Important Reasons Why You Should Never Wear Your Shoes At Home

Nov 20, 2018 by apost team

I grew up wearing my shoes inside the house, much like many other American families. Unless my shoes were visibly dirty or my feet hurt from wearing them all day, I was perfectly content as a kid, teenager, and adult trotting around my home in my sneakers.
But this all changed when I moved to Germany. 

If you didn't know, Germans (and most Europeans) do not wear their shoes inside, and may even view it as disrespectful if you decide to walk around their home in them. House shoes, or "Hausschuhe" in German, often greet you when you open the door to a German home.

These soft slippers are meant to be worn inside while your street shoes stay stored away until you leave. 

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"Why do Americans wear their shoes inside?" I've been asked this question more times than I can count by my husband, colleagues, and new friends in Germany. To be honest, I could never give a straight answer why, but I have since learned that my peculiar habit was actually detrimental to my health. 

Germans, the Japanese, and many other cultures that abstain from wearing their shoes inside are avoiding something very big: Bacteria. 
"Oh nooo, not bacteria!" you're probably thinking, but hear me out! 

According to The Cleaning Industry Research Institute, a study by Dr. Charles Gerba investigated the germs gathered on the footwear. It was found that your shoes can carry an average of 442,000 different types of bacteria, which you transfer 90-99% of into your home when you wear your shoes inside.

Your shoes are a magnet for E. coli, which most people associate with dirty rivers and lakes. You're dragging this harmful bacteria into your home after a day of walking outside on sidewalks and floors littered with bird droppings, dog waste, and urine, just to name a few.

E. coli (Escherichia coli) is a bacterium that lives in your intestines. It can lead to diarrhea, intestinal problems, and urinary tract infections. Symptoms include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and constant fatigue. You can get infected just by swallowing a small amount of the E. coli bacteria, which surrounds you when you wear your shoes inside. 

Furthermore, a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Houston, Texas found that 25% of people's shoes carried a harmful bacteria called C difficile (Clostridium difficile), which causes life-threatening inflammation of the colon.

This bacteria caught on to the shoe from parks, fast food restaurants, and commercial stores, which left traces in their home. 

Imagine a baby crawling around on a floor covered in bacteria from outside, or suddenly feeling sick to your stomach and not knowing where it came from. Gross, right? 

Perhaps it's time to give house shoes a try and save yourself and your family from getting sick by something that could have been easily avoided. Wearing slippers around my home has been an easy adjustment, and I can't even imagine wearing sneakers on my carpet again. 

Do you wear your shoes inside your home? How do you feel about the people who do? Ask your family and friends the same question by sending them this article and let us know your thoughts! 

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!