Wearing shoes indoors might seem harmless — maybe you just track in a little dirt, right? Not quite.
Truth is, most of us probably don’t realize just how unsanitary our shoes really are.
Wearing shoes indoors means dragging in plenty of germs — along with toxins, pollen and even traces of feces. If that doesn’t give you the ick, remember some of it can actually make you, or anyone you live with, sick.
“Your shoes are probably dirtier than the bottom of a public toilet seat,” says Lisa Cuchara, a professor of biomedical sciences at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.
That’s why some people opt for a no-shoes policy at home, for themselves and even their guests. Here’s what the experts say about adopting (and enforcing) this kind of rule.
The health risks of wearing shoes inside your home
Of course, it depends on where you’re walking. Shoes that have been on city streets all day are likely much dirtier than those worn just to and from your car on a daily commute.
But either way, your shoes are likely carrying all sorts of stuff, according to Cuchara. Beyond bacteria and germs, Cuchara says shoes are also one of the main ways pollen gets tracked into your home. Your soles can carry bits of the poisonous metal lead, too, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Plus, the bottoms of your shoes probably have bits of bird poop, dog poop and even human poop, per Cuchara.
While gross, none of this is likely to kill you. But Cuchara suggests you consider who is living in your home: Do you have little kids crawling around the floor? Or someone who’s elderly or immunocompromised? That could increase the health risk of wearing shoes inside.
The etiquette of a no-shoes household
If you’re convinced that you need to start enforcing a “no shoes inside” rule, there are a few etiquette considerations, especially if you’re going to ask guests to follow that policy.
“Etiquette is oftentimes thought of how you can best put people at ease,” says Elaine Swann, an etiquette expert and founder of The Swann School of Protocol. “When I welcome guests into my home, I want them to feel comfortable.”
With that in mind, Swann adopts something of a hybrid approach: For overnight or lengthy stays, she asks her guests to leave their shoes at the door. But for brief visits, Swann allows guests to keep their shoes on, and cleans her floors after they leave.
Here are a few more tips for adopting a successful no-shoes policy:
- Make sure there is a clearly designated area for guests to leave their shoes after they enter your home.
- Provide guests with some means of comfort while they’re shoeless: Maybe a pair of comfy slippers or a pair of socks that can double as a parting gift.
Let your guests know ahead of time that you’ll be asking them to take their shoes off, so they can prepare their sock and shoe choices accordingly. This helps make sure guests aren’t surprised (and then embarrassed) for arriving without socks or with old socks.
If you play your cards right, a no-shoes policy doesn’t have to be a burden on your guests, Swann says. Rather than being seen as the friend who makes guests uncomfortable without their shoes, people might love arriving at your house if they know they’ll be greeted with a pair of cozy slippers to change into.
And when you’re the guest, do your best to follow the rules of the home you’re entering. If they request you take your shoes off, it might be because they have small pets, or an infant who’s picking things up off the floor and putting it in their mouth.
People make requests for a reason, Swann says, and “it’s important for us to respect the wishes of the host.”
The Dreame X50 is mopping up muddy paw prints from vinyl plank flooring. It knows to avoid the area rug when it’s performing the mopping function.
Home technology can help
In the event you allow guests to enter your home with their shoes on, CNET has tested hundreds of home tech products that can help you sanitize and clean up after those pesky germs.
