https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-think-twice-before-wearing-outdoor-shoes-indoors-254427
https://www.bbc.com/hausa/articles/c365e2wl5rgo
| # | English | Hausa |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Why you should think twice before wearing outdoor shoes indoors | Amfanin cire takalmi lokacin shiga ɗaki ga lafiyar ɗan'adam |
| 1 | Published: April 15, 2025 8:41am EDT by Manal Mohammed | 2025-05-24 Manal Mohammed |
| 2 | Wearing outdoor shoes indoors can bring in more than just a bit of dirt and blades of grass. | Idan mutum ya shiga cikin gida da talkami, ba datti kaɗai ba ne ke shiga gidan. |
| 3 | My mother has always had one unbreakable rule: no outdoor shoes inside the house. It didn’t matter who you were – family member, neighbour, or guest – you had to take them off before crossing the threshold. As a child, I thought it was just one of her many quirks. But as I’ve grown older (and wiser), I’ve come to understand that this wasn’t about obsessive tidiness. It was about health, safety and keeping our living space hygienic.
Removing shoes indoors may seem like a cultural custom or a personal preference. But mounting scientific evidence suggests it’s a smart – and even vital – habit that protects us from invisible, yet serious, health threats. Cleanliness is often associated with visible dirt. But when it comes to shoes, what’s lurking beneath the surface is often microscopic and far more dangerous than a little mud or dried grass. Outdoor shoes carry bacteria, allergens and toxic chemicals – many of which are linked to serious health concerns. |
Mahaifiyata ta kasance ta saka min doka ta cire takalmi yayin shiga cikin gida. Ba ta la'akari da ko ma waye zai ziyarce gidanmu ba, ko da a ce baƙo ne ko makwabci, dole ne sai sun cire takalmi kafin shiga cikin gida.
Lokacin da nake ƙarama, na yi tunanin mahaifiyata na da tsauri. Amma lokacin da na fara fahimtar kaina na fara girma, shine na gane cewa ba tsafta kaɗai take yi wa haka ba, harda ma saboda lura da lafiyarmu. Tsafta tabbas tana da mahimmanci. Amma idan ana maganar takalma, abin da yake haɗari shine datti wanda ba za a iya ganinsa ba wanda ke taruwa a ƙasan takalmanku. Takalman da aka sa a waje galibi suna daukar ƙwayoyin cuta da ƙwayoyin baktiriya da ke haifar da matsalolin lafiya. |
| 4 | Consider where your shoes go each day: public toilets, pavements, hospital corridors and lawns treated with chemicals such as weed killers and insecticides to control weeds and pests. According to a University of Arizona study, a whopping 96% of shoes tested positive for coliform bacteria, which is commonly found in faecal matter. Disturbingly, 27% carried E. coli, a bacterium linked to various infections – some of them life-threatening.
While some strains of E. coli are harmless, others produce Shiga toxin, which can cause bloody diarrhoea and lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially fatal condition involving kidney failure. Children under five are especially at risk due to their still-developing immune systems and frequent hand-to-mouth activity. But E. coli isn’t the only germ hitching a ride into your living room. Shoes also pick up Clostridium difficile, a bacterium known for causing painful, sometimes severe diarrhea and Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA, a drug-resistant “superbug” that can cause deep skin infections, pneumonia, or even deadly bloodstream infections. Not just germsThe health risks extend beyond bacteria. Shoes also act as carriers for chemicals and allergens. Studies have shown that outdoor footwear can bring in pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals like lead – all of which pose serious health risks, particularly to young children and pets. Lead exposure, often from urban dust or soil, is especially harmful to children, as it can impair brain development and cause lifelong cognitive issues. Additionally, allergens like pollen can cling to your soles, aggravating allergies and respiratory issues inside what should be a safe haven. Even more alarming, asphalt sealants used on driveways and roads contain carcinogenic compounds. A US study found that these chemicals can be tracked indoors and linger in household dust – sometimes at levels 37 times higher than outdoor levels. And who spends the most time closest to the ground? Children and pets. Kids crawl, play and often put their hands in their mouths. Pets lick their paws after walking on these contaminated surfaces. Wearing outdoor shoes indoors can unintentionally increase their exposure to harmful substances. |
Idan aka yi la'akari da yawan wuraren da ake takawa da takalmanka da suka haɗa da banɗakuna da titi da asibitoci da lambuna da dai sauransu, za a fahimci cewa tabba, aka kwasan ƙwayoyin cuta daga takalmi.
