Shoes Off
Forgoing footwear indoors helps keep your home healthier and free of pollutants.
By Meagan Francis
In many cultures, people
remove their shoes before entering
a home. In Japan, for instance,
it's customary to eat and sleep on or
very close to the ground, so shoes are
removed in order to keep the living
space clean. In the Western world, in
general, we tend to be more casual
about the cleanliness of our floors.
But according to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), we
could learn something from this
Eastern custom. The EPA estimates
Americans spend 90 percent of their
day indoors, where air is, on average,
two to five times more polluted
than outdoor air-and exposure
to contaminants in your home can
exacerbate allergies, asthma, and
chemical sensitivities. When you
come in from outdoors and don't
remove your shoes, you track in
mold, dirt and dust, lawn chemicals,
pesticides, and fertilizers-not to
mention nasty items like chewed-up
gum or a "gift" from the neighborhood
dog. Taking off your shoes
before you come in, says the EPA, is
one way to ensure a healthier home.
To institute the custom, place a
mat by the front door with a sign
that says "SHOES HERE, PLEASE." Most visitors
will get the drift. For those who
don't, Leah Ingram, author of The
Everything Etiquette Book (Adams
Media Corporation, 2005), suggests
leaving slippers, flip-flops, or a box of
disposable shoe covers at the door.
If you're not keen on the custom,
place a good commercial-quality
doormat just outside your door,
and wipe your shoes thoroughly
before you come into the house.
And don't forget your pets: If they
spend time outdoors, wipe their
paws carefully or slip "pet booties"
on their four furry feet
