Scientists weigh in on the "no shoes inside" debate
2 Min Read
In many cultures, it is expected rude to enter a home while keeping shoes on.
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Environmental chemists have discovered that much of household germs come in from shoes (Getty)
Scientists have officially entered the debate on whether shoes inside the house are harmful or not, and their conclusions are as follows.
It is better for one's health to leave shoes outside of the house.
A group of environmental chemists studied household germs for 10 years, and according to them, the research indicates taking off shoes at the door is better for health.
DustSafe, their software, analyzes vacuum dust from houses across the world and checks for pollutants — and they've discovered that a lot of toxic material may enter homes by shoes.
The group explained to CNN that nearly one-third of the filth that comes into a home is brought in by shoes, which can include harmful bacteria and microorganisms, toxins from asphalt, heavy metals, and chemicals from lawn and garden sprays.
Humans spend around 90% of their time inside. According to the experts, when you're at home, you're breathing in the dust that floats around in the air. This includes things that naturally accumulate in a house, such as skin cells and pet dander, as well as those that are brought in, such as shoe residue.
Microplastics, antibiotic-resistant genes, PFAs, and toxic metals are among the potentially harmful substances you may be inhaling. Many of these objects can blow through the window, but the majority of them are tromped in.
The DustSafe team determined that, while taking off your shoes has advantages, there aren't many significant disadvantages.
While there are studies that show that a small percent of dirt exposure helps the immune system, that kind of exposure can be received from the outdoors.
