Contamination fears- stepped on something

Hi, I have contamination OCD which I am luckily going to be getting CBT for but not for a few more weeks. I can't stop worrying as the other day as I was walking, I looked down and noticed I had stepped into a luminous yellow/green mark on the road the size of a large puddle. It looked almost like spilled oil but I think was a mark on the road rather than wet. I checked my shoes and the soles did not have any marks on them that I could tell. The problem is I have put the shoes in a coat/shoe cupboard and now don't want to touch or use anything in there. I have no idea what would cause a stain like that but I'm scared it could be something toxic and that now all the shoes in the cupboard are contaminated and could cause me harm if I wear them. I have been thinking about trying to be brave and just cleaning out the cupboard and shoes but I'm too scared and almost tempted to just throw them all away even though that would be ridiculous and a huge waste. Does anyone know what might have caused that sort of stain on the road? Or any advice about how to manage these worries as it's been a few days and I'm still obsessing about it.

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Originally Posted by EllaM

Hi, I have contamination OCD which I am luckily going to be getting CBT for but not for a few more weeks. I can't stop worrying as the other day as I was walking, I looked down and noticed I had stepped into a luminous yellow/green mark on the road the size of a large puddle. It looked almost like spilled oil but I think was a mark on the road rather than wet. I checked my shoes and the soles did not have any marks on them that I could tell. The problem is I have put the shoes in a coat/shoe cupboard and now don't want to touch or use anything in there. I have no idea what would cause a stain like that but I'm scared it could be something toxic and that now all the shoes in the cupboard are contaminated and could cause me harm if I wear them. I have been thinking about trying to be brave and just cleaning out the cupboard and shoes but I'm too scared and almost tempted to just throw them all away even though that would be ridiculous and a huge waste. Does anyone know what might have caused that sort of stain on the road? Or any advice about how to manage these worries as it's been a few days and I'm still obsessing about it.

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Screenwash (some are really bright yellow) or engine antifreeze - which can either be greeny-yellow (glycol) or orange (OAT).

Have a look at this: https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/advice/antifreeze

Do you think that's what you saw?

Hi, thanks very much for your reply! I think that probably was what it was and I imagine in that case it wouldn't be that harmful. It's just the not knowing that's hard. These worries seem to keep cropping up so I hope the CBT helps. Many thanks for your help

Just rinse your shoes off and you'll be fine :)

Hi EllaM, I know it's extremely difficult to resist doing (and as a previous sufferer of contamination OCD, I still catch myself doing it from time to time), but seeking reassurance to help relieve this kind of irrational anxiety feeds OCD. Your CBT will help guide you :) Wishing you all the best with it.