Wearing shoes inside can impact the health of your indoor environment and air quality in a not-so-great way. Here's what you need to know.

Like whether pineapple belongs on pizza and should toilet paper hang “over” or “under,” people have very strong opinions on whether to take shoes off at the front door.

“Team  off” insists that shoes are dirty, uncomfortable and destructive. “Team On” maintains that shoes keep you mobile and protect your feet, and that the hassle of taking the off is greater than the health risk posed by leaving them on. 

Although there are important cultural aspects to the debate – in much of Asia, the Middle East and Europe, wearing shoes in the home is considered disrespectful – social norms are a matter of opinion. Science, on the other hand, is matter of fact. And when it comes to footwear hygiene, the facts are clear: taking your shoes off before you enter the home is cleaner than leading them on, and – more importantly – sager for older adults with weaker immune systems. 

But the debate doesn’t end there. Proponents of wearing shoes aren't wrong about their benefits. And in the case of hosting quests, the inconvenience associated with shoe removal could come with a social cost. 

Read the full article here: https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/members-only-access/info-2024/wearing-shoes-inside-debate.html