Tradition of removing your shoes before entering a home is still practiced in Asian homes throughout the world.
Bringing shoes into the house leads to a 90-99% chance of transfer of bacteria from dirty shoes to uncontaminated home floors. If that doesn’t gross you out then this might; public restroom floors have an estimated 2 million bacteria per square inch. However, an average toilet seat has about 50 per square inch.
Shoes are typically removed before entering homes for hygienic reasons; the amount of dirt and bacteria found on them are shockingly sickening.
Approximately 421,000 different types of bacteria can be found on shoes, according to research. In addition, 27% of the shoes were found to have E. coli along with seven different kinds of bacterias. Among them are Klebsiella pneumonia, a bacteria that causes urinary tract infections, and Serratia ficaria, a bacteria that causes respiratory infections.
Asians believe that it is good health practice to be barefoot. Chinese have been also practicing foot reflexology for over 5,000 years. Being barefoot allows your pressure points to be stimulated. When confined in shoes all day, your feet do not have the chance to breathe, stretch and feel. If you do not practice removing your shoes in your home, please give it a try and see how you feel. You may like it!
Today, western furniture has taken over the average Asian home, but we still like to sit on the floor and walk barefoot. Just remember when visiting an Asian home, wear clean socks with no holes because you may be asked to remove your shoes!
Kelly Reynolds, microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona, said:
“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.”
The continued hough exposure to toxins and chemicals can lead to diseases and illness, during a lifetime.
If that doesn’t convince people to take off their shoes before going inside their house then perhaps washing shoes regularly with detergent will help. The University of Arizona study revealed that cleaning shoes in the washing machine will kill the presence of bacteria by at least 90%. Floors and carpets should also be disinfected with carpet cleaners such as a steam cleaner. The best way though, is to keep those shoes out of the house!
