Science: Health: Foot
Sock hole detector   (+1, -1)  [vote for, against]

In certain places, it is apparently important to not walk around your house barefoot to avoid picking up pathogens, such as hookworm, that are contracted through the soles of the feet. Therefore, it seems also important to avoid having holes in the soles of one's socks, which is the most common place for them to get holes. Also, assumably*, a lot of people like walking around their houses in socks and dislike the experience of feeling the bare floor through holes in said socks.

However, it can be difficult to spot holes in your socks while holding them before putting them on, because the color of the area of the fabric with the holes is probably the same as the color of the other area of fabric you see through the holes, because it can be hard to see holes in crumpled/loose fabric, and because you don't necessarily look, because you know most of your socks don't have holes**.

A simple solution to this is to put a small mirror on the floor near the bed, or wherever else you put your socks on. The mirror will reflect light to illuminate the sole of the sock, and the contrast between the color of the socks and the color of your skin (in most cases) will let you see the holes better (but, of course, if you're putting on socks that match your skin color, it won't be as effective). Then you can check your socks for holes in the soles after putting them on but before putting your socked feet down on the floor, and, if necessary, you can take a holey sock off and put on another instead.

*I'm assuming that this applies to a lot of people because it applies to me, and I've learned that hardly any personality trait, like, dislike, interest, etc. is anywhere near unique.

**Because you presumably remove the ones with holes from your sock rotation and/or repair them.

N/A [2019-07-20]
-- notexactly, Jul 21 2019

Is this an expensive add-on for the long toenail warning system? or are we talking different holes for different folks.
-- wjt, Jul 21 2019


Not to mention changing socks by putting the socks on the other foot, until a toffee hammer is needed to beat the socks into submission...

But seriously, putting a small black hole into the sock and seeing where it falls out is probably the most accurate way to find sock holes. Additionally, spraying the black hole orange makes finding the (now orange) black hole much easier.
-- not_morrison_rm, Jul 21 2019


This is a very difficult solution to an ingenious problem. [+]
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 21 2019


This idea doesn't involve any type of explosive [-]
-- Voice, Jul 21 2019


The complicated solutions I thought of were 1) a computer vision device with a camera and a screen (probably that of the user's phone) to highlight any holes automatically, and 2) turning your feet upside down to look at the soles of your donned socks directly, by either of two techniques neither of which Google can find me a good illustration of.

I was still going with (1) until I started typing the idea, at which point I realized a mirror would be better. I didn't think of (2) until I had finished typing the idea. As well, looking directly at the bottom of one's foot can be awkward for people with less flexibility, and it doesn't have an object in your field of vision as you put your socks on that's associated with it, both meaning people are less likely to make a habit of it than of passing their freshly socked feet over a small mirror on the floor.
-- notexactly, Jul 22 2019


//pumped full of small beads// Bloody holey socks.
-- wjt, Jul 23 2019


Use a cat instead of a mirror: gently use the stocking covered foot to scratch the belly of a cat, and feel where the claws penetrate most forcefully.
-- sninctown, Jul 27 2019



random, halfbakery