“Take those shoes off!”
It’s probably something you heard your parents say when you were a kid.
They were right, with a caveat, says Alina Paul, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare. Dr. Paul reassures that unhealthy things lurking on your shoes don’t pose the same threat that, for example, the flu does. But, she wants you to know best practices to avoid getting a stuffy nose or worse.
From outdoors to indoors
Dr. Paul says bacteria (like Escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus and clostridium difficile), allergens and chemicals can latch onto the bottom of shoes. You could step on vomit on a sidewalk, walk through a pollen-filled field, visit an old home that contains lead or manicure your lawn that was just sprayed with pesticides. Then, imagine you keep those shoes on indoors and walk on your living room carpet. A baby could crawl on that carpet and get an allergic reaction. Other contaminants could spread through the air and get into lungs, Dr. Paul also warns.
“I’d highly recommend to keep outside footwear at the door or on an outside rug. Have separate shoes for indoors,” Dr. Paul says.
“Have a no shoe policy,” she adds. “It feels awkward to tell people to take off their shoes. But tell your house guests in advance. Or have a sign that kindly tells people to keep shoes outside. Then, offer slippers [for them to wear].”
Still, some might not be on board. They’re stubborn in removing their shoes or need to keep them on due to orthopedic concerns. In those cases, Dr. Paul recommends frequent cleaning. Wipe down heavily used surfaces, and sweep the floor with a vacuum that has a high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA filter). The United States Environmental Protection Agency says this filter is very effective in removing dust, pollen and other unhealthy microparticles.
Cleaning shoes
Dr. Paul recommends cleaning your everyday shoes weekly. For shoes you don’t wear often, clean them once a month. Look at the footwear’s label for the right way to clean them. But for many types, Dr. Paul says it’s as simple as scrubbing them using warm water and soap. Then let them air dry outside to avoid fungi developing.
“Your house is your sacred place. You want to keep it clean. But if something happens, just adapt and clean up so you can be happy and stress free,” Dr. Paul says.
***Courtesy of OSF HealthCare***
