Life tips: Shoe cabinets hide a variety of special bacteria. Here are some tips for cleaning shoe cabinets!

Every home has a shoe cabinet, but it may become a sanitary blind spot in your home and become an important source of indoor bacterial infection.

[Disinfect shoe cabinets once a week]

A study from Arizona State University in the United States showed that a pair of worn shoes will carry There are as many as 66 million bacteria, including 9 special bacteria that can cause various infections in the stomach, eyes, lungs, etc., which are one of the most important ways for the human body to become sick and infected. Especially closed shoe cabinets are filled with all kinds of worn shoes. Due to the lack of ventilation, these bacteria grow in a dark and humid environment, so that shoes that are not often worn may develop mildew spots every once in a while, leading to foot ulcers. Ringworm can also make shoe cabinets dirty and smelly.

Therefore, it is necessary to clean the shoe cabinet regularly.

First, scrub and disinfect frequently. Every 1 to 2 weeks, take out all the shoes from the shoe cabinet, wipe the dust stains on the surface of the shoe cabinet with a clean soft cloth, and then wipe it again with water and alcohol. Don’t rush to put the shoes you take out. You can disinfect them together before putting them into the shoe cabinet. The specific method is to mix disinfectant with water (ratio 1:10), put it into a spray bottle and spray the uppers and soles.

Second, keep it dry. Keeping the shoe cabinet dry can reduce bacterial growth to a certain extent. It is recommended to put a layer of toilet paper on the bottom of the cabinet every time before putting shoes in, because toilet paper is highly absorbent and can absorb moisture in the air, and then take it off. Put your shoes in a cool place to dry before putting them in the shoe cabinet. Especially sneakers, canvas shoes and other shoes that easily make your feet sweat, be sure to clean and dry them before storing them. There is a small way to test whether the humidity of the shoe cabinet exceeds the standard: take a gauze bag, put some dry tea leaves in it, put the tea bag into the shoe cabinet and check it regularly. If the tea leaves become soft, it means that the humidity of the shoe cabinet is a bit high. Ventilate or dry in time.

Third, remove odor. Take a piece of gauze, sew it into two small cloth bags, pack tea leaves and activated carbon respectively, and put them in the shoe cabinet. Activated carbon adsorbs very well, and the fresh fragrance emitted by the tea can cover up the odor. If you want convenience and trouble, you can also buy natural mothballs directly. If you can\’t accept the smell of mothballs, you can also use grapefruit peels. Put the peel left over from eating grapefruit or oranges in a cool place to dry in the sun and then put it in a cupboard, which can also remove odors.

In addition, it is best to separate the shoe cabinets into different areas, with men\’s shoes and women\’s shoes separated. Families with conditions can buy one more and put the children\’s shoes separately to avoid mutual infection.

[Three tips to say goodbye to stinky shoe cabinets]

Everyone can try these three tips for deodorizing shoe cabinets.

1. Baking soda toilet water. Use a plastic box or bottle to fill with some baking soda powder, then drop five or six drops of toilet water on the baking soda powder, don\’t cover it, and put it in the shoe cabinet. If the toilet water dries out, just remember to replenish it. Because baking soda powder can effectively absorb moisture such as foot sweat, toilet water contains a large amount of alcohol and can effectively remove odor.

2. Mothballs. Also availableYou can put some mothballs in the shoe cabinet. Although mothballs don\’t smell good, they still smell better than the smell of shoes. Be careful not to use this trick if you are pregnant. You can also try placing coffee grounds, tea leaves or grapefruit peels in your shoe cabinet.

3. Soap. The most effective, simplest and safest method is to put a piece of soap in your shoe cabinet and test it yourself. Especially when you put that kind of handmade soap, you will get a fragrant smell when you open the shoe cabinet. It smells very good.

In fact, the most important factor in the smell of shoe cabinets is the smell of shoes. It is recommended that you soak your shoes in white vinegar before washing them. The smell will disappear after they are dried in the sun. It is best not to stuff the shoes you take off into the shoe cabinet immediately after exercise. Put them in a ventilated place to blow them out first.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone that you must not buy a fully enclosed shoe cabinet. You must buy a cabinet with a shutter door to maintain ventilation and avoid mold and odor. It is best to leave a 20-centimeter gap under the shoe cabinet. Shoes worn on rainy days can be placed underneath to dry before being put away.

[Beware of \”Hong Kong Athlete\’s Foot\” if your shoes and socks are not clean]

When it comes to smelly shoe cabinets, it will naturally be associated with shoes and socks. If the head and shoes are not clean, it will provide a good breeding ground for fungi, causing tinea pedis. He Min, deputy chief technician of the Laboratory Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, said that fungal infections often first appear on the skin and lead to skin diseases. \”Athlete\’s foot\” is a common skin disease caused by fungal infections on the feet.

He Min reminded that for fungal diseases such as tinea manuum and pedis, it is necessary to seek medical treatment promptly after the onset of the disease and receive antifungal treatment. For example, you can choose 1% to 3% clotrimazole cream, miconazole cream, etc. For patients with erosion type, strong irritating drugs should not be used externally. It is best to make the wound converge and dry before applying drugs. For patients with infection, antibacterial drugs should be used to control the infection before antifungal treatment.

In terms of prevention, the key lies in personal, family and public health. Pay attention to cleanliness, keep your skin dry, and wear breathable shoes and socks; personal cleaning utensils should be used separately and do not wear other people\’s slippers to avoid mutual infection.

Comprehensive from People\’s Daily Online – Life Times, China Women\’s Daily, Guangzhou Daily