The Most Effective Ways to Disinfect Shoes
At a time when we are all putting more thought into cleanliness, what is hiding on the bottom of our shoes should take top priority. All types of bacteria get picked up by our shoes as we walk around and we end up spreading it from place to place.
Are you putting more thought into keeping your business cleaner and healthier? Stop the spread of viruses and germs in your place of business by getting those that enter to disinfect shoes and learn how that can be done quickly and easily.
Do You Sanitize Your Shoes?
The bottoms (soles) of our shoes can be some of the dirtiest, and germ-infested places. We have no idea what is on the surface of the ground that we walk on.
Even if we are only wearing our shoes inside of a building where the floors are cleaned regularly, they can pick up germs that have been tracked in from other’s shoes and from things like people’s saliva hitting the floor when they cough or sneeze.
Take Shoes Off Before Coming In The Building
The easiest way to keep your shoes from tracking germs, dirt, and more into the building is to remove them before coming in. Make your business a no-shoes zone to all those that enter by placing a bench and shoe rack outside of your door or in your foyer so that guests can sit to take off their shoes before entering.
Shoe Covers
If physical issues limit the ability to easily take shoes off and/or put them back on to enter the building, or you will be quickly going in for some reason, it may be a good idea to invest in some shoe covers that slip over the shoe. Shoe covers prevent the transfer of germs, dirt, etc from the shoe to your floors.
Shoe covers can get used in addition to a disinfecting method such as a wipe or spray to double down on germ-killing and the spread of bacteria.
Business Rules
Obviously, we wouldn’t ask the patrons of a business to remove their shoes before coming into the building. So, how would we limit the number of germs that enter through the transfer from people’s shoes?
Any of the following disinfectant applications for shoes can be enforced or requested at a place of business. However, the most common and most effective way to kill disease-borne bacteria is UV-C lights.
Wearing Gloves
Before we go over any of the methods on how to sanitize and disinfect your shoes, we should also talk about protecting your hands from germs and the cleaners. Wearing gloves while handling dirty shoes and harsh cleaners will keep bacteria from getting on your skin and under your nails, especially if you have cuts or open wounds on your hands.
Use Disinfectant Wipes
We use disinfectant wipes to wipe down many areas of our home, office, and even the handles of our shopping carts at the grocery store. But, have you thought about using them to disinfect the bottoms of your shoes?
Spray Them With Disinfectant Spray
The use of disinfectant sprays has skyrocketed in the past few years. We have been using everything from aerosols filled with germ-killing chemicals to homemade disinfectant sprays made from essential oils and isopropyl alcohol.
Throw Them In The Washing Machine
Washing shoes in the washing machine is not something that can be done every time they are worn outside, nor is it something that can be done with every pair of shoes. However, washing in hot water with a germ-killing detergent is a good way to insure shoe disinfecting such as sneakers and canvas shoes.
Washing your washable shoes may be a good way to disinfect once in a while, and can be encouraged to spread awareness of how this will help. Yet, this will not be specifically helpful for those entering your place of business.
UVC Light To Disinfect Shoes
Have you noticed more and more public spaces advertising that they are using UVC lighting to sanitize spaces such as bars, desks, and other frequently touched surfaces? It has become more common to use methods like UVC lighting to sanitize surfaces because it has proven to be more effective, and less harmful than chemical sprays and wipes.
When a disinfectant spray gets used it can become a danger to inhale the particles that get dispersed into the air. Chemical sprays can also be an irritant to the skin and even soak into the skin and enter the bloodstream.
UV-C lighting works without contact but destroys viruses and germs with UV rays emitted from a special light bulb. Contrary to what may be advertised, only UV-C rays can kill viruses and germs. No other UV rays will be able to disinfect surfaces.
Using UV-C Technology At Your Business
Though the aforementioned methods may be somewhat effective at killing germs on shoes, they are a slight inconvenience to those entering a place of business. And, they are not nearly as effective as using UV-C lighting technology.
If the people entering your building could disinfect their shoes in as little as 6 seconds, what would you think about using this technology to keep your building virus and germ-free? Experts agree that even though research has proven this technology to be effective with 6 seconds of use, 8 seconds is recommended.
Guests in your business will not mind taking 8 seconds to stand on a UV-C mat for disinfecting shoes. They may even put more thought into the germs that their shoes are carrying from here on out which in turn makes a healthier world for us all.
The Health of Your Business
Did this article make you think more seriously about the invisible things that are being tracked into your business? Your customers can disinfect shoes quickly and easily to prevent the spread of germs, bacteria, and diseases in your business. Don’t waste another minute, get in touch with the professionals at Pathogen Solutions to put a stop to germs from entering your business any longer.
