Is Wearing Shoes Indoors Hygienic or Not?
Pedja Trifunovic was surprised when he first visited his fiancée Sophia’s house. Upon entering through the main door, Sophia told him he should remove his shoes.
“When you walk around the place where you sleep wearing shoes… I thought, ‘How unpleasant!'” he recalled.
Pedja, from Serbia, was surprised to learn that Sophia, who grew up in the US, usually keeps her shoes on indoors.
“I thought, ‘Do you want the smell of my feet to spread all over the house?’ I keep my shoes on,” she explained.
This couple’s differing perspectives reflect a widespread cultural debate worldwide. They only realized the extent of this difference after sharing their story on social media.
Their TikTok video, showing Pedja wearing slippers indoors and Sophia wearing shoes, has sparked extensive comments. Many debated which habit is more hygienic.
So, who is right? Does wearing shoes indoors truly present health risks?
To answer this, a microbiology laboratory was visited by the investigative team.
Photo Credit, Sophia Trifunovic
The Worldwide Debate
Whether you take off your shoes or keep them on indoors often depends largely on the country or culture where you grew up.
In many Middle Eastern, Asian, and Balkan countries, wearing shoes indoors is considered rude. Conversely, in parts of Europe and the United States, asking guests to remove their shoes is often seen as impolite.
In Japan, the practice of wearing shoes inside the home is taken very seriously. Most houses have a separate entryway called ‘genkan’ where outdoor shoes must be removed before entering further inside.
If a guest forgets to remove their shoes, “an immediate firm reaction follows,” says Dr. Fabio Gigi, a senior anthropology lecturer at SOAS University of London. “They’ll be promptly told, ‘No, please remove your shoes.'”
The reason behind this is not merely hygiene but also philosophical.
“Symbolically, the outside world is seen as polluted, risky, and dirty,” he explains.
“Indoor spaces are considered areas that need to be kept clean and pure. Many religious traditions also emphasize this concept of purity.”
What Kind of Bacteria Are Found on Shoes?
In Brighton, UK, a pair of shoes worn for a week was taken to a microbiology laboratory for testing.
Dr. Sarah Pitt, a microbiologist at the University of Brighton, collected samples from both the top and sole of the shoes and placed them onto petri dishes. These samples were then left to grow overnight.
The next day, microscopic examination revealed various types of bacteria.
Among them was Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause staph infections. According to Dr. Pitt, this can be dangerous even for healthy individuals.
“If you have a cut on your skin and this bacterium enters, it can cause a large pus-filled blister,” she explained.
She added that in people with weak immune systems, it can lead to pneumonia and bloodstream infections.
The same shoes also harbored Staphylococcus epidermidis, usually a harmless skin bacterium but potentially causing serious infections in immunocompromised patients.
Other research has found that shoes can carry fecal bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli).
“Different locations globally have various bacteria, worms, and parasites on shoes,” said Dr. Pitt, head of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences.
Can Outdoor Bacteria Survive Indoors?
Studies indicate that shoes can easily introduce outdoor bacteria inside homes.
“There is ample evidence that such bacteria can survive indoors for some time and potentially spread infections to other family members,” Pitt explained.
Particularly, warm types of carpets can allow bacteria to survive for several days or even longer.
Similarly, under certain movements, these bacteria can reactivate and reinfect people.
For example, Pitt says, “If you’re playing with a baby on the carpet, pressure may stimulate bacteria embedded in the carpet to become active again.”
This risk is particularly high for infants and elderly individuals with weakened immune systems.
However, she notes that some interaction with microbes is beneficial for developing immunity, though in daily life, we naturally encounter many types of microorganisms.
Should You Wear or Remove Shoes Indoors?
According to Dr. Pitt, the answer lies in the petri dish.
“Wearing shoes indoors is not only impolite but can indeed pose real health risks,” she stated.
“Wherever you are, taking off your shoes when entering the home is the best practice.”
If you must keep shoes on indoors, placing a doormat at the door and minimizing carpets indoors can help reduce bacterial contamination.
She recommends cleaning the house at least once a week to effectively control bacteria, dust, and dirt.
Now married, Sophia and Pedja have found a middle ground.
Sophia says, “I still prefer wearing shoes, but when I visit Serbia, I know that slippers must be worn inside the house.”
In their US home, she uses shoes exclusively for indoors that are removed before going outside.
“I like the feeling of the weight of shoes on my calves because that’s how I grew up,” she explains.
Meanwhile, Pedja admits he has sometimes adopted some of Sophia’s habits.
“Sometimes I rush in and enter the house without removing my shoes,” he says.
“We’re not trying to be fully Serbian or fully American; we’re trying to blend our cultural identities and move forward,” Sophia concludes.