So take a look at your shoes? Do they seem fairly clean? Think again.
Did you know there are thousands of different bacteria living on your shoes at this very moment? Sadly, even your shiny red bottom heels are transporting more than yourself– it’s more than likely they picked up different bacteria including E. coli, harmful herbicides and pesticides, and toxic chemicals. And the worst part is, they were probably transported right into your home. When you wear your shoes inside, you’re actually bringing uninvited guests found on bathroom floors, animal waste, spoiled food, and so much more. That’s why you should consider making it a rule to remove your shoes at the door before coming inside. You should do this all the more if you have little ones at home because more times than not, after everything they touch (including the floor) their fingers will go straight into their mouth!
So how do you let your guests know about your no-shoe policy? Here are 4 effective ways!
- Let the sign say it for you
- Add a cute entryway sign that says it for you like this one! There’s no explaining to do and it’s actually a great decor piece.
- Say it at the door
- If you’re the upfront type and you have no problem letting your guests know right then and there, just say it at the door. If you have little ones, it’s much easier to use them as an example of why you would like your guests to remove their shoes.
- Keep a basket of guest slippers by the door/stairs
- This works like a charm as this signals your guests that they have an alternative indoor footwear waiting for them. If your guest misses the basket cue entirely, just kindly point to it and let them know that you’d love for them to slide into some house slippers during their stay.
- Give them a friendly heads-up
- Shoot a text or call your guests ahead and let them know that you’d love for them to respect your house rules for the sake of health and safety. This can be a great topic to talk about once they arrive. Who knows? Maybe they’ll decide to convert to a house-slipper-wearer too!
If that wasn’t enough of an incentive to adopt this no-shoe policy, why don’t you consider the following benefits you’ll see:
It’ll improve your foot health
- Allowing our feet to go barefoot allows them to move in a natural way without having anything constricting its shape and structure. You’ll also notice better balance and improved posture!
Less dirt = Less cleaning
- You’ll find yourself sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming less frequently since less dirt is getting tracked into the home. No more mud-prints, grass stains, gravel, and dried up leaves to clean up!
Final notes:
It’ll be tough at first to adopt this new normal. Start small and give everyone grace. Maybe you want to start by limiting shoes to only the first floor and basement while you keep the kitchen, play area, bedrooms, and living room off limits. Sooner or later, you and your family will begin to adapt to the new rules you set and soon enough it’ll be second nature.
Educate your friends and family who haven’t already adopted this policy. If you don’t want to go through the burden of explaining every detail, just send them a link to this blogpost!
Oh and if you’re really serious about this, maybe you can even consider converting your furbabes into outdoor footwearers! Can I just share how cute these dog shoes are? I’m obsessed!
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