Have you ever visited a home and been asked to take off your shoes? It may seem like a nuisance, but there’s a good reason behind it.
Recent research from the University of Houston found that 39% of shoe soles and 40% of doorstep samples showed C. difficle bacteria contamination, which can cause infection and illness. Shoes can also track in nasty material like animal waste. Nobody wants that in their house, especially if they have a crawling baby.
As such, taking off your shoes first thing is a hygienic practice to introduce to your home. Invest in a nice woven basket or shoe rack where guests can leave their footwear, and consider keeping a few pairs of unused socks or slippers around.
If you are visiting someone else’s home and you notice that shoes are sitting near the door, follow suit and remove your own. If I’m wearing sandals without tights, I stash a pair of socks in my purse – make sure they don’t have holes in them! It’s also a good reminder to keep your feet looking groomed.