No Shoes, Rule!!

Tattered Walls: Remove Your Shoes

Over five years ago, I discovered several alarming studies regarding toxins found in homes where shoes are worn indoors. After discovering that wearing shoes indoors tracks in toxic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, E. Coli, and lead found in seemingly benign dirt, I implemented a no shoe rule immediately in my home. 

Personally, I never worried about pesticides and chemical fertilizers since we are committed to both organic lawn care and organic gardening. However, our neighbors do use pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and when we go for our nightly walks, the soles of our shoes often come into contact with those toxic pellets left on our neighbors' sidewalks. 

I also never considered that E. Coli could be tracked into my home after using a public restroom hours earlier. 

In addition to the above, I never knew that ordinary dirt was harmful, but I came to discover that dirt can contain alarming levels of lead. The Door Mat Study concludes that using a door mat cuts down the toxic lead dust levels in a home virtually in half and taking off your shoes before entering your home cuts the toxic dust down by 60%. So by implementing both rules, you can cut down the toxic dust being tracked into your home by 98.5%, and considering that 2% of the dust in our homes is from inside sources while the remaining 98% is the result of wearing shoes indoors, we can almost eliminate the indoor dust completely. Using a doormat in addition to implementing a rule that prevents everyone from wearing shoes indoors is such a simple solution, and even though some of my visitors may get annoyed that they must take their shoes off upon entering my home, I know it’s healthier for me, my husband, and my children.

My daughters are 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 years old, and even though their crawling years are a fading memory, they still constantly play on the floor. But knowing that the toxic dust has been dramatically reduced in my home brings me peace of mind as I watch them flip through a book while sitting on the floor. Our no-shoe rule ultimately lessens their exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins while allowing me to continue to create a ‘safe zone’ for them to learn, to enjoy life and to be healthy.

No Shoes, rule!

Much Love! Priscilla