Did you know that each time you leave your house, your shoes come into contact with dust, grime, and other contaminants? Is this dirt coming with your shoes safe for your family?
In reality, your dirty shoes absorb dirt and particles from the environment. It could be a haven for dangerous chemicals, germs, and viruses. When young children, pets, or individuals with weakened immune systems come into contact with those contaminants, they spread around your home and cause severe health risks into your home.
Let's explore the dangers lurking in the dirty shoes you bring when getting into your home from the outdoors. We will also explore how a reliable Chicago maid service protects your home and loved ones from these invisible threats.
What's Hiding in Your Dirty Shoes When You Enter Indoors?
Walking on the street, in parks, in public transportation, and on other outdoor surfaces exposes your shoe soles to bacteria, viruses, allergens, and germs. These contaminants unintentionally present potential hazards to families.
- Bacteria: Your shoe soles are just the right vessels for picking up bacteria like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and other similar bacteria from outdoor environments. Such outdoor bacteria thrive not only on your grimy shoes but also easily make their way to the floors, carpets, or furniture in your home. It causes acute gastrointestinal illness, food poisoning-like symptoms, and many other infections in people who have a weakened immune system.
- Viruses: Many viruses, such as influenza, that cause the common cold come with your shoes when you walk in crowded public places. These virally contaminated shoes bring these viruses to your home and get easily inhaled or ingested by your family, putting the whole household at risk.
- Pollen and Allergens: Pollen from trees, grass, or flowers, mold spores, and dust mites can easily be found on outdoor surfaces. Your dirty shoes carry these pollens and allergens, which turn into allergic reactions, causing itchy eyes, sneezing, and even congestion among your family members.
- Toxins and chemicals: Heavy traffic areas are known to emit volatile organic pollutants (VOCs) - carbon monoxide. Each time you walk around or in these areas, such pollutants will penetrate your shoes and increase the risk of long-term health problems to your family, such as respiratory, neurological, and reproductive health issues.
Effective Ways to Minimize Contaminants Tracked Indoors on Your Shoes
Your shoes bring contaminants like dirt, bacteria, viruses, allergens, and others indoors. Here are some of the practical tips to minimize the risk and keep your home safe and clean:
Ask Everyone to Remove Shoes at the Door
You should have a "no shoes indoors" policy in your home. Make sure your family members remove them at the door. This will reduce the amount of dirt, bacteria, viruses, and allergens entering your home and help you maintain a cleaner and healthier living environment.
Create a Shoe Area Near Your Entry Door
Install a shoe rack near the entry door to maintain a cleaner home. Keeping your shoes in the designated area will ensure that no germs or bacteria enter indoors.
Use Doormats and Entryway Rugs
Place doormats and entryway rugs inside and outside your door. The doormats and rugs catch dirt, dust, and other particles from your shoes, preventing them from being tracked further into your home. Clean and maintain your door mats and rugs regularly to prevent the buildup of dirt.
Clean Your Shoes Regularly
Clean your shoes with soap and water, or use disinfectants like disinfecting wipes to remove dirt, bacteria, viruses, and other harmful particles each time you walk through high-traffic areas, such as public places.
Disinfect Your Floors Frequently
Regularly disinfect your floors, entryways, and hallways to remove any lingering bacteria, viruses, and dirt stuck on tiles and in the grouts. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter or an eco-friendly disinfecting solution like baking soda and vinegar to clean the floors.
Wash Your Hands After Touching Your Shoes
After touching your shoes, your hands can easily transfer bacteria and germs to you, other people, and objects. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to reduce the risk of spreading infections.
Clean Pet Paws Regularly
Pet paws carry dirt, bacteria, and other contaminants from outdoors. Cleaning your pet's paws with pet-safe soap and water regularly, or using pet-safe wipes can help prevent contaminants from spreading throughout your home.
Place Air Purifiers Indoors to Reduce Airborne Contaminants
Place air purifiers with HEPA filters in areas with more traffic around the house, such as entryways, living rooms, and bedrooms. Air purifiers trap dust, pollen, mold spores, and other particles to purify the air inside your house.
Hire Experts for Disinfecting and Deep Cleaning High-Traffic Surfaces
Consider hiring a renowned and best Chicago house cleaning services for extra protection in your home. The cleaning professionals disinfect and deep clean high-traffic surfaces in your home to remove harmful contaminants that regular cleaning might miss.
Conclusion
Dirt and pollutants spread every time you come in with your outdoor shoes inside your home. Such germs can be deadly to your family. However, you can regularly disinfect and deeply clean your house to ensure your family is safe from health risks brought about by germs and viruses. To achieve this, look for Chicago house cleaning services near me and hire one that is reliable. Many apartment cleaning services in Chicago, such as Fresh Tech Maid, offer excellent service to cater to your cleaning needs.
More significantly, making small changes such as clearing high-touch areas, taking shoes off at the entrance, and other similar arrangements may reduce the chances of harmful bacteria and toxins in your home. With this adaptation, your home will become much more safe and clean.