We all know people who have a ‘shoes off’ policy at home. They never wear shoes at home, nor do any family members. They insist that all visitors leave their shoes at the door. All of this is well and good unless you are among that group of people who shoes tend to be less-than-fragrant.
The truth is that some people have chronically stinky shoes. In many cases, people with stinky shoes also have stinky socks and stinky feet. They are all interrelated. And no, this is no joke. Foot odor is a big problem for a lot of people. It is a problem made worse when they visit friends who have instituted no shoes policies in their homes.
In fairness, homeowners are free to do with their homes as they like. They are free to implement policies against wearing shoes indoors for whatever reasons suit them. Whether it is cleanliness, hygiene, or something totally unrelated to either one, the owner of the castle can do with it as they see fit.
Still, that does not help family members or friends with foot odor problems. A strict policy against shoes may keep certain people away. Such a policy might prevent you from visiting friends or family members you would otherwise love to visit.
Dealing with Foot Odors
If you are the person whose visits are limited due to a foot odor problem, the first thing you should know is that you are not alone. Millions of people around the world face similar issues. But also know that there are solutions. We recommend that you start by speaking with your doctor. There may be something simple you are overlooking. If you do have a medical condition, medical treatment is the way to go.
We also recommend laundering socks daily and treating shoes with a shoe deodorizing spray. ShoeFresh shoe odor eliminator is a spray product that actually eliminates odors rather than covering them up. If you would like to know more, feel free to browse our website. We spell it all out for you clearly.
Also consider the fact that some types of shoes can be laundered. You obviously would not put your dress shoes in the washing machine, but you can wash your sneakers, flip-flops, sandals, etc. Just don’t put them in the dryer. Let them air dry.
Instituting a No Shoes Policy
If you do not have any problems with stinky shoes, maybe you are on the other side of the equation. You want to institute a no shoes policy in your home. Fair enough. Just know this one thing: instituting such a policy will not guarantee that shoes never cross your floors. It is going to take time for family members and visitors to get used to the policy.
Home improvement blogger Lela Burris published a post a couple of years ago explaining how she and her husband eventually put an end to shoes being worn in their home. Without getting into a lot of detail, Burris offered a few suggestions for people trying to institute such a policy.
Her first tip was to start small. She also suggested making it easy, being careful to inform guests ahead of time. She even recommended looking for ways to make leaving shoes at the door fun – like inviting family members to wear their favorite socks when they visit, and then having a ‘socks fashion show’ of sorts.
At any rate, there will always be that disconnect between stinky shoes and shoes off policies. If you find yourself in the stinky shoes camp, we hope you will give ShoeFresh a try.