shoes before enter the house other than to easing wear and tear on your carpet. Remember when they used to encapsulate bone marrow transplant recipients in plastic tents for the duration of the procedure (ala “the boy in the plastic bubble”)? Well, they don’t even do THAT anymore. They found that EIGHTY EIGHT PERCENT of the germs that could POSSIBLY (not even certainly) cause ANY threat exist on the hands. I had a bone marrow transplant rendering my immune system completely worthless. My body’s defense system was NOTHING compared to that of ANY child (even a sick one) in your home. Visitors were allowed to enter my hospital room, hug, kiss, spend the night (even in the same bed) as long as they weren’t displaying any signs of illness (cough, sneeze) and provided that THEY WASHED THEIR HANDS. That’s all. And remember, I was EXTREMELY vulnerable to any foreign antibody, and that was a LIFE-THREATENING situation. So spare me all your incessant alarmist, diaper-sniffing, over-reactive and profoundly unnecessary response to a thoroughly unlikely threat. The chances of your child being injured in a car accident are PROFOUNDLY greater than becoming ill due to some shmutz on the bottom of your neighbor’s shoe — even dog poop. Our bodies are remarkably resilient. Let them do their job and knock off all this alarmist crap.
way to go Andy!!!!! Hyper-active over-protective parents that over-react to germs are VERY likely the same kind of parents who over-indulge their kids in other ways leading to generations of helpless kids.
thank you i am printing this to show my husband, he doesnt believe me when it comes to dirty shoes. And when he wears them in my freshly cleaned bathroom I could just scream! Maybe this tid bit will get him to leave the shoes by the door where they belong.