No Shoes
- It's weird to me that it's a debated matter whether people leave their shoes on or off in the house. For me and everyone I have ever known and visited, shoes are always taken off at the door. There was never any question about it, you came in the house, you took off your shoes and if you wore slippers around the house it was to keep your feet warm. The only reason I ever thought maybe it was a cultural thing was because on all the television I've seen everyone always has their shoes on, unless they're in their bed or something. I don't really care and I don't think it matters much either way.
- —Guest Sandra
Dirt really, really people?
- There is no right or wrong answer. If you have a no shoe policy, that's fine. If you wear shoes inside, also fine. From a microbiological point of view, let's be honest, it's not any more sanitary not to wear shoes inside your home. I rather see shoes than your dirty, ugly, fungal, and bacterial infested feet. Not to mention what nasty communicable disease you got carrying with you. Do me a favor sometime, culture what's under the average person's foot and you "no shoe" people will throw up. I just hope you don't ask your guest to take their pants off because they sat on a park bench or road the subway to your house. Perhaps you do. Just a word of advice, if you ever visit the President or say the Queen of England, don't be an idiot and take your shoes off.
- —Guest SWOLBADANAC
Traditional
- Since I was really young, I have never worn shoes in the house. In Indonesia, where both of my parents were born, no one really wore shoes in their homes, and that even included the households with tile floors. I never really had friends at that age aside from an Indonesian family that my parents knew. They did the same, so for the first 7 years of my life, I thought everyone took off their shoes, upon entering any house. When we were planning to move homes, my parents brought us to some model homes. At the door, I was about to remove my shoes, until I saw everyone enter with their shoes on. I thought it was rather strange, never actually having seen people keep their shoes on inside. I always had the idea that shoes were filthy on the soles and were never meant to be used inside... ever. At all parties and events, it was always at another Indonesian household. There would be tons of shoes at the front door and around the front door inside the house. Reading this article makes me chuckle a little, but it's interesting of how diverse we all are.
- —Guest IndoGirl
Shoes Off or Stay Home
- In an effort to reduce germs and keep the home clean, I would think keeping your shoes off is a no brainer. I keep slippers handy for my guests. As far as people with foot problems, they should have an extra pair of shoes which they wear only inside and bring along when they visit others. For those who claim they keep their shoes on because of odor, very simple, wash your feet several times a day and use products that eliminate odor. If your feet stink, they also stink with your shoes on. Do something about it, don't ruin other people's floors because you have foot problems.
- —MalcolmMtl
Isn't it obvious?!!!
- I just can't understand why people would wear shoes inside?!!! Don't you leave your coat / umbrella at the entrance or do you walk with it around the house? Our house is a shoeless zone and for good! I don't wanna know where you've been trampling around, just keep it out!
- —Guest Sam
Shoes off - baby in house!
- Our hosue is a shoes-off zone, especially now that my baby rubs her face on the carpet. How nerve-wracking is it knowing there is arsenic in our soil and my child can be exposed to it right in her own home? And if I have been wearing open-toed shoes outside, I wash my feet once I get inside. I have always practiced shoe removal at the door - it just seems natural. On the aesthetic side of things, my house looks a lot cleaner than those of my pals.
- —Guest carol in dallas, tx
Shoes off
- I grew up and still live in northern Michigan and my house was a shoes off home. Whenever I went to a friend's house after school it was always shoes off. Now when I go to a new friend's house I always ask shoes off or on and they usually just laugh and say "off, but its up too you if you want to wear them." I like shoes off becuase in the winter it will track in snow, mud, and salt. Even now that I am in college I take my shoes off when entering my dorm room and put slippers on. Most fellow students walk around the hall with just slippers or socks. It makes it seem more homey.
- —Guest Shoes off
Shoes on or off?
- Ok here is my take: yes I understand the culture ... that is fabulous and I'd respect that any day. But how about people who have problems with feet? I cannot walk without PROPER footwear. I do understand the theory about the dog poo etc. Well why not have a shoe washer by the door? Providing booties for people is not always a viable thing for people with foot problems. As for carpet ... have you ever been around when replacing carpet? Oh my gosh... ewwww. So unless you can steam clean it and maintain it perfectly. I do not believe in making my guests tow my line. That is why they make steam cleaners, disposable floor cleaning sheets etc. Personally cleanliness as well as allergies is exactly why we have no carpet except a runner or so; they are too dirty and you cannot keep them clean. I do respect my friends who ask for no shoes, but I wash a pair and bring them along.
