Do you ask people to remove their shoes in your house?

[TPCShauna]

It IS a custom in other parts of the US for folks to remove their shoes when entering a home. That's apparently not the case in Texas, which is fine, but it's hardly rude to follow the local customs--whether it is an Asian custom or another custom of a different region of the U.S.

I did a quick search and found this about why the Japanese remove their shoes:

Why Remove Shoes ?
The custom of removing outside footwear within the house goes back at least as far as the Heian period ( 794 - 1192 ) among the upper classes and gradually spread thereafter throughout society. One of the reasons that footwear was shed in this fashion was because of the high rainfall and the generally very damp climate. A house would be quickly dirtied if people walked in wearing mud-covered shoes or sandals. But probably what came first was the custom of both sitting and sleeping directly on the floor on straw mats or cushions laid over it. Footwear was removed at the entrance to help keep the house clean. http://www.tjf.or.jp/eng/content/japaneseculture/02kutsu.htm

The reason the Japanese do it for cleanliness is because, at least until the 1980s, they barely used furniture. They had/have expensive, handwoven mats lining their homes (tatami mats) that they sat on, ate on, and basically lived on. They live on their floors like we live on our couches.

I agree that the reason for shoe removal for "everyone" is for cleanliness reasons, but the Japanese take it a stricter form because they are on their floors all day.

My Asian friends gave this explanation as well. In many Asian homes, furniture was/is low to the ground and quite minimal, i.e. mats, pillows, etc. that people both walk and sit on. I feel that it is an acceptable request to ask someone not to walk on the articles of furniture that also serve as chairs.

Again, IMO, floors are made to be walked on and will get dirty. I just don't think it's right to put my floors above my guest's comfort.

 

[Talking Hands]

I never ask people to remove their shoes. I have to wear mine due to diabetes. Also our floors are terrazo so a wet mop and any dirt is gone. Swiffers are great.
After reading everyone's posts I have to say that it seems to be a cultural thing. I can remember at my Mom's parents we always removed our shoes and put on slippers. She was from Northern NY. At my Dad's parents never. They were from Maryland. At my parents' house it depended on the weather. That was in DC. Now here in Florida before I was diagnosed with diabetes I went barefoot inside all the time. Since diagnosis I have been forced to change that habit. I do have my indoor Crocs.

 

[bicker]

I think this discussion just points out how diverse we all are. That's one reason why it is so important to be sensitive to that diversity, and respecting your host's principles in their home.

 

[Passions71203]

Yes, Shoes must come off in our home and the same goes with our extended family.
We also take off our shoes when we go to friends house's etc...
So we are a bunch of non-shoe wearing people....

 

[mjkacmom]

For those of you who insist on people taking off their shoes, what do you do in the summer? For 3 months out of the year, I don't wear socks. I would feel very uncomfortable having my feet bare in someone else's home, and would cringe to put on someone else's slippers.

 

[Passions71203]

For those of you who insist on people taking off their shoes, what do you do in the summer? For 3 months out of the year, I don't wear socks. I would feel very uncomfortable having my feet bare in someone else's home, and would cringe to put on someone else's slippers.

We don't do the slipper thing.. People just walk around our house with no socks on.....Hope everyone had a Pedi recently...

 

[bicker]

Socks

 

[ChrizJen]

I can totally see why one would ask visitors to remove their shoes. We don't ask. We take them off ourselves pretty much as soon as we step foot in the house. And we would PREFER if our visitors did, but we've never really asked them to. Some have mentioned mud or dirt. It's not really even that I'm concerned with stains on my carpet. It's more about all of the nastiness that people step in before they come into your home. When you're outside, you never know what you're going to step in...could be someone just spit on the ground you walked on. Or worse, you may have walked through the same spot someone urinated on. I'm not trying to be crude, but these are just things I think about as I'm walking barefoot fresh out of the shower in my home...
Kinda gives me the heebie geebies...

