You really should leave your shoes at the door of your home once you get home. Environmental chemists have spent a decade examining the indoor environment and the contaminants people are exposed to in their own homes. While they acknowledge that their review is far from complete, they nevertheless claim thattaking off your shoes inside is essentialeven if you haven’t stepped in a rain puddle or dog poo.
“People spend up to 90% of their time indoors, so the question of whether or not to wear shoes in the house is not trivial“, explain the scientists to The Conversation. Inside our accommodations, a third of the material that accumulates comes from outsideblown or trampled on your shoe soles.
Drug-resistant microorganisms, carcinogenic toxins, microplastics and even radioactive substances… The list of harmful substances found in our interiors is long. And these contaminants are mostly odorless and colorless. So there’s no way to tell if they’re also on your bedroom floor.
“Prevention is better than cure”
Recently, a article of wall street journal nevertheless stated that the shoes in the house did not constitute a particular danger. The reason ? Bacteria, especially E. coli, are so widespread that they can be found almost everywhere. An aberration according to chemists: E. coli comes directly from our excrement. Exposed to high levels – of our excreta or those of our animals – humans can suffer from various diseases.
The best way to protect yourself is to take off your shoes when you get home. “We all know that prevention is better than cure, and taking off your shoes at the door is basic prevention and easy to do for many.“, advise the scientists.
But beware, keeping your house too clean – the “sterile house syndrome” – would also constitute a risk. Some dirt would probably be beneficial, because help develop the immune system and reduce the risk of allergy.
Sources:
- “Wearing shoes in the house is just plain gross. The verdict from scientists who study indoor contaminants”, The ConversationMarch 16, 2022
- “Here’s why I’ll be keeping my shoes on in your shoesless home”, The Wall Street JournalFebruary 2022
Read also:
- Pregnancy: women exposed to lead give birth to more boys
- Air pollution: it also affects our cognitive abilities
- Is your indoor air more toxic than that of a busy street? It seems so
