According to a University of Arizona study, the bottoms of our soles and cleanliness of our floors go hand in hand. Evidently, our shoes carry “all kinds of nasty germs and chemicals from the great outdoors.” The study shows that the soles of our footwear regularly contain (and as a result spread) traces of countless potentially unhealthy agents including everything from pollen to salmonella.
Alarmingly, the study points out the fact that an estimated nine different kinds of pathogens can flourish on the bottom of shoes.
Another study, the largest study of its kind ever conducted, shows that the soles of our shoes also carry and spread things like:
Harmful pesticides in the form of dust. The EPA states that chronic pesticide exposure has been found to bring about a plethora of health issues, specifically when it comes to pregnant women and young kids.
Toxic coal tar. This is a well known carcinogen used in common concrete sealants.
Lead. Even though the use of lead paint was made illegal in 1978 and removed from petrol in 1996, lead is still rampant in its occurrence. Lead has been shown to reduce IQ levels in children, cause behavioral disorders, anemia, mental retardation and irreversible nerve damage.
Mercury. If you need somebody to tell you the dangers of mercury, you may have bigger problems than dirty floors!
The study also shows that young children are at the greatest risk when it comes to being harmed by what our shoes carry. Children’s growing and developing nervous and immune systems are especially vulnerable to toxic chemicals and pathogens.
So, how can you possibly confirm whether your floor is completely clean? According to the leading commercial cleaning company in America, “It’s Only Clean When Our Processes Confirm It’s Clean.”
Jan-Pro Cleaning Services takes the guesswork out of what clean really means by making sure our cleaners learn and abide by the JAN-PRO Signature Clean. Learn more about JAN-PRO and what it really means to be clean here.