Shoes Transmit Disease, Leave Them by the Door
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.
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“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
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.
[...] 6. Leave your shoes at the door. This cuts down on dust-bound pollutants in the home [and germs]. [...]
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.