Why is taking shoes off when you come in worth 50 big points on Practically Green? Our action page answers that question immediately:
Taking off your shoes before you enter your home is the public health equivalent of washing your hands.
Click here for more info and to join zillions of Practically Green users who’ve already added this to their Action Plans.
To celebrate Earth Month at Practically Green, our bloggers are illuminating the most popular healthy green actions — one day at a time. Today we present Action #5: Take shoes off at the door regularly. Please enjoy two approaches — we couldn’t resist either of these compelling essays!
Shoes Off, Please by Ronnie Citron-Fink
I am as neurotic as the next person about keeping my floors clean. With dogs and kids, the inevitable mess happens. The kids are trained to take their shoes off. The dogs know that if they wait on the mat while their feet get cleaned they will get a treat. And my guests are kind, gracious and accommodating – they usually offer without being asked.
The practice of taking shoes off can be found throughout Asia. It is also common in Scandinavia and in Hawaii and Alaska. In Japan, many homes have a getabako, or shoe cupboard where shoes are stored. Taking shoes off is a symbolic gesture that leaves the outer world behind. Shoes are traded for comfortable slippers and home becomes a separate sanctuary.
Recently, my husband and I stayed at my brother’s ski house in Vermont. Not only are ski and snowboarding boots clunky, it’s mud season in the Northeast and those boots make an incredible mess. My brother and his wife have a whole room dedicated to shoes/boots/ski stuff. It is a neatly organized mudroom that provides a barrier between the outside and the inside with storage for lots of stuff. Architect Susan Susanka, the author of the Not So Big House books, is a big fan of dedicated mudrooms for encouraging friends and family to take their shoes off when they enter a home. A mudroom is a perfect place to leave those shoes behind while providing all the elements for a cleaner, healthier home.
5 Reasons To Take Your Shoes Off
1. Keep your family and pets safe from outdoor pesticides and pollutants that can contaminate carpets and floors. The EPA found that pesticides on shoes are considered to be a major source of toxic exposure for children.
2. Improve the indoor air quality. (Join the Moms Clean Air Force to find out more about keeping your family safe from air pollution.)
3. Spend less time cleaning and consume less cleaning products.
4. Keep your home quieter.
5. Save your wood floors from dirt and rocks that can create gouges.
Do you have a “No Shoes” policy at your home?
Ronnie Citron-Fink lives in Rhinebeck, New York. She blogs at Econesting and tweets @econester. She’s a member of the Environmental Defense Fund’s new Moms Clean Air Force. Just hours ago Yahoo named her a top 10 green-living tweeter! Congrats!
* * * * *
Shoes Off: Just Do It! by Jan Devereux
Growing up in Florida with the beach virtually my backyard, I spent a good deal of my childhood barefoot — outside and inside — so maybe that’s why having a shoes-off policy in my own home feels completely natural. I now live in New England, where “mud season” stretches well into April and almost every house has a mudroom and a pile of boots near the door. ‘Boots off’ is the norm in my neighborhood.
But even if you’re lucky enough to live in a place where it’s flip-flop season year round, a shoes-off policy is an essential step in protecting your family from germs that can creep in on the soles of your shoes. “Dirt” tracked in endangers more than carpets. Residues from the lead in car exhaust, toxins from lawn pesticides, traces of animal waste and allergens like pollen on the ground all present a health risk, especially to small children and pets that spend time on the floor. You don’t have to be neat freak like Monica from Friends or a germaphobe like Monk, the TV detective, to care about these risks. Removing shoes at the door is simply a matter of good hygiene, like hand washing.
So why do some people resist setting a shoes-off policy, and why do those who do feel they have to tip-toe around enforcing it with recalcitrant guests?
Remember the Sex and the City episode (“A Woman’s Right to Shoes” Season 6, Episode 83) when Carrie attends a party, and the hostess (Tatum O’Neal) makes her leave her brand new $485 Manolos at the door — and another guest walks off with them? Carrie is outraged, not only by the theft and the hostess’s refusal to reimburse her the full price of the shoes, but by the imposition: “It wasn’t my choice to take them off,” she whines to Miranda.
To avoid such shoe drama in your home, why not give guests a shoes-off heads-up in advance? And greet them at the door with a basket of socks. This might even be a great way to re-purpose orphan socks from your laundry. If you have slippery floors or uncarpeted stairs, you might want to stock up on socks with rubberized treads for safety. And if you still encounter resistance…well, in my opinion, a guest who doesn’t smile when offered a pair of mismatched, borrowed socks may not be worth inviting back!
