There has been a lot of conversation around social distancing and washing our hands for at least 20 seconds to kill the virus, but we tend to forget about clothes and footwear.

To curb the spread of this deadly virus, we must particularly take care of shows we wear outdoors.

How to do it?

1. One of the simplest ways to stop the virus entering your homes is by using separate indoor and outdoor footwear. Even if it is your slip-ons, ensure to keep your outdoor footwear outside or at the entrance of your home. Especially for people working in the healthcare department, it is advised to not bring shoes inside the homes.

2. Avoid touching shoes with bare hands while removing, if possible. Simply slide them off.

3. The soles are bound to be the dirtiest considering they are in direct contact with the ground. Therefore, use foot-mats and also clean your shoes regularly to avoid dirt collecting underneath.

4. You can also clean the outer layer of your shoes with a warm towel or old cloth. Disinfecting wipes can also be used in the same way. However, do not forget to wear gloves while cleaning your shoes or immediately wash your hands as soon as you are done. You can also make a solution of water and rub alcohol and spray inside the shoes to kill the bacteria.

5. Keep your shoes in an open airspace to let it dry. You can spray disinfectants but while using sprays give them time to work as these may require a few minutes to settle, and then wipe with a cloth.

The risk of contamination from the virus exists through shoes too, hence one ought to be really careful in these testing times.