Take Off Your Shoes When Entering The House? That’s Why
Taking off your shoes before entering the house is a Japanese habit that millions of people have decided to adopt for comfort and health.
While it may seem like a somewhat strange and exaggerated choice, it has been shown that it could have numerous benefits for those who practice it.
Have you ever thought about all the places you walk with your shoes on during the day? If you stop there, you will surely find numerous reasons to worry.
Although we do not notice, our shoes capture thousands of bacteria and microorganisms that can potentially cause disease day after day, especially in cases of weakened immune system.
Let’s see in detail, in the next few lines, what are the reasons for taking off your shoes when entering the house.
Why take off your shoes before entering the house?
The Japanese tradition of taking off your shoes before entering the house is a habit that is spreading to many other countries around the world.
It consists of taking off your shoes just before entering the house, leaving them in a specific locker, near the door, or in a space specially set up.
In Asian culture, shoes are taken off before entering the house for hygiene reasons, as well as as a sign of respect for the space accessed. In fact, this habit is also practiced in restaurants, gyms, schools and other public places. Many of the places frequented by the Japanese take this measure.
This happens because shoes are one of the main sources of dirt and contamination in the home, simply because they are continuously exposed to multiple environmental surfaces.
Currently, some experts have conducted research on this and, indeed, have found that shoes are a source of dangerous pathogens.
Shoes accumulate more bacteria than the toilet
In 2012, a curious empirical study published in the Journal of Research in Personality revealed that shoes represent an important source of information on the personality of the individuals who wear them.
They can reflect the wearer’s average age, gender, economic situation and even some psychological aspects.
What we weren’t aware of yet is that shoes are great sources of bacteria, superior even to the toilet.
In a study, carried out in 2008 and directed by Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, it was shown that in just two weeks of use, shoes can accumulate approximately 420,000 bacteria on the outside. 96% of which are coliforms.
Also according to the study, 27% of the bacteria detected on the shoes belonged to the E. coli species . These are microorganisms that populate the intestines of humans and animals.
The expert suggests that this may be due to frequent contact of shoes with fecal material, both on the street and in public places.
It is good to know that:
Although most E. coli do not cause health problems, in some cases they can be the trigger for certain diseases and chronic diarrhea episodes.
But that is not all. Among the millions of microorganisms detected on shoes, large quantities of:
- Klebsiella pneumoniae, responsible for urinary tract infections, pneumonia and other soft tissue diseases and open wounds.
- Serratia marcescens, the main cause of conjunctivitis, keratitis and, in rare cases, of meningitis and endocarditis.
Both varieties of bacteria attack the organism as it does not have enough antibodies to defend itself. In fact, they are the ones that give rise to complications in the procedures carried out in the hospital.
Taking off your shoes at home: a good habit to adopt
It is important to clarify that the chances of infection caused by bacteria coming from the shoes are however minimal. Unless, for some reason, they come into direct contact with the mouth or an open wound.
It must be borne in mind that there are many ways in which bacteria enter the house. Reason why, over time, our body has strengthened to fight them.
Despite this, we advise you to avoid risks by taking simple and effective measures before entering the house, such as taking off your shoes, or washing them frequently with soap and water.
