What Happens When You Don't Wear Shower Shoes In Albergue Bathrooms

[Deleted member 67185]

Late April Fool's.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

You stinker!

 

[trecile]

View attachment 54394

Late April Fool's.

 

[twh]

yuck...that is grotesque...

 

[trecile]

View attachment 54394

Late April Fool's.

Okay, you're going to have to tell us what that foot condition really is.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Okay, you're going to have to tell us what that foot condition really is.

The feet of a child that contracted parasitic fleas from walking barefoot in a pig pen.

 

[C clearly]

The feet of a child that contracted parasitic fleas from walking barefoot in a pig pen.

I was going to ask "where"? But Google is amazing - I copied these words into Google, and found it.

 

[Devereaux]

Too funny...but.....

 

[trecile]

Here's info

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8771277/girl-horrific-infection-walking-barefoot-muddy-pigsty/

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I know a few people who have contracted athletes foot supposedly from shower stalls. My son contracted a bad case of plantar warts on his feet from military showers. He had surgery to remove them after having them over a year with no relief. He'd tried many methods first. And guess what...a couple of them have still returned. I will continue to always use flip flops in public showers.

 

[nycwalking]

Ugh!

I’m eating Jelly Bellies!

 

[t2andreo]

But seriously (it's all I do...my default setting) many people DO contract foot fungi from walking barefoot on shower floors and adjacent wet areas. The easiest way to avoid this is to wear some sort of shower 'shoe' to keep your feet out of the muck and mire at the bottom of some public showers.

Basic flip-flops will suffice and they are usually the lightest / cheapest option. I carry a pair in bright neon lime green, so they are easy to find in my rucksack, and not to be mistaken for someone else's if I do not have my glasses on and the lighting is dim.

Some folks incorporate the ability to use something like a pair of Crocs or other waterproof, lightweight footwear to use both apres walking, in the evening, and in the shower. Whatever works, if you are prone to picking up icky stuff like this in public spaces, wearing something while using the shared facilities or showering is the easiest prevention.

Should you acquire some 'fungi friends' along the way, get to a farmacia. They will have a suitable fungicide ointment, or spray for your feet.

Hope this helps.

 

[JamesVT]

The feet of a child that contracted parasitic fleas from walking barefoot in a pig pen.

Oh, jeeze! I hope that’s curable!

 

[KinkyOne]

...I will continue to always use flip flops in public showers.

Ugh, I would rather have all sorts of nasty infections on my feet than a broken neck. Flip-flops are deadly in showers. I have experienced just a little bit of water from the rain on tiles coming down the wooden stairs in albergue and nearly ended my Camino... And my life.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Ugh, I would rather have all sorts of nasty infections on my feet than a broken neck. Flip-flops are deadly in showers. I have experienced just a little bit of water from the rain on tiles coming down the wooden stairs in albergue and nearly ended my Camino... And my life.

Well, that is an interesting thought to consider...I will walk "v e r y" slow in my flip flops!

 

[KinkyOne]

Well, that is an interesting thought to consider...I will walk "v e r y" slow in my flip flops!

Do that

Maybe wet and dirty socks would do the trick. You will wash them anyway after the shower

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Do that

Maybe wet and dirty socks would do the trick. You will wash them anyway after the shower

Hmmm, worth a consideration!
How are you doing? Any new plans to walk? I don't keep up in all the threads.

 

[KinkyOne]

Hmmm, worth a consideration!
How are you doing? Any new plans to walk? I don't keep up in all the threads.

Nope. No money no funny...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Nope. No money no funny...

Aww, bummer. How about stealth camping a route. In the meantime, you are always so helpful about many of the more unusual routes and have a sharp memory!
I've seen utube videos of your own beautiful country. Do you hike much locally?

 

[trecile]

Ugh, I would rather have all sorts of nasty infections on my feet than a broken neck. Flip-flops are deadly in showers. I have experienced just a little bit of water from the rain on tiles coming down the wooden stairs in albergue and nearly ended my Camino... And my life.

I always figure that half the time I'm standing in an inch of water in a slow draining shower, so I don't know how much protection a half inch of rubber under my feet will give me.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I always figure that half the time I'm standing in an inch of water in a slow draining shower, so I don't know how much protection a half inch of rubber under my feet will give me.

I never experienced that on the caminos. I guess I lucked out...so far!

 

[KinkyOne]

Aww, bummer. How about stealth camping a route. In the meantime, you are always so helpful about many of the more unusual routes and have a sharp memory!
I've seen utube videos of your own beautiful country. Do you hike much locally?

Thanks for asking but let's not steal the thread

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thanks for asking but let's not steal the thread

Ok! Point taken!

 

[t2andreo]

For those of you adverse to wearing flip flops in a shower, consider lightweight water or surf shoes. These are loafer-type, slip on shoes that completely enclose your foot, offer superb footing, have great ventilation, yet dry very fast.

They are very popular here in Florida for folks who are concerned about walking on beaches or seashells, etc. I have seen styles by Nike, Adidas, and Sketchers too, among others.

You can find them in most sports stores, or just Google water shoes or surf shoes. A pair of these could make a viable second pair of footwear for evening and apres walking use as well.

Hope this helps.

 

[Zordmot]

WalMart should have them. aka “Reef Shoes”


For those of you adverse to wearing flip flops in a shower, consider lightweight water or surf shoes. These are loafer-type, slip on shoes that completely enclose your foot, offer superb footing, have great ventilation, yet dry very fast.

They are very popular here in Florida for folks who are concerned about walking on beaches or seashells, etc. I have seen styles by Nike, Adidas, and Sketchers too, among others.

