You could be carrying spit, vomit and urine in your suitcase if you don’t pack this essential

You likely have separate bags and containers for all the stuff that goes into your suitcase, from perfume to body lotion to shampoo.

But an even bigger mess could be lurking invisibly in your bags if you’re not packing smart, a disease expert has warned.

Fortunately, there is a fairly inexpensive fix that will reduce the risk of spit, vomit and urine in the house along with your souvenirs.

Philip M. Tierno, a professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, told HuffPo that there can be a lot of gross stuff sticking to your shoes.

“If the bottom of the shoe has ridges or there are ribs on the side or other areas that can collect material, then think about what they’re collecting,” Tierno said.

“Depending on the city you live in, you’re likely to walk on sidewalks and streets where people are coughing, spitting, and vomiting. There’s urine, human and animal feces, and a bunch of other things that are relatively germ-free.”

In fact, it’s almost guaranteed to have poop on your shoes, according to Dr. Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology and environmental sciences at the University of Arizona.

“If you wear shoes for more than a month, 93% will have fecal bacteria on the bottom of them,” he told the Today show of the results of his study on bacteria in shoes.

That’s why Tierno strongly recommends putting each pair of shoes inside a plastic bag, whether it’s a recycled one from a grocery store or a reusable one you bought online.

Still, while you may very well have bodily fluids clinging to your soles—and few people would want them touching their clothes or their toiletry bag—it’s unlikely that you’ll actually get sick from whatever got on your shoes. yours.

“People do the strangest things in public and walking down the street, you can pick up all sorts of things that could be contaminated. But it’s still a relatively low risk of causing infection,” Tierno added.

Saskia Popescu, senior infection prevention epidemiologist at HonorHealth and George Mason University, agrees.

“The shoes are definitely dirty, 100 percent. They’re weird, they’re gross,” she told Afar – but that said, she doesn’t use plastic bags.

“I’m sure some of my infectious disease colleagues will cringe,” she admitted. “I put the works in front of the walls of the suitcase. I personally wouldn’t [put them in a bag] unless they were covered in mud or blood or something super weird. But that’s just me. I’d much sooner wipe the bottoms of my shoes with a Clorox wipe than wipe them on something.”

Some experts go a little further with shoes than just taking them for trips. Dr. Gerba, whose study found fecal bacteria on shoe soles, notes that wearing your sneakers and boots indoors means you’re spreading that bacteria around your home.

“Shoes make microorganisms quite mobile, and you’re tracking it around [the house]he said. “Also, if you are immunocompromised or have allergy problems, it’s best to remove your shoes.”