Have you ever rolled your eyes at a friend after they made you take your shoes off at their front door? You’ll probably be feeling differently by the end of this article.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Houston studied our shoes and found that they’re havens for bacteria. One particularly alarming find was the regular presence of a pathogenic bacteria called Clostridium difficile, or C. diff.
C. diff is bacteria that, in 2011 alone, “was responsible for nearly a half-million infections in the U.S. that resulted in some 29,000 deaths,” according to the CDC. Researchers say they found the deadly bacteria on 26.4 percent of shoe soles.
Unfortunately, experts say wiping your feet is not the cure-all. Dr. Kevin Garey, the head of the University’s study, says that wiping your feet will remove surface dirt, but may expose you to bacteria left behind by others. “You have to think of the person who wiped their feet before,” Garey said. You might be picking [up] stuff they left behind.”
The study found that they best way to prevent this kind of harmful bacteria from spreading throughout your house is to leave those filthy shoes at the door. If you weren’t doing so before, now may be a good time to start.
(PHOTO: Getty Images | SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal)