Be careful where you set your stuff

by Bethany Sanders (Subscribe to Bethany Sanders's posts)
Apr 1st 2008 10:15AM

Categories: Healthy Home, Diet & Weight Loss

The worst place to keep your shoes? The bedroom closet. Worst place to set your purse? The kitchen counter top. Worst place to keep your toothbrush? The bathroom sink.

But wait, you're saying, what's so wrong with stashing your shoes in the closet? If you've spent the day walking through yards that contain pesticides or other places where allergens and contaminants can get on your shoes, then walking through your house to the bedroom only brings those nasties in. Instead, say health experts, ditch your shoes at the door and put them away later.

As for your purse, studies have found the bottom of it is loaded with bacteria from being set on office, restaurant, and even...eww....bathroom floors. So you don't want it sharing a space with your dinner. And toothbrushes are fine on the bathroom sink as long as it isn't sitting next to your toilet, where it could get splashed with...well, that's enough descriptions for now, I think.

Find out about other places where you don't want to stash your stuff here.

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Comments (7)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Vishaal 4-01-2008 @ 11:42AM

thank GOD that I'm Asian Indian, so we keep out shoes downstair, in the shoe closet. We can never wear shoes upstairs or an any carpetting in the house, so our carpet and house are just so clean. I go to my friend's houses where we can wear shoes and it's just so gross.

Janelle Vadnais 4-01-2008 @ 11:58AM

ew- that's definitely something to keep in mind. I never thought about the toothbrush thing. But what if your bathroom is tiny? Where else are you supposed to put your toothbrushes?

marcie0305 4-01-2008 @ 10:09PM

I also keep my shoes outside, thanks to a close family I grew up with who lived in Tokyo for awhile :) As for toothbrushes, I have a toilet with a door so I *do* keep my toothbrushes out, but I also rinse mine with hot water from time to time. Another solution would be to keep it in a travel case (which you could throw in the dishwasher every month or so)

~Marcie
http://feedingblackmail.blogspot.com

Marilyn 4-02-2008 @ 9:26AM

What i do with the tooth brush is i cover it with a cap from one of my hair spray bottles and keep it as far away from the toilet bowl as possible. I think it would help with any kind of cover you could put over it.

Devynn 4-02-2008 @ 3:30PM

my mom always told me this about shoes: keep your shoes on your feet at all times. you NEVER know what you may step on, EVEN in your own home. so if you're the type to ditch your shoes at the door, than at least keep some house slippers right there to slip into. as for me, unless i'm with a family where such a thing is part of their culture, i respectfully say that i'm keeping my shoes on. i DO wipe my feet at the door out of respect as well. i don't know what they do in their home on a daily basis to even CONSIDER taking my shoes off! besides, no shoes equals my feet getting cold and i hate that. i keep my shoes that i wear on a regular basis by my bed anyways cause that's usually where i am when i need them.

i thought the toothbrush thing was common knowledge? best place for it, if you're in a bathroom where the toliet can't be or isn't closeted off is to put it in the medicine cabinet if you have one, or undearneath the sink. i knew kids in college who'd keep them in their rooms next to the window. something about how the sun's UV rays would disinfect it or something. so there's an idea for ya! :p

as for my purse, i tend to keep it in the living room, by the door. it just ends up there. i'm one of those types that just tosses everything on the couch or chair when i walk in the door. :p or if there's company, in my bedroom.

brasso 4-02-2008 @ 6:47PM

Thank you! My roommates last year acted like I was being unreasonable in requesting they close the lid on the toilet seat in our small bathroom to at least try to cut down on germs from their sh*t being agitated into the air and onto my toothbrush. (well, and theirs too, but that's really their own preference) This seems to make just as much sense to me as one of them having asked that we close the shower curtain after showers so it's not all bunched up and getting mildewy faster. I found it rather offensive that they expected me to respect their requests, yet acted as if mine was rather silly. I finally just started keeping my toothbrush in my room, but it's good to know that someone else knows how gross that is!

n33kaqu33ns 4-02-2008 @ 7:26PM

In my culture you can't walk in the house with your shoes on becasuse it's direspectful to the house and it's plain dirty.
I also hate bathrooms and I have a case for my toothbrush. And I never put my bag on the floor, it creepps me out soo much. I would have to say that I'm a huge Germ-a-phobe.