Have you always feared that fungi and bacteria have made themselves at home in your shoes? Unfortunately, the following study proves you right. It didn’t just focus on sneakers made from different materials, but also on shoes used for purposes other than sports. Each time, a sample was taken from the shoe’s surface, sole, and insole. The samples were then placed in Petri dishes and left to grow for five days under lab conditions.

Below are the research results also depicted through images of the bacterial cultures.

Fabric Sneakers

The first test was conducted on fabric shoes, not without reason: because some models are preferably worn without socks. The results are striking: without socks, three times more bacteria grow in this type of shoes than if they were worn with socks. Still skeptical? The Petri dishes do not lie.

Leather Sneakers

Sure, leather sneakers are rarely worn without socks. However, even here, the test is revealing. Without socks, the shoes are, as expected, contaminated with more germs than with socks. An interesting detail: black leather models tend to host more bacteria than white sneakers. Probably because the latter are cleaned more frequently.

Sneakers vs. Everyday Shoes

For the third test, sneakers worn at the gym were selected and compared with old sneakers used in everyday life. Surprise: there are far fewer bacteria than expected in the shoes used for sports. Probably because gym shoes are more breathable and come into contact with less dirty surfaces compared to street shoes.

Article originally published on AllinReplica Germany

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