Unless you have a special circumstance, you probably wear
shoes inside your house.
But several scientific studies suggest why that’s a bad idea
— and the reasons are pretty gross.
Though some bacteria is good for us, if you’ve ever gotten a
stomach virus, you’ll know that other kinds of bacteria are not.
A study done by the University of Arizona found an average
of 421,000 different bacteria on shoes. Coliforms, a bacterial indicator of the
level of sanitation of foods and water (and universally present in feces), were
detected on the bottoms of 96% of shoes.
In addition, E. coli was detected on 27% of the shoes, along
with seven other kinds of bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can
cause urinary tract infection, and Serratia ficaria, which can cause
respiratory infections.
“We walk through things like bird droppings, dog waste and
germs on public restroom floors, all of which are sources for E coli,” says
Kelly Reynolds, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor at the University of
Arizona.
Researchers then wanted to know about the transfer of
bacteria from shoes to uncontaminated home floors. They discovered that the
transfer of bacteria from shoes to home floors ranged from 90% to 99%.
Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist and professor at the
University of Arizona commented, “The common occurrence (96%) 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. 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.”
Public restroom floors have been found to contain around two
million bacteria per square inch, though the average toilet seat contains only
about 50 per square inch.
A University of Houston study found that 39% of shoes
contained bacteria C. diff (Clostridium difficile), which is a public health
threat resistant to a number of antibiotics. This bacteria can cause multiple
health conditions, including diarrhea.
Another
home threat: Toxins
Another study done by the Battelle Memorial institute found
that toxins from treating your lawn can easily be tracked into the house.
Additionally, a study from Baylor University found that people who live near
asphalt roads sealed with coal tar have an increased risk of cancer from
toxins, and these toxins can be tracked in by your shoes.
Dr. Reynolds commented, “Think about rain water in the
street. It can have gasoline in it and chemicals, and those get on your shoes
and can be brought into your home.” However, though she cautions about the
dangers of kinds of toxins, you would most likely have to be exposed many times
over the course of your life in order to get sick.
The
solution
In the University of Arizona study, researchers found that
washing shoes with detergent in the washing machine reduced the presence of bacteria
by 90% or more. In addition, you should also clean your floors and carpets
using a disinfecting carpet cleaner — such as a steam cleaner.
But in order to avoid all the hassle and keep your house
clean, the experts say it’s best to leave your shoes at the door whenever
possible.
Source : Rare