Is it right to ask visitors in your house to remove their shoes?

We have recently been debating this in the office and posed the question to our facebook fans. It’s a tricky situation. You don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable but at the same time you don’t want mud tracking in to your carpets.

We found this fascinating information on the Healthy Child website which highlights what a huge impact this seemingly small issue could have on your home.

The professional cleaning industry estimates that we track 85% of the dirt in our homes in from the outside on our shoes or paws of pets. In a recent warning about lead exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) specifically recommends that shoes remain outside the house. According to a report called The Door Mat Study, lead-contaminated soil from the outside causes almost all the lead dust inside homes. It notes that wiping shoes on a mat and removing them at the door cuts lead dust by 60 percent. The study explains that limiting the amount of dust and track-in may also help reduce exposure to lawn and garden pesticides, wood smoke and industrial toxins, mutagens, dust mites, and allergens.

Dirty shoes definitely shorten the lives of your carpets so maybe it is time we started asking people to take them off (or at least wipe them before they come in). Lets hope your guests don’t have cheesy feet!

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