If you’ve ever visited a friend’s house, you might have found yourself in an awkward situation, unsure whether to keep your shoes on or take them off before entering.
This “ritual” can be perplexing as it involves social customs and personal preferences. However, scientists suggest that by taking off your shoes, you could actually benefit the health of your host.
Research shows that leaving shoes outside (like this house in Hawaii) can reduce the intrusion of dust and toxins like lead into your home. (Source: National Geographic).
Here are some reasons why scientists encourage you to leave your shoes at the door:
Different Customs
It’s no surprise that some people feel uncomfortable taking off their shoes before entering a home. Cross-cultural communication scholar Lucyna Aleksandrowicz-Pędich argues that removing shoes symbolizes “crossing the boundary between public and private spaces.”
In certain places, such as mosques, this boundary is sacred and secular. However, the practice of removing shoes is common worldwide for various reasons and interpretations.
For instance, in Southeast Asia, furniture and even home architecture promote a no-shoes culture indoors.
In New Zealand, barefoot walking is common both indoors and outdoors, while most Germans have a pair of “indoor shoes” that differ from those they wear outside.
In the United States, the issue of shoe removal is a bit more contentious. A CBS/YouGov survey conducted in 2022 found that 63% of Americans said they take off their shoes before entering their homes, but only 24% invite their guests to do the same.
What Do Etiquette Experts Say?
There are many reasons for either removing shoes or keeping them on. Some do not want to leave mud stains on the floor, while others want to show respect to the host.
Do etiquette experts have a definitive answer to this question? – Not exactly, as, like the American public, they are “divided” with differing opinions.
The team behind Miss Manners (the pen name of an American journalist and etiquette author) writes that “asking guests to remove their shoes is akin to saying you value your floors more than their comfort.”
On the other hand, etiquette expert Peggy Post believes that “hosts have the right to ask guests to take off their shoes.” American etiquette typically emphasizes making others comfortable, meaning the debate over wearing or removing shoes often “leans” towards the host’s preference.
Is There a Scientific Reason to Wear Shoes Indoors?
While etiquette experts have varying views, scientists have abundant evidence that shoes can bring unwanted dirt into the home, even though the “risk” posed by that dirt to human health remains unclear.
A 2023 analysis found that more than half of the dust particles in homes originated from outdoors, and researchers warned that everything from lead to waste can cling to shoes.
Shoes can carry unwanted dirt into the home. (Source: Image created by AI on Canva).
Some pathogens that you “bring in” can be deadly.
A 2017 study analyzed the shoe soles of 280 participants and found that 26.4% tested positive for Clostridium difficile bacteria, also known as C. diff.
This bacterium is highly contagious, causing colitis, diarrhea, and stomach pain, and is associated with recurrent infections. C. diff causes about half a million infections and 29,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
A 2022 study even analyzed C. diff strains on the shoes of healthcare workers and compared them with strains found in hospitalized C. diff patients. Alarmingly, these bacterial strains matched in 74% of cases.
Carpets also serve as a place to “welcome” outdoor dirt.
“Carpets are both a source of dust and a place that ‘welcomes’ dust indoors” – a group of environmental experts noted in a 2019 study examining the impact of carpets on indoor microorganisms.
The study concluded that inhaling or ingesting [dust from carpets] – rather than absorbing it through the skin – is the easiest route to carpet-related illnesses. However, the full extent of carpets’ risk to human health is still being researched.
Meanwhile, some scientists and doctors dismiss the idea of going shoeless indoors for health or safety reasons: taking off your shoes can make feet more susceptible to injury and increase the risk of skin conditions like athlete’s foot, warts, or MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).
Walking barefoot can put pressure on the feet, leading to dry, cracked heels, and can also increase your chances of falling and sustaining musculoskeletal injuries.
Simple Ways to Reduce Bringing Dirt Indoors
Pathogens, potential injuries… all these can be considered reasons to “keep your shoes on.” But many environmental experts suggest a simple way to minimize these issues: Just take your shoes off outside before entering your home.
“You can take basic steps to minimize dirt from entering your home” – Mark Patrick Taylor, a senior environmental scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency in Victoria, Australia, stated.
Experts recommend having indoor slippers. (Source: Image created by AI on Canva)
Taylor, who participated in the 2023 study that discovered most indoor dust comes from outside, emphasized that avoiding the risk of pathogens and pollutants by ensuring they never enter the house in the first place is advisable.
Taylor noted that incoming dirt can cling to furniture and even food and drinks. “You wouldn’t want to eat dust contaminated with your neighbor’s dog’s waste,” he said.
“Are you ready to leave your shoes at the door?” – Taylor suggests buying two doormats, one just outside the door and one inside. Once inside, try using a pair of indoor shoes or slippers and occasionally clean the soles of your shoes.
“Your home is your castle,” Taylor stated. “It doesn’t take a lot of money or time to do simple, effective things. You have nothing to lose.”
