Ways To Treat Your Feet and Footwear Right.
With the outbreak of Covid-19 and the number of coronavirus cases on the rise, it is a timely reminder to maintain proper hygiene for a healthier environment. While washing and keeping our hands clean is vital, here are five tips to minimize and keep your exposure to bacteria and viruses to the minimum for healthier feet.
Tip #1: Do Not Wear Your Shoes Indoor
There are two types of people – those who wear their footwear indoors and those who do not. While seemingly harmless, it’s worth noting that an average shoe sole carries 421,000 different kinds of bacteria including faecal bacteria, E.coli, and many more. Here’s the disturbing and gross fact why you must stop wearing your shoes in your home – poop transfer.
It has been found that 93 percent of shoes that are worn more than a month contain faecal bacteria on the outsoles. This should not be a surprise as we step on pet waste on public grounds and step on splashes from the washrooms on public restroom floors. 90 percent of these bacteria and other microorganisms are transferred to clean floors instantly when you step into the comfort of your home. Shoes are home to bacteria and can lead to the accumulation of dirt and grime in confined spaces like our home. For parents with small kids crawling around and sticking things into their mouths, it pays to err on the safe side.
While some shoes can be disinfected if they are washable as per the care instructions, let’s face it, how many of us wash our shoes to simply walk indoors.
Solution: Practise a shoeless home and keep them outdoors! Designate an area by your house porch to drop your shoes before entering the house. Invest in a shoe rack to keep things tidy too. If you are still adamant to wear your shoes indoors whatever the reason is – convenience etc, consider investing in an antimicrobial doormat that clears most of the debris and germs on the outsoles.
Tip #2: Clean Your Shoe Closet
Shoes should be stored in a cool, dry place. Do not literally wait till spring cleaning! It is vital to give your wardrobe (be it a clothes wardrobe or shoe closet) an occasional good clean, declutter and reorganize your footwear. Accumulating a messy pile of shoes attracts germs and here are some hacks on how you can Marie Kondo your shoe wardrobe.
How to clean your closet in 4 steps:
- Vacuum the floor around your wardrobe.
- Remove all shoes or clothes and perform your KonMari.
- Wipe shelves and racks with a microfiber cloth lightly sprayed with water.
- Clean your shoes and stuff tissue paper or shoe trees to keep them from sagging or losing their shape over time.
Tips #3: Clean Your Shoes
It can be a hassle when caked-on dirt and loose dirt get stuck on our shoes and just won’t budge, especially on rainy days or if we step over mud.
Here’s the right tool for everything to get that stubborn dirt off.
- Slap the shoes together outdoors to remove loose dirt. Use a toothbrush to brush the dirt off and a butter knife or key to scrape set mud in grooves of your shoes
- Mix a tablespoon of baking soda (abrasive) and laundry detergent (bleaching agent) and scrub the rubber parts clean with this mixture. Rinse off with water and it will look sparkling clean as before!
If you are looking beyond the general shoe care guide of your shoes, here are some bonus simple cleaning hacks without the expensive products for different types of footwear material.
Note: Always read your shoe care instructions that will provide a more detailed maintenance guide specifically for the shoes.
Tips #4: Wear Your Socks!
Wear socks made of cotton, wool, or bamboo as they help to absorb moisture and prevent abrasion from the shoes. Plus, It keeps your feet warm and comfy. Who says you can’t wear socks with sandals or slides? Socks’ fashion is huge these days – you can grace the streets in cute printed socks and team it up with your favorite breezy airy sandals. It protects your feet from dirt too!