7 Reasons Why You Should Leave Your Shoes at the Door

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In many countries and cultures, it's not acceptable to walk about the house in your dirty sneakers, but in the USA, it's a lot more common than you'd think. However, there are a number of reasons why you should take your shoes off at the front door. If you don't have a no-shoes policy in your house, the following 7 reasons as to why you should, might just change your mind.

Shoes - Leave - Door

1. Bacteria

Harmful bacteria can survive on your shoes for many weeks at a time. A study conducted by The University of Arizona found nine different strains of bacteria on the shoes that they tested, and an average of 421,000 bacteria on each shoe. Do you really want to be walking all those germs through your lovely house?

2. Dirt

Shoes spend most of the day on our feet, walking through dirty environments. Your children drag in mud from the park. You track in soil from the garden or from mowing the lawn. Who wants all that bacteria-rich dirt inside the house? Furthermore, do you really want to spend your free time having to keep cleaning the floors? Therefore, apart from having a no-shoes policy, consider buying some floor mats to help remove some of that dirt off your shoes before entering your home.

3. Toxins 

Shoes - Leave - Door

Shoes carry toxins that can pollute the air in your home. Shoes pick up whatever you step in, and there is the potential of stepping in a lot of pretty disgusting stuff. Rainwater contains oil and gasoline that can be absorbed into your shoes, asphalt has toxins that rub off on your sneakers, and grass that is treated with chemicals can have you dragging more than you bargained for into your home.

4. E. Coli

Of all the bacteria that can be found on your shoes, the grossest one is E. coli, which is found in fecal matter. As you wander around, doing day-to-day activities, you're going to step in some poop from time to time. You may not even realize when you do as bird and animal droppings are all over the soil outside.  An E. coli infection is not a pleasant experience, so lower the risk of you or your children contracting it by taking your shoes off at the door.

5. Save Your Floors

Shoes are a lot harder on your floors than slippers, socks, or bare feet. Whether you have tiles, carpets, or hardwood floors, you can ensure your floors last longer by simply leaving your shoes at the door

6. Relaxation 

Shoes - Leave - Door

When you kick off your shoes after a long hard day, you're letting your brain know that it's relaxation time. So take off your shoes and put your feet up - you've earned it.

7. Foot Health

Wearing shoes all the time can lead to severe foot pain, while going barefoot, especially at home, can exercise dormant muscles in the feet and legs and help to improve blood flow. Therefore, free your feet when at home for fewer aches and pains.

As you have seen, there are plenty of reasons why many cultures have adopted the policy of leaving shoes at the front door. It may be a bit awkward asking your guests to take off their shoes before entering your home, but with these 7 reasons at hand, they should at least understand why you're so insistent.