When students wake up and head for the showers in the residence halls, they grab the usual items: towel, soap, shampoo and – flip-flops?

Flip-flop sandals are used by some residents to protect from communicable fungi such as athlete’s foot, which can run rampant in moist public areas.

“I always wear them and everyone else does as far as I can tell,” said freshman undecided major Ben Miller.

Tinea Pedis, commonly known as athlete’s foot, is fungus that usually appears in the webbing between toes, with symptoms of redness and swelling. Blisters also may occur along with differing severities of itching. It is often caught in public places, but not necessarily due to dirty showers.

Athlete’s foot is a fungus, and therefore thrives in moist areas, said Michael Brown of University Health Services.

While it can show up in a shower, it is most commonly caused from wearing sweaty gym shoes and socks without drying them properly between each use.

The best way to prevent infection is to maintain proper hygiene and most importantly, keep dry, Brown said. Brown also recommended wearing sandals in public showers and using your own clean, dry towels.

If a person does get athlete’s foot, it is completely treatable, he said. It usually can be treated with over-the-counter powders and creams, depending on the severity of the case. A doctor’s visit is an option if treatments do not work.

“If it’s not better in one to two weeks then you may want to see a doctor,” Brown said. “Sometimes people will become resistant to the over-the-counter medicines; we can prescribe some stronger medications such as Spectazole or Naftin.”

Showers pose battle for janitors

“We deal with a lot of weird things that occur, such as students throwing up in them,” said Bob Albanese, associate vice president for Finance and Facilities.

Junior English major Marina Sidnenko, who lives in Stevenson North, wears her flip-flops to the shower every time.

“[The showers] look like they have never been cleaned,” Sidnenko said.

The bathrooms are no doubt, other than safety, the No. 1 priority for the janitorial staff, said William Pottinger, senior building services instructor.

Students still should wear sandals due to inevitable moisture, but Pottinger said bathrooms are cleaned daily with a germicide powerful enough to kill anything except for airborne diseases, AIDS and Hepatitis B.

Every Wednesday, showers are cleaned with an acid wash. The wash is very safe and contains a citrus-like acid similar to the acid in oranges, Pottinger said. All areas from door knobs to curtains to shower heads are cleaned with the acid and germicide. Because of these thorough cleanings, Pottinger feels the bathrooms are extremely safe.

“I would venture to say that our residence halls are the cleanest in Illinois,” Pottinger said.

The janitors also try to prevent any cross-contamination by not using bathroom mops anywhere else. If a virus breaks out on one floor, the staff immediately cleans that floor in order to prevent it from spreading.