Not wearing shoes inside the house is a common practice in many cultures. Wearing outside shoes inside a house with a carpet contributes to plenty of health complications. It is crucial for people to recognize the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy living environment.
According to a study conducted by the University of Arizona, many harmful bacteria were found on the inside and outside of shoes. One of the “bacteria found was E. coli, which can cause intestinal and urinary tract infections, meningitis, and diarrheal disease”. Other bacteria found on shoes called Klebsiella pneumonia causes pneumonia.
There is a saying in Arabic “no shoes are allowed indoors, as the shoes’ soles are seen as dirty and unsanitary”. When going to the bathroom there is a different set of shoes used to avoid the unsanitary nature of the bathroom.
While some people see wearing shoes inside the house as a cultural norm and a matter of convenience, others may argue that it poses health risks and increases the amount of dirt and bacteria in our living spaces.
In many Asian, African and Middle Eastern cultures, it is customary to remove shoes before entering a home as a sign of respect and cleanliness. This practice is deeply embedded in the culture and is considered a social norm. While in Western cultures, it is common for guests to keep their shoes on when visiting someone’s home or being told to make themselves comfortable and do as they see fit.
Others might say it makes them feel uncomfortable if their guests have their outdoor shoes on inside the house. Would they ask those that are in “wheelchairs and prosthetic leg(s)” to take off their shoes? “Request that they clean the wheels of their wheelchairs?” It already sounds rude and undignified if there was a person that asked their guests of any of those requests.
There are some other actions we can take instead of wearing shoes inside the house or asking a guest to take off their shoes. One of them is to make a designated area for shoes near the entrance of the house, like a shoe rack or a mat. The second is to provide indoor slippers for your guests if they feel uncomfortable taking their shoes off.
It is important to establish a routine cleaning schedule to keep the floors clean and free from any potential contaminants. Even if you take your shoes off, you can vacuum or sweep regularly, and mop with cleaning solutions.