- —Guest Candy
Shoe-free zone
- Shoes belong outside. Light-colored carpet and high-gloss oak floors are abused by shoes and outside contaminants. Socks, of course, which are softer and quieter ... and sometimes sexy!!
- —Donaldian
Shoes of course
- I don’t understand why anyone would think that walking barefoot inside is sanitary. Just as shoes track in dirt and mud, a person’s bare foot carries bacteria and or funguses that are contagious. Everybody has oil and body odor, and if there are carpets on the floor the oils and odors are left behind. I certainly don’t want to expose myself or family members to bacteria or fungus unnecessarily, so please wear your shoes when entering my home.
- —Guest Juana
Mostly off but depends on the occasion
- In our home the rule is mostly "shoes off" but some occasions would warrant the opposite: 1. New Year's party, or a wedding reception (we had at least one of each); everyone would be dressed in at least semi-formals, and I feel some would like to keep their outfits "complete." I think people would feel they looked dumb all dressed up barefoot, or in slippers. 2. We do have dogs and a cat so, yes, sometimes the floors (hardwood and ceramic) would be dirty - mud, cat/dog shedding, etc. I try to remedy that as soon as I can but, before I can steam-clean the grime, I'd say keep your shoes on if you like. Any other time, the "shoes off" would be a norm. We do have at least 8 very comfortable pairs of guest slippers (you can very often get them in bulk on eBay), and our regulars know what to do upon arrival. What makes me chuckle is the posters from the 50s with husbands sitting around smoking and reading, and their wives cooking or vacuuming in their high heeled pumps!
- —Guest Lydia
Scotland
- Hallo again we are pretty split in this country. The general rule is in the countryside people do not wear outside shoes inside, in fact in school we had to take black slip on shoes in winter and leave our outside shoes in the school cloakroom. However I now live in Edinburgh and its pretty 50:50. We don't wear shoes inside, my friends would never ever wear shoes in my home, not even at a party! But I do have some friends here from other places who do wear shoes inside and although I try to understand I just find it plain weird :-)
- —Guest Isla
No Shoes Allowed
- We don't wear shoes in the house. I get very peeved when guests visit and don't take the hint when they see our shoes and slippers by the door. We all change from shoes to slippers at the door. Also, when we visit friends and family we take slippers with us. My mother was Canadian so I grew up in a no-shoes house, even though we lived in the UK.
- —Guest maxy
Casual v. Formal
- Generally I prefer to move around with my shoes off, and my friends always take theirs off when they come into our house because they plan to curl up on a couch. However, all of these are casual occasions. I've never, even when I know the normal policy is shoes-off, been asked to remove shoes at any event at which I would be expected to wear heels - that is, to dress up. And I have to say that would be a little strange - I have to wear stockings and a skirt, but no shoes? I guess my question would be how to handle something like a dinner party or open house where guests show respect for you by dressing for an event appropriately, including footwear (which is definitely a U.S. custom). Again, I guess I feel like it's situational - casually, of course there's no issue. But when we're expected to be dressed more formally, it seems that the host should expect that we would dress that way from head to toe and respect that action, just as we would avoid wearing muddy shoes.
- —Guest Jane
About the Smell
- Also, some of you said you prefer that everyone keep their shoes on because you don't want people exposing their smelly feet. Some people do have have naturally smelly feet, but most people's smelly sweaty feet are caused be being trapped in shoes all day. If you took them off more, your feet and shoes will be able to dry out, reducing fungus that thrives on moisture. Think of it this way: imagine you wore snug heavy leather or canvas gloves on your hands from morning until night, every day, day after day, the same sets of gloves, never washing them, leaving them coated in whatever you had touched that day, and only washing your bare hands once a day. Your hands would be sweaty and smelly and your gloves would be filthy and stinky, too. This is what happens to your feet if you wear shoes all the time. And it's why some people don't want your shoes in their houses. They don't wear their shoes indoors, so their feet are dry and usually odor-free. Ask to borrow socks if you need to.
- —Guest Andrea
