Coronavirus Can Survive On Shoes For Up To 5 Days, Experts Warn

Coronavirus has a new way to come into your home–and it’s a way you probably haven’t thought about. Shoes are a growing cause of concern for people. We wear them everywhere, and they are rarely–if ever–washed. Here, we’ve broken down the important facts about shoes, germs, and disinfection to set your mind at ease.

Why Shoes?

Perhaps a better question is why not shoes? Carol Winner, a public health specialist says that “coronavirus can remain active on some surfaces, like plastic, for up to two to three days. . . viruses deposited on shoes made of plastic could retain the active virus for a few days.”

Dr. Mary E. Schmidt, an infectious disease specialist, says she believes the life of the virus on surfaces such as shoes could be greater–five days, if not more.

A microbiologist, Charles Gerba, released a study in 2008 about how shoe soles carry much higher levels of bacteria than the fabrics of a shoe. There are over 421,000 different germs and bacteria on an average shoe sole. (1)

How Scared Should I Be?

Emergency Medicine doctor Cwanza Pickney thinks that knowing about the large amount of bacteria on shoe soles may cause undue panic. She urges people to consider all the facts; “Instead of worrying, just be mindful that many of these bacteria influence and allow us to develop immunity,” she says.

While Dr. Winner does advise caution and sanitary precautions, she also believes that we cannot become overwhelmed by the specter of shoes. “Pragmatically, they are on the body part furthest from our face,” she says. “We do know that the greatest risk of transmission is person to person, not shoe to person.” COVID-19, like many viruses, is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets produced through one person, that then land on someone else. Those drops, if they make it to the nose or mouth, can be inhaled and then infect the lungs. So, the distance between the foot and the face does make it much more unlikely to be a form of transmission. But don’t let that make you complacent. In 2015, the American Journal of Infection Control published a study of twenty-six medical students–people more aware of germ transmission than average. Those students touched their faces an average of 23 times an hour–and 44% of those touches were on a mucous membrane – meaning the eyes, nose, and/or face. If you touch your shoes, or a surface your shoes have touched, sooner or later, that virus could be making its way to your face. (1, 2, 3)

What Can I Do?

Alcohol wipes are one of the best–and easiest–ways to disinfect shoes. But throwing them in the washing machine, if at all possible, is also a good strategy. Soap and water are better than nothing but should be avoided if there are any other options, according to Dr. WInner. If you were to pick a mantra for shoe disinfecting though? “Less cleaning and more air,” is her recommendation. She also reminds us that shoes that are made from natural materials, like leather, could have their finish damaged by the chemicals in an alcohol wipe. So, consider the fiber of the shoe before you start scrubbing.

Dr. Georgine Nanos is an epidemiologist, which means she studies the spread of disease. She says that a washing machine is ideal for killing the virus on clothes. In fact, washing machines are so safe because “the virus is killed by washing your clothes over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.” This means that once you remove your clothes from the washer or dryer, the virus will not be lingering there to infect you. But, as with disinfecting shoes, use common sense. “However, please don’t ruin all your clothes by boiling everything, as that will add more stress and anxiety that none of us need right now,” Dr. Nanos says. Plus, now is not the time that any of us want to be clothes shopping. (4)