At some point in your life, you probably went to a friend or family member’s house and came to the quick realization that they have a different viewpoint on wearing shoes inside the house than your family. Perhaps you noticed that everyone had their shoes on as you were preparing to take them off, or you were politely reminded to take your shoes off before stepping on the carpet. It may have felt strange at the time, but is one move better than the other?
Should You Wear Shoes Indoors?
We’re not going to come out at take a hardline stance on whether you should wear shoes inside your house or not, because at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference and everyone has unique situations of their own that impact this decision. With that said, we’re going to provide a little context on why it may be a good idea to ditch the shoes by the door instead of wearing them throughout the house:
1. Germs – Germs are everywhere, but they are particularly present on the bottom of your shoes. Walking around with your shoes on will spread germs to different areas of your home, and if you end up sitting on the ground or touching the carpet where you recently walked, those germs can transfer to your hands and mouth. That’s not to say that your socks or bare feet aren’t full of germs, because they are, but the bottom of your shoes are exposed to a greater variety of germs when you’re out of the house, and you don’t really want to be tracking these germs around your home.
2. Allergens – Similarly, you’re more likely to track dust, pollen and other allergens in from the outside if you wear your shoes indoors. This can make it more likely that seasonal allergies will flare up.
3. Foot Muscle Strengthening – Shoes help to protect and support our feet when we are out of the house, but we don’t typically need this protection or support when we’re indoors. When we’re barefoot, our feet have to work harder to maintain our balance or handle the stress we put on them, and that’s a good thing! One of Dr. Silverman’s favorite phrases is “We weren’t born wearing shoes,” meaning that our feet thrive when they are challenged and they aren’t being babied, and that’s what happens when you take your shoes off and go barefoot in safe environments like your home. Let your feet adapt to different forces that they may not experience when they are comforted and supported by a shoe.
4. Let Them Breathe – It’s also easier for your feet to regulate their temperature when they aren’t crammed inside a shoe. Taking off your shoes can decrease issues like excessive sweating or providing a more habitable environment for a condition like Athlete’s Foot to thrive.
Again, it’s totally up to you, but if you are keen on wearing your shoes in the house, perhaps consider investing in an indoors shoe that you only wear inside your house, as this will cut down on allergen and germ transmission. We still believe that your feet stand to benefit from some stress when they aren’t overly supported by your shoes, but to each their own.