A cewar wani bincike da Jami'ar Arizona a Amurka ta gudanar, kashi 96% na takalma suna ɗauke da baktiriya mai suna coliform, wanda ake samu a cikin fitsari. Abin mamakin kuma kashi 27% na takalma na ɗauke da ƙwayar cutar baktiriya na E. coli, wanda ke haifar da cututtuka mafi haɗari ga mutane.
Yara ƙasa da shekaru biyar suna cikin haɗari mafi girma saboda tsarin garkuwar jikin su da bai cika ba, da kuma yadda suke yawan sa hannayensu a baki. Koyaya, baktiriyar E. coli ba shi ne kawai ƙwayar cutar da zai iya kasancewa a cikin gida ba, musamman a cikin ɗakin zama. Takalma suna iya kasancewa ɗauke da ƙwayoyin baktiriya ta Clostridium, wanda ke haifar da gudawa da wasu lokuta cututtuka masu tsanani. Ba ƙwayoyin cuta ba kaɗaiHaɗarin lafiya ba ya tsaya ne kawai ga baktiriya ba. Takalman da aka saka aka fita da su suna ɗauke da sinadarai masu haɗari da kuma ƙwayoyin cuta masu tayar da hankali. ƙwayar cutar Plumbi, wanda ake samunsa a cikin yawan ƙura ko a ƙasar yankunan birane, wata cuta ce mai haɗari da za ta iya shafar ci gaban kwakwalwar yaro kuma ta haifar da matsalolin tunani na dindindin. Bugu da ƙari, sinadaran pollen na iya manne wa da takalma, wanda zai iya haifar da rashin lafiyar numfashi da kuma matsalolin allergies ko da a cikin gida. Abin da ya kamata a fi damuwa da shi shine, hanyoyin tituna na ɗauke da sinadarai masu hadari da zasu iya haifar da ciwon daji. Wani bincike da aka yi a Amurka ya gano cewa waɗannan sinadarai na iya shiga cikin gidaje kuma su taru cikin kura a cikin gida. To, wane ne ya fi fuskantar wannan haɗari? Yara da dabbobi ne suka fi fuskantar haɗarin kamuwa da cuta daga takalma masu datti da aka shiga da su cikin gida. Yara na yawo, wasu na rarrafe suna wasa a ƙasa, kuma sau da yawa suna saka hannayensu a bakinsu. Dabbobi kuma suna lashe ƙafafunsu bayan sun yi yawo a wurarai da dama. |
| 5 |
Clean floors, healthy homeGiven the evidence, my mother’s rule doesn’t sound so unreasonable anymore. In fact, it might be one of the simplest and most effective public health measures you can adopt at home. By removing your shoes at the door, you’re not just preventing dirt from staining your carpet – you’re significantly reducing your family’s exposure to harmful microbes and chemicals. And it’s not difficult to do. Consider designating a shoe-free area by the entrance or maybe provide a shoe rack or basket and even a few pairs of comfy indoor slippers for guests. Asking someone to remove their shoes may feel awkward at first – but it’s easy to overlook how something as routine as walking into your house could carry such hidden risks. But when you realise the sheer volume of bacteria and toxic chemicals that cling to your soles, it becomes clear: wearing outdoor shoes indoors is like inviting the streets – and everything on them – into your most intimate living spaces. So, next time you come home, take a moment to slip off your shoes. Your floors – and your health – will thank you. As my mother always said, “Clean house, clear conscience”. Turns out, she was right all along. |
Tsaftataccen ƙasa ne lafiyar gidaCire takalma kafin shiga cikin gida shine ɗaya daga cikin matakai mafi sauƙi da tasiri wajen kare lafiyar iyali. Kuma aiwatar da wannan mataki ba shi da wahala kwata-kwata, cire takalmi ne kawai kafin a shiga cikin gida wanda idan aka yi, an raba cikin gidan da ditti da kuma ƙwayar cuttutuka, |