What germs are riding on your shoes?
GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Keep your shoes germ-free.

Do you ever consider the dirt on your shoes, which carry hundreds of thousands of germs and bacteria? Just what are you stepping in?

On average, 421,000 units of bacteria reside on the outside of a shoe, and 2,887 bacteria units can be found on the inside, a study by the University of Arizona and The Rockport Company found.

Some of the bacteria found include those that cause intestinal and bloodstream infections, bacterial meningitis and pneumonia. Tips to keep your footwear germ-free:

• Take shoes off before entering your home or any personal space. The study found that up to 99 percent of bacteria can transfer from shoes to uncontaminated areas.

• Wear washable shoes and clean them on a regular basis. The study found that simply washing shoes with detergent reduced bacteria on a shoe by up to 99 percent. (ARA)