Shoes OFF and Socks ON! Why do we not allow shoes in the play area?

 Have you wondered why we don't allow shoes and require socks in our play area?

Here is a small study conducted in 2008 that gives a scientific reason why we choose not to allow shoes! The study revealed that the bottom shoes averaged 421,000 units of bacteria on the outside of the shoe and 2,887 units on the inside. The bottom of our shoes touches all kinds of germs- Various stores, animal feces, children's potty accidents, hospital floors, dirt, and more! We try very hard to keep the play area clean. Children like to crawl on the floor and put toys and items in their mouths, and we want to eliminate as many germs as possible! We know we cannot eliminate all germs, but removing shoes before entering the play area can lessen the germs that enter the play area. We strive for a clean place for all children and parents; eliminating shoes is the best way to strive for that. Thank you for following our rules and creating a safe environment for our children!

Snapshot: Footwear Study Results

• Coliforms were detected outside of the shoes on 96% of the shoes. E. coli was detected on 7 shoe bottoms (27%). No coliforms were detected on the inside of the shoe.

• Transfer of bacteria from the shoes to uncontaminated tiles ranged from 90% to 99%.

https://ciriscience.org/ieq-measurement/study-reveals-high-bacteria-levels-on-footwear/

Staff, C. (2023, March 14). Study reveals high bacteria levels on footwear (213) - ciri - cleaning industry research institute. https://ciriscience.org/ieq-measurement/study-reveals-high-bacteria-levels-on-footwear/