And speaking of humor, I stumbled on a blog dedicated to supporting people who want help enforcing a shoes-off policy. (shoesoffatthedoorplease.blogspot.com/) (I guess there’s officially a blog for everything by now!) In addition to the author’s wry posts on the subject, the sidebar lists “37 reasons why you should enforce a shoes-off policy.” Carrie Bradshaw, please take note of #29: “If you wear high-heeled shoes, your feet badly need a break.”
Jan’s product suggestions:
WJ Dennis recycled polypro boot tray (referenced on the site already under the action plan). Having a place to put your shoes means you will be more likely to remove them. This tray is made out of recycled polypropylene. It’s durable and affordable.
Traction/non slip socks in organic cotton (pictured above) from Amazon: “These non-slip low-rise socks are made from organic cotton with a reinforced and cushioned heel and toe! These socks are a a great hygienic alternative to bulky shoes — whether you are lounging around the house, traveling, or performing low-impact exercises such as Yoga or Pilates. Wear on the plane, in the hotel, or at Pilates or Yoga without fear of germs or fungus!” (Jan’s bolding)
Jan Devereux is a writer and mother of three who lives in Cambridge. She is trying hard to green her family’s lifestyle, one step at a time. This spring she plans to start composting. Favorite green actions:trading in her minivan for a compact hybrid; becoming a vegetarian; switching to paperless billing and compact fluorescent bulbs; reading on a Kindle. Least favorite green actions: managing her two cats’ litter boxes; reminding her kids to take shorter showers. {Hey, Jan, click here for a bunch of no-stress ways for minimizing shower water.}
Back to top
21 Comments to 'Take Off Shoes When You Come Indoors! (How Easy was That?!)'
April 5, 2011
I agree that taking shoes off is important. I wish I could stick to my guns on the issue. In addition to feeling weird about asking guests to de-shoe, I find it hard to enforce with my forgetful boyfriend/roommate. Grrr! Alas, I find myself mopping way more often that I’d care too. :-(
April 5, 2011
Jan, thanks so much for reminding me about that Sex and the City episode. And…that reminded me of the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode where Larry visits a friend’s house and is told to take off his shoes before he enters. As a convenience he leaves them on. It ends with him being viciously berated by his friend’s wife. Who would have thought that taking your shoes off at the door would be such a hoot?!?
April 5, 2011
My ancestry is all Northern European but my parents were enamored with Japanese culture. We always had to remove our shoes before my mom would let us in from play and I still do that today. The Japanese are so in tune with this practice that, when I visited Japan in the early 1970’s, I learned that when trains were first introduced to the culture, people took off their shoes before boarding, only to find that they were nowhere to be found when they disembarked.
April 5, 2011
Great idea! It definitely does keep down the dirt. Now if I can only get my dog in on this ;)
Most delivery or service people take their shoes off automatically. One man even had clean booties he slipped on. I was having a delivery made one time, and nicely asked the man to remove his shoes. He said since I asked so nicely he would, but that he usually refuses! Can you imagine? I was floored and wondered if he was kidding. Nope! He is in and out of homes all day long brining new furniture, so very likely people have just had new flooring put in as well. A letter went straight to the company and I will never use them again!
April 5, 2011
Thanks, fellow PGers, for reading and sharing this post!
I just noticed that the url that links to the “Shoes off at the Door Please” blog I cited doesn’t work. Correct link is: shoesoffatthedoorplease.blogspot.com/ (no http:// needed).
April 5, 2011
The link works now!! And it is a very informative and amusing blog: shoesoffatthedoorplease.blogspot.com
Thanks for pointing it out.
April 5, 2011
If you don’t mind my saying so, the link to my blog still does not work. If you do correct it, you have my sincere gratitude.
http://shoesoffatthedoorplease.blogspot.com/
April 5, 2011
Too funny mama! We must have mind-merged this weekend > http://getyourgreenbeans.com/learn-and-grow/baby-steps-to-cleaner-greener-living-week-2-take-off-your-shoes/
Though I did fall a bit off the “deep” end!!
It’s funny how we can overlook the simple things- such an ancient practice- taking off your shoes when you enter the home!!
To barefeet and clean floors!! Great tip!
April 5, 2011
Fixed Matthew!
April 6, 2011
I strongly agree with the point raised in your blog. Taking off your shoes while entering indoors is highly important from hygienic point of view. I just loved the information shared in this blog. Keep up the good work!!
April 6, 2011
[...] #5: Take shoes off at the door regularly [...]