You can find them in most sports stores, or just Google water shoes or surf shoes. A pair of these could make a viable second pair of footwear for evening and apres walking use as well.

Hope this helps.
[/QUOTE]

 

[Zordmot]

A sane answer might be to use a bit of antiseptic hand gel on your feet when you get back to your bed

 

[Deleted member 67185]

I always figure that half the time I'm standing in an inch of water in a slow draining shower, so I don't know how much protection a half inch of rubber under my feet will give me.

As a fungal infection, open shoes, like flip flops offer little actual protection; the organism can be transmitted via splashing water. So, for athlete's foot prevention, you are correct.

 

[Albertagirl]

As for acquiring foot fungus or similar ailments in albergue showers, any bright ideas about how we hospitaleras/os might keep the showers healthier for your feet? I have been thinking that maybe dousing the shower floors with bleach after scrubbing, then rinsing off later, might help. During the morning when the albergue is closed, of course. Any other suggestions?

 

[Deleted member 67185]

As for acquiring foot fungus or similar ailments in albergue showers, any bright ideas about how we hospitaleras/os might keep the showers healthier for your feet? I have been thinking that maybe dousing the shower floors with bleach after scrubbing, then rinsing off later, might help. During the morning when the albergue is closed, of course. Any other suggestions?

Depending on the concentration, bleach will kill almost on contact, so you don't need to wait long before rinsing. And simply scrubbing and rinsing will eliminate the majority of the organism as well, if it is present.

Personally, what I find effective is immediately after showering, to use alcohol based hand sanitizer on my feet. That will kill any fungal organism on the skin's surface.

 

[andralynn]

As for acquiring foot fungus or similar ailments in albergue showers, any bright ideas about how we hospitaleras/os might keep the showers healthier for your feet? I have been thinking that maybe dousing the shower floors with bleach after scrubbing, then rinsing off later, might help. During the morning when the albergue is closed, of course. Any other suggestions?

That sounds like a great idea. I bleach my shower at home about once a week but with all the travelers you have probably once a day would be best. Thank you for your concern!

 

[linkster]

@davebugg That is as bad as Dr. Pimple Popper.

 

[alaskadiver]

I always figure that half the time I'm standing in an inch of water in a slow draining shower, so I don't know how much protection a half inch of rubber under my feet will give me.

Exactly. It's just a mental feel good for people. I just dry my feet in the shower and put them in my regular sandals before I start walking out of the shower. Never got athletes foot, not even in military showers. Plus, you can always powder your feet with Tinactin (or similar) powder afterwards.

 

[nycwalking]

@davebugg That is as bad as Dr. Pimple Popper.

Love her.

 

[naplesdon]

As for acquiring foot fungus or similar ailments in albergue showers, any bright ideas about how we hospitaleras/os might keep the showers healthier for your feet? I have been thinking that maybe dousing the shower floors with bleach after scrubbing, then rinsing off later, might help. During the morning when the albergue is closed, of course. Any other suggestions?

When I did a stint at San Anton that is exactly what I did every morning, after I mopped the restroom floor, I splashed bleach on the shower floor.
I can not wear flip flops due to the neuropathy in my right foot and I have showered in bare feet for year and never had a problem with picking up contaminants even if I have a tiny blister that has popped open. I make sure to sun dry my feet and put on clean socks, many days I apply Vicks to my feet as a soothing/cooling analgesic.

 

[trecile]

As a fungal infection, open shoes, like flip flops offer little actual protection; the organism can be transmitted via splashing water. So, for athlete's foot prevention, you are correct.

Thanks. I will continue to go barefoot in the showers.

 

[longwalker60]

View attachment 54394

Late April Fool's.

I saw that and gasped....scary..but a good one!

 

[Jodean]

No one mentioned the puddles of pee one finds on the floors in the toilets. THAT is why I wear flip flops or crocs to the toilet and in the shower.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

No one mentioned the puddles of pee one finds on the floors in the toilets. THAT is why I wear flip flops or crocs to the toilet and in the shower.

Yikes! Good point!

 

[Sirage]

Remember that millions of the early pilgrims had no showers. The occasional dip in a river along the way, fumigation with the botafumeiro, and a plunge in the Atlantic before the return trip.

 

[t2andreo]

As for acquiring foot fungus or similar ailments in albergue showers, any bright ideas about how we hospitaleras/os might keep the showers healthier for your feet? I have been thinking that maybe dousing the shower floors with bleach after scrubbing, then rinsing off later, might help. During the morning when the albergue is closed, of course. Any other suggestions?

True, of course. But not all showers will have standing water in them. Also, for some of us, slipping on a wet floor is a constant threat.

In that context, even if one wore surf or reef shoes for traction and fast drying abilities, you would still be ahead of the threat curve. Avoiding fungi would be a collateral benefit.

I do not do strange showers barefoot, ever...

 

[Morning Waters]

I find flip flops exceedingly slippery on wet floors. Surf shoes offer better traction in wet situations (no matter what the liquid is). However, most of them do not provide much in the way of foot support so, I personally, would not be wearing them for walking around town in the evening.

 

[Lance Chambers]

I carry a pair of thongs or what you might call flip-flops with me and I wear them while having a shower to protect me from shower bourne stuff - make sure you run water into the floor of the shower for a while to 'flush' any standing water away - haven't caught anything ever but that could be pure luck and I also wear them after a days walking to see the sights.

I've had them for over 15 years. The straps are strong wide nylon, the soles they came with have been augmented by having the canvas/rubber part from a car tyre sewn onto the soles and straps to ensure they don't wear out or tear loose. The sewing was done in Jaipur, India by a young guy who fixed shoes. He did a great job at an amazing price.

You can see how well they now fit my feet.