 

[lilyv]

For those of you who insist on people taking off their shoes, what do you do in the summer? For 3 months out of the year, I don't wear socks. I would feel very uncomfortable having my feet bare in someone else's home, and would cringe to put on someone else's slippers.

I never insist someone remove their shoes. I don't even ask. It's our general habit. In the summer, I go barefoot. Guests can do as they please. It's more a matter of this: We lessen the amount of dirt and germs in our home by not wearing outdoor shoes inside.

 

[Passions71203]

My Sister has a little note on her door saying "Please remove shoes after entering the house"
I feel the same way but DH would kill me if I put a sign up..

 

[nuke]

We don't do the slipper thing.. People just walk around our house with no socks on.....Hope everyone had a Pedi recently...

To me that is just gross and I'm not a germaphobe. Walking around in other people's foot sweat is just too much for me.

 

[FSUGrad97]

Nope. I think it's incredibly rude to favor a carpet over human beings.

I agree!

 

[lilyv]

To me that is just gross and I'm not a germaphobe. Walking around in other people's foot sweat is just too much for me.

Guess we all have things that bug us. I never think department stores or public restrooms have sparkling clean, sanitary floors. I don't really care to gift my home with "their" germs.

It's not about liking carpets more than people.....It's more about enjoying my home, without bringing all the dirt, etc into my home environment.

 

[bicker]

Except that people don't die without footwear, nuke.

 

[moon]

Whenever this topic comes up I think it is a joke. I can't beleive that company would be asked to remove their shoes, or that a host/hostess would be barefooted when people visited.

If this is so common, how come you nevr see it done on TV or movies? From TV shows and movies I learned that in Japan people removed their shoes. Just Japan. I've never seen this is shows from anywhere else. There was an episode of SATC where Carrie was asked to remove her shoes at a party. The request was portrayed as a bizarre requirement from a wako hostess. Carrie ended up losing a very expensive pair of Manolo shoes which were stolen as she was barefotted (an very unconfortable) at the party

My mom has a lady friend with some sort of disability in her feet. She wears some type of orthopedic shoes. She's a world traveler and she has never been asked to remove her shoes in any country she's been. She had an awful and humiliating experience at some airport where Homeland Security requested her to remove her shoes. She refused and it was a mess.

I can't imagine sitting down at the dining table in someones house to eat where everyone is barefooted. A lot of people have stinky feet. Just the thought of it turns my stomach. I'd be unable to eat. YUCK!

 

[jrmasm]

I don't want to walk around in the germs and dead skin from the bottom of your feet either.

I was always taught to put shoes on if we have company and I feel really weird walking around people's house without shoes on. To me it's like walking around in my pajamas.

I agree. My mother would have smacked me in the head if I took my shoes off when we were visiting someone else's home and when company came over, you darn well better have your shoes on. That's just polite.

 

[hlane]

We don't do the slipper thing.. People just walk around our house with no socks on...

Same here

 

[FoundMyPrince]

We have a no shoe rule for our house. We have a nice little chair by the front door where folks can sit down and take off their shoes, and there is a mat where we put our shoes. When we know someone is coming over, we put all the shoes away except one pair. People pretty much get the idea. Plus, our carpet is very light (we didn't choose it - just moved into the house and it was here) and people don't want to track anything on it because everything would show. I don't ask adults to take off their shoes (most do), but we do have a lot of teenagers in the house and I do ask them. Usually they'll tell one another to take off their shoes.

 

[jrmasm]

I think this discussion just points out how diverse we all are. That's one reason why it is so important to be sensitive to that diversity, and respecting your host's principles in their home.

I think you have that backwards. A good host is most concerned with his/her guests' comfort.

 

[lilyv]

I think you have that backwards. A good host is most concerned with his/her guests' comfort.

I totally agree. Feel free to wear your shoes or not in my home. I hope I have the same option when I visit other's homes.