This custom of Japanese origin gained relevance on social networks.
Especially after the pandemic, many people decided to implement the take off your shoes before entering the home. Besides being a trend on social media or oriental customs, it has to do with the hygiene. While many people do not agree with being forced to remove their shoes before entering a home, everything has a scientific support.
This custom has its origin in Japanin whose homes it is requested to take off your shoes and leave them aside before entering. This trend has seen great growth in recent years and was a boom in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the aim of prevent the spread of this disease. However, this activity has become increasingly popular in Western countries for reasons of hygiene and to prevent the spread of certain viruses and bacteria that can affect the inhabitants of the house.
shoes before entering
What science says about taking off your shoes before entering a house
A University of Houston, United States, conducted a study in 2017 that analyzed the soles of the shoes of 280 participants. It was discovered that the 26.4% tested positive for Clostridium Difficile: a highly contagious bacteria that causes colon inflammation, diarrhea, and stomach pain, and is associated with repeated infections.
These bacteria found outdoors can affect people’s health: “You don’t want to be ingesting micrograms of faeces from your neighbour’s dog,” said Mark Patrick Taylor, chief environmental scientist at the Environment Protection Authority of Victoria.
In addition, the University of Arizona conducted research that analyzed the shoes with only two weeks of use and it was determined that they concentrated 421,000 units of bacteria and that 96% of those analyzed had fecal bacteria.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
