Shoes in the house: leave them on or take them off?

The doormat forms the border. He divides people into two camps: those who, as a matter of course, slip off their street shoes, put on comfortable woolen socks or slippers and make their way to the sofa with a clear conscience. And then there are those who skilfully ignore the doorstep and seemingly unscrupulously march through the apartment with their sneakers. Motto: What's in it? Just don't risk cold feet.

It's understandable that the two camps don't get along very well - they pursue different interests. Some value hygiene and order, while others prefer comfort and don't mind taking a little dirt into the apartment. But which of the two camps is right? Is it really gross to keep your street shoes on indoors?

Street shoes in the house: from the sidewalk to the living room carpet

From a microbiological point of view, the case is clear: we carry germs into the house on the soles of our street shoes, which romp on sidewalks, meadows and streets. A few years ago, researchers at the University of Houston examined 63 shoe samples for germs. They proved that bacteria of the strain Clostridium difficile stuck to 39.7 percent of the soles. They are not necessarily harmful and are found everywhere in the environment. They also live in the intestines of healthy people. But in people with a weakened immune system, they can trigger diarrheal diseases.

Column Taking off Winnemuth's shoes? Oh no, no need.

Particularly disgusting: Escherichia Coli bacteria have also been found on shoe soles. The germs cavort in the intestines of birds, mammals and also humans. How do they get on our shoes, you might think. Well, the germs are literally at our feet: they are part of dog poo or cling to the floor of public toilets.

It is true that not every E. Coli strain necessarily makes you ill, but these finds are always unappetizing. Parents of small children in particular should therefore consider whether it is really necessary to leave their street shoes on in the house. Babies crawl on the floor, put their fingers in their mouths or suck on toys that have been on the floor. In this way, germs that originally stuck to street shoes quickly migrate into the mouth.

Conclusion

The environment is full of bacteria and our shoes are no exception. However, only a few germs can be really dangerous to us and cause diarrhea, for example. Researchers have identified bacteria from the Clostridium difficile and Escherichia Coli strains on the soles of street shoes, which nobody would like to smear on their living room carpet. Especially for people who like it hygienic or accommodate small children, it is therefore better to take off your shoes. This saves you the occasional vacuum cleaning.