In some families, the habit is to take off their shoes at the entrance to the house, and to use the slippers which are quietly waiting next to the door. In other homes, on the contrary, there is no risk of revealing your torn socks, which have been everywhere, in town or elsewhere. They therefore remain warm inside the shoes. Others finally have adopted a mixed practice, and keep their shoes at home, except in the rooms where they are prohibited, replaced by slippers. Despite these different practices, scientists are unanimous: it would be preferable not to walk around the house with the shoes used to go out, because they would be responsible for introducing the contaminants found in our interiors.
Does not accumulate dirt, for better indoor air quality
According to Mark Patrick Taylor environmental scientist and Gabriel Filippelli professor at Indiana University, as interest in environmental pollution increases, it would be wise to pay more attention to the pollution present indoors. houses, because we breathe air not outside, but 90% of the time, inside. The material that accumulates inside, in addition to the dust and dirt brought in by your visitors and the hair of pets, is largely made up of residue from shoes worn outside. These can be microorganisms, such as drug-resistant pathogens (including germs associated with hospitals) or carcinogenic toxins, asphalt residues, endocrine disruptors and lawn chemicals.
Leave the shoes on the doormat, to avoid dangerous pathogens
According to scientists, taking off your shoes could therefore help protect against potentially dangerous pathogens at home. For better prevention, it is necessary to favor the “indoor shoe”, never worn outside, but also to prefer mopping to dry cleaning methods (like the broom). To avoid too much sterility, which does not allow the immune system to develop well, it would suffice to go out for a walk outside regularly and thus enjoy the fresh air, while leaving the pathogens outside.