Summer footwear harbor more than 18,000 bacteria, including deadly germ
Ah, the casual, comfortable flip-flop: A symbol of summertime, an emblem of relaxation — and a harbinger of death? OK, well, that may be overstating it a little bit — but not by too terribly much, health experts say.
TODAY, with the help of the University of Miami emergency mobile flip-flop lab, tested some footwear and found that there were more than 18,000 bacteria on just one pair of flip-flops. Even more shocking than the number of germs were the types represented — bacteria from fecal matter, skin and respiratory germs. One pair of 6-year-old flip-flops had germs that cause yeast infection and diaper rash.
The New York Daily News recently tested two pairs of flip-flops as well, ones that traipsed through bars in New York’s West Village, plodded through Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, rode the F, A, C, G, 2 and 3 subway trains, attended a Brooklyn Cyclones game in Coney Island and rode the Cyclone roller coaster. One pair wandered into the Coney Island subway station’s public restroom.
They found that the shoes that flopped their way into that public restroom harbored about 13,900 more bacteria than the other pair.
They found that the shoes that flopped their way into that public restroom harbored about 13,900 more bacteria than the other pair.
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Note to oneself.
Get new shoes.
p/s: late post ah.