Anyone who tends to wear shoes inside their homes has been issued with a stark warning. Researchers suggest that wearing footwear indoors could have a significant impact on your health, potentially even shortening your lifespan. A spokesperson for life insurance company Life Pro highlighted that it increases the risk of serious infections for the youngest and oldest members of the family. They said: “Kicking off or leaving shoes at the door is one of the easiest and cheapest health protection habits there is, especially during the colder months when everyone spends more time at home”.
The firm also advised leaving outdoor shoes at the door to cut the level of germs in your home, and wear indoor-only slippers. Socks or bare feet are also considered safer options, especially in homes with carpets and rugs that are difficult to clean thoroughly. In addition, hard floors can hold onto bacteria in cracks and joints if they are not regularly disinfected.
Brits are also encouraged to keep a shoe rack or mat by the front door and removing their footwear as soon as they step inside, The Mirror reports.
It is advised to regularly vacuum and mop of high-traffic areas, and keeping children’s play mats and blankets clean can help reduce the buildup of germs that have already arrived.
University of Arizona research found that 96% of shoe soles carried coliform bacteria, and about 27% carried E. coli, which is associated with gastrointestinal infections and urinary tract infections.
Another study measured an average of 421,000 units of bacteria clinging to the outside of a typical shoe.
Up to 99% of these are transferred to clean floors within just a few steps.
Up to 40% of shoe soles in non-healthcare settings are contaminated with toxigenic Clostridium difficile, a 2016 study found.
“Clostridioides difficile is a type of bacteria that can cause diarrhoea,” the NHS says.
“It often affects people who have been taking antibiotics. It can usually be treated with a different type of antibiotic.”
The colder weather has an effect.
More hours spent indoors with the heating on creats a perfect environment for germs and allergens to circulate in the air and on soft furnishings.
Toddlers and babies crawl on the floor, then put fingers, dummies and toys straight into their mouths, posing a danger to their health.
