shoes inside? heck no!
Living in a city like New York is like walking into the ER during flu season. There are so many people and so many germs that nomatter where you are, you have to question the cleanliness of everything.
The subway in itself is a hazard to anyone's health; Mice, bedbugs, open sneezes and coughs, people hacking up flem and spitting onto the waiting platforms, bodily sheddings (I one saw a man picking his nose and trimming his nose hairs and disposing of them on the seat next to him)- it is pure disgust.
When I must ride the subway (it is the quickest, most convenient way to get around after-all) I try not to touch anything unless I have wipes (see my picks below) in my bag that I can sanitize myself with once reaching my destination. But it isn't just dirty hands or the subways that are problematic; it's the pavement we walk on, the buttons at the ATM, the door handle at Starbucks or the shopping cart at Whole Foods. These tiny invisible germs and dirt are everywhere that eventually follow us into our homes if we let them.
I was never a take-off-your-shoes inside kind of girl. Growing up with a huge family, there were constantly people coming in and out of my home, and we never asked them to remove their shoes. Though we wore slippers in the house, my bare feet would make floor on skin contact on several occasions. Had I known then what I know now, I would have permanently affixed slippers to protect my feet.
What exactly are people bringing into their homes when they don't take their shoes off or wash their hands immediately after getting home? Get ready to be super grossed out.
Researchers at the University of Houston found that about 40% of shoes were carrying the Clostridium difficile bacterium and not only was this "C Diff" present on shoe soles but also spread around other household areas such as toilets, tops and surfaces, and wherever floor dust was found. Apparently the spores of C Diff can live on dry surfaces for long lengths of time.
In fact, "potentially harmful bacteria can survive on your shoes for days or even weeks." says Dr. Reynolds a microbiologist at University of Arizona. WEEKS! Gross.
Other scientific studies have found 421,000 different units of bacteria can reside on shoes and household items including the ever so dangerous E.coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Everything you touch or walk on outside of your home (or in your home if you are an at-home shoe wearer), has the potential to make you sick.
Does this mean you should hide under a rock and never leave the house or touch anything. No. But it does mean you should be diligent about taking your shoes off and washing your hands with warm soap and water the second you enter your home.
Don't be shy about asking visitors to remover their shoes either. It's your home and you can do whatever you want! Here are some tips.
1. If you are having guests over for a dinner or a party, it's always courteous to give them a heads up when extending the invitation, that way they can wear their best socks (sans holes!) or make sure their toes are manicured.
Before I became a shoe "taker off-er" I was once caught off guard at a dinner party. I was wearing a super simple outfit so I could let my new Miu Miu pumps be the main accessory and the punch of dressiness the outfit needed. It was also the middle of February and I wasn't keeping up with my pedicures so I had chipped toenail polish on some toes. Whatever, nobody will see my toes, I thought. Wrong! I had to remove my shoes before entering the home. Not only was I annoyed that I now looked underdressed because my shoes were the focal point of the outfit, but I was mortified I had to show my toes! I ended up asking to borrow socks even though I had just met the person. They should have warned me!
2. Be honest. If you are sick, like I am, tell your guests as soon as you open the door that you have a suppressed immune system and cannot take any risks with germs. 99% of people will understand and take their shoes off right away.
3. Provide germ blocking shoe booties. In case you have any type of workers coming into your home (furniture deliveries, cable guys, painters), you will quickly notice they usually are wearing lace up boots that are probably a huge pain to take off. It is also a safety hazard and their feet need to be protected. Hand them booties. No explanation necessary. I have a little basket in my front entryway. (FYI many of them actually carry around booties anyway, but they reuse them which is why I like to provide my own.)
Here are my favorite hand wipes and shoe booties:
