#GreenLiving is a major tool for families who are choosing to create a sustainable lifestyle! How many times have you opened your front door, wipe away your shoes on the door mat and continue to walk through your home with your shoes on? Hundreds? Thousands of time? If this sounds like you, here are some good reasons why you should leave your shoes at the doorstep or better yet on a shoe rack and the front door.
Bacteria. A study shows that germs on shoes found an average of 421,000 bacteria on the outside with nine different strains. Most of the harmful strains on shoes include: Escherichia coli, otherwise known as E coli, which can lead to intestinal infections and diarrhea. Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause urinary tract infections and Serrati fiacria that can lead to respiratory infections. But how does the bacteria even get there in the first place? On an average day we can walk through things like bird dropping, dog waste, and germs from public restroom floors which are all sources for E coli. Whats very unique about the shoe environment is that the things you walk on can serve as food for bacteria and cause them to grow. Which can ultimately give bacteria the lifespan of days and weeks. This will lead to bacteria landing directly on your floors or carpets!
Toxins. Another possible concern is toxins which can be found anywhere from your lawn, and roads. People who live near asphalt roads sealed with coal tar have a greater risk of cancer from these type of toxins. Once these toxins are found they become settled inside the home as dust particles which can be brought in by your shoes. Be cautious when exposed to toxins because of the likelihood of being exposed many times over the course of your life; can get you sick.
Dirt. Surprisingly, dirt isn't harmful on its own. But you should always want to keep it at a minimum especially if you have small children in your home that play on the floor. And if you have carpet, it's probably even dirtier. Organisms can survive longer in carpet, plus bacteria and mold can build up over time. One more plus to keeping your shoes at the door: It can cut down on how often you have to clean.
Similar to how our maintenance staff uses booties to cover their shoes in your home, the easiest and likely the most reliable way to keep floors clean is to take shoes off when entering the house and maybe even put on some cozy slippers!
Grady's GreenLiving Tips was created in 2014 by Grady Management, Inc. Grady Management was founded in 1965 and continues to provide a full service residential, commercial, and consulting real estate firm in the greater Washington and Baltimore metropolitan area. Learn more from our website or Facebook page.
