Dr. Jodi Schoenhaus, podiatrist on showering barefoot: “Locker rooms, dorm showers and pool decks are the breeding grounds of fungi”

Everywhere around us there are a multitude of surfaces that harbor germs, and the more people that come into contact with those surfaces the diversity of their population amplifies. While we can use disinfectants and hand sanitizers when we go to the supermarket or take out cash from an ATM, those aren’t so suitable for your feet when you have to use a public shower at a dorm, gym or pool.

These constantly warm, wet places, despite all the cleaning those facilities’ staff perform, are the perfect environments for pathogens to thrive. “The various places like the locker rooms, dorm showers and pool decks are the breeding grounds of fungi, bacteria and viruses,” Dr. Jodi Schoenhaus, a board-certified podiatrist, told CNN.

“I tell my patients all the time, when they enter a shower without wearing shower shoes, it is a gamble with their feet,” she added.

How to keep your feet safe from the germiest place in the gym

The are a number of fungal, bacterial, and viral infections that your bare feet can be exposed to on the floors of a public shower and locker room. But you can keep your feet safe by simply putting on a pair of shower shoes that won’t break the bank. CNN Underscored provides a list of 17 that experts recommended that range from a little more than $10 up to $70.

One of the things that you want to keep in mind when choosing the right shower footwear is that they are made of a material that is waterproof and will dry quickly so that germs won’t build up on them as well as not becoming moldy or developing a foul odor. The experts recommend that the sandals be made of rubber or EVA foam.

Likewise, holes for drainage are a plus to help keep water from pooling on the footbed. Additionally, you want them to have a tread on the sole that provides a good grip to prevent slipping on wet surfaces. Contoured footbeds and adjustable straps will help with stability.

You will also need to clean your shower footwear on a regular basis with warm soapy water or in the washing machine. Afterwards you should spray them with a disinfectant to ensure that they stay free of any nasties.

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