Dr Karl reveals the gross reason you shouldn't put your feet up on the coffee table

Putting your feet up on the coffee table is one of those habits that can get you in trouble with certain members of the family, or the resident of the home you're visiting.

It turns out it's not just considered bad manners to put your feet up on the coffee table, it's actually pretty gross.

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki explained the science behind why it's such a bad habit to put your feet up on the coffee table, particularly while wearing shoes.

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In a TikTok video he detailed two different studies that show our shoes have faecal contamination after wearing them out and about.

"First, if you get brand new shoes and wear them for three months at the end of three months 93 per cent will have faecal contamination – that's a polite way of saying 'poo' – on the soles," he said.

"It comes from cat and dog poo when you're walking through a park, or you happen to walk into a public toilet or your own toilet at home if you've got babies who happen to be really messy."

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The second data Dr Karl referred to came from a study of houses with only young men living in them.

When their coffee tables were analysed 70 per cent of them were found to have faecal contamination.

Based on those two studies Dr Karl gave his verdict on putting your feet up on the table when wearing shoes.

"Probably don't do it," he said.

The comments section of the video reignited the 'shoes on or off in the house' debate with several who watched the TikTok firmly in the shoes off inside camp.

"No shoes in the house," one said.

"That's why we have outside shoes and inside slippers/sandals," wrote a TikToker.

"My home is shoes off at the door. Always & forever," another said.

A Nine.com.au poll previously found that only 30 per cent of Aussies expect people to take off their shoes when entering the house.

So while we know that plenty of germs can enter our homes via our shoes, 70 per cent of us are fine with leaving them on.

But apart from the germs on the soles of shoes, they can also track dirt and dust particles that make the house dirtier and in need of a vacuum more often.

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However, there are benefits to keeping shoes on including exposure to germs, avoiding awkward interactions when asking people to take shoes off, support for feet and preventing slips and falls.

So while shoes on or off in the house is each to their own, it may be best to follow Dr Karl's advice and keep them off the coffee table.

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