April 10, 2011
shoes off slippers on in our house
May 23, 2011
Taking off shoes before entering one’s home is a good way of preventing dirt and diseases from contaminating the home. This is a good way of detoxifying. http://nymag.com/nymetro/urban/services/features/489/
August 13, 2011
Although I wear my shoes at home all the time I am now giving the whole shoes off, slippers on thing a go
I do not see what the big deal is about shoes on tbh, my floors are clean despite having a dog and at the age of 33 I am very rarely ever ill. Maybe i’ve built up a tolerance to germs and shoes off people are more prone to illnesses? Also being seen in a pair of slippers is a bit embarrassing, almost a sign of being too old and past it. Maybe I just need to get over that.
No matter tho and as an experiment to a shoes on guy, for the next week in my house it will be shoes off at the door for everyone. No doubt i’ll revert back to shoes on as in my country it is rare to encounter shoes off rules.
August 14, 2011
Ian, here’s the Why it’s a big deal: “Taking off your shoes before you enter your home is the public health equivalent of washing your hands.It’s free, it couldn’t be easier, and yet not many of us do it. Dirt isn’t the only thing tracked into homes by shoes. Think about the residues of outdoor pollutants might be on your soles: pesticides, automobile exhaust, lead, allergens, plus other carcinogens and endocrine disrupters. These all pose significant risk to all family members and can reach hazardous levels with repeated treading, especially in rugs and carpets. Children and pets are especially vulnerable because they’re in closer contact with the floor than most adults.
“By removing your shoes, you’ll drastically reduce the amount of dirt and residues we all track inside. By some estimates, 85 percent of household dirt is carried in on clothing, shoes, and pet paws.”
August 17, 2011
In all fairness tho, these pollutants will already be found in the air as wind brings up dust particles from the ground. Also children and pets live on the ground, indoors or out. I recall being a child once, I loved playing in the mud with my toy tractors and i’m in perfect health at the age of 33 now. lol
I love my shoes too much to give them up in my own house but when visiting another home I will offer to remove them should I either see them without shoes or if the weather outside is very poor. I can’t really explain why but i’m more comfortable in running ahoes than I am in socks or slippers.
August 18, 2011
Ian,
Love that you can recall being a child once!!!!! LOL
Posting this on our Facebook wall so everyone there can chime in to this great conversation. Come on over! https://www.facebook.com/practicallygreen
Sarah
August 18, 2011
I just find it fascinating that people anywhere DON’T take their shoes off and only recently discovered this. I always believed only characters on tv kept them on for “looks.”
I had a photo posted to Facebook of some friends sitting in my living room and a friend in Arizona commented right away on the fact that no one was wearing shoes. I thought “What? Of course not! What kind of comment is that?!”
What is the rationale FOR wearing your outdoor shoes inside? I don’t get it.
August 18, 2011
Hi Sarah, thanks for the link. I’ve hit like for your FB page. :)
@Ginger
My reason is very simple. I find my training shoes extremely comfortable and they feel a lot better than slippers. In my opinion anyway. It isn’t like I wear shoes around the house that i’ve been wandering about in the mud all day, those get swapped as soon as i’m in the door. My collection of training shoes and boots is large, finding a clean pair to lounge about the house in is easy. (boots I don’t find comfortable, those won’t get worn around the house unless they are my ex g/f’s stolen uggs which are pretty much like slippers. lol)
I gain confidence from what i’m wearing, being seen in socks or slippers feels kinda weird. I’d feel naked in socks and in slippers I feel like an old man. I can’t really explain that one tho, I just hold a lot of personal value to footwear. In contrast, I find it strange that so many folks are apparently insistant on a shoes off thing at home. I really can’t imagine being out of mine and padding around in socks. Maybe it is a female thing, I don’t know of any guys that do it other than the author (MatthewC) of a blog I follow entitled ’shoes off in the house’.
As i’ve said tho, in other homes then i’ll follow the house rules and will often ask if I should take my shoes off before proceeding further into a shoes off home. I may not stay for very long and the only person in my family to enforce a rigid shoes off policy is my sister. She does it to protect her expensive cream deep pile carpet and quick guests can enter the kitchen area with shoes on no problem.
I’ve been giving the whole shoes off thing a go this week, I don’t however feel that it is for me. Having placed a lino mat at my front door I can’t deny that there is some dirt that is being brought in tho a brush type doormat should suffice for that. :)
August 18, 2011
I’ve never considered the sanitary fact of taking off ur shoes at the front door, I will be making my children do that! Now just getting them n the habit of doing it
March 18, 2012
[...] Green is pretty simple, really. You can postpone major dirt purges by having a few rules about Taking Shoes off at the Front Door and not allowing Food outside designated eating areas. You might even ask the smokers in your life [...]
Leave a comment