Removing shoes before entering your home?

[JohnsonsLoveDisney]

I never *ask* everyone just assumes that they have too. We dont wear shoes in the house at all. Espically in the winter months when its constantly raining and muddy outside. Our carpet is an awful light beige and every spec shows up. and we have had babies that crawl on the floor since we moved it.

Some people dont take off their shoes. no biggie. my mom left a pair of slippers here so she has something to wear in the winter time. Summer is not usually a big deal. no mud.

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

Yes. Seriously. My husband's feet are not attractive and sometimes I just don't feel like taking my shoes off. I'll do it at a friend's house if they ask, but I won't be happy about it. Especially if DH doesn't have socks on because he is VERY self concious about his feet and ends up spending the whole evening feeling paranoid and self concious trying to hide his feet. Its irritating.

I am very uncomfortable with no shoes. I won't go to homes where it's required to take shoes off.

 

[Danauk]

I take my shoes off as soon as I get into my house and I do the same when ever I go to other peoples houses. However, I don't ask people to remove their shoes in my house, I guess I do it more out of habit really!

 

[BabyPiglet]

I didn't even know people really did that! I never take my shoes off when I go to other people's houses! It sounds odd, actually. I'm not sure how I'd feel about strangers walking around barefoot in my home, or me walking around barefoot in stranger's homes.

Then again, I live in the south.

 

[Va-bear]

This is what I am thinking. It is just considered good manners here to remove your shoes. I think the consistent climate change has a lot to do with it !

I was just thinking that - seems like all the Canadians and 'Northerners" find it the norm, which is interesting, never knew folks up there did that.

This is timely for me as we just (about 2 months ago) ran into this for the first time. Our family attended our first Jewish Holiday event at a friends house. EVERYONE took off their shoes except DH and I. He wears orthotic shoe inserts and recently had foot surgery - I have stinky feet (ack!) and NEVER take my shoes off in front of other people. Now, my kids took theirs off - cool - but it was kind of awkward. I didnt know if it was related to the Holiday, or just their thing. I kept hoping if it was important they'd tell me....and only after the event thought that maybe I should have offered (didnt reallythink of it as it is so out of the norm for us.) ACK!

 

[PatsGirl]

I wear shoes in my home, DH doesn't. We don't care what our guests do, whatever they are comfortable with.

When going to other peoples homes I usually take my queue from them, if everyone in the house is bare-foot, off my shoes go! And of course I'll remove them if muddy, wet, whatever.

Same here. I think it is important to be a good hostess and not REQUIRE anything of guests. My good friends I might ask if I was so inclined same as I would ask them to BYOB but shoes are not my hang-up

I even go so far as to offer an ashtray to my smoking friends so long as there are no children around but I have to say it's been many years since anyone has taken me up on my offer which suits me just fine Many, many years ago when I was an avid smoker, I went to my BFF house for the weekend and hadn't seen her in a few years. She insisted that I smoke outside in very cold temps -- it was a difficult weekend for me and I never visited again until after I quit smoking. It was that weekend that I made a vow to be a gracious hostess at all times, especially with overnight guests!

 

[LBKB]

No I don't ask anyone to remove their shoes. I have had a hip replace and since having that done my one leg is 3/4 inch longer than the other and it is hard for me to walk that way.

 

[jme829]

I'm the only one in our house that does wear shoes in the house. Our carpet is old and needs replaced so I'm not too worried about it (unless of course if it wet or muddy outside).

My kids friends always take off their shoes when they come in. DD16 bf has big feet and I'm always tripping over his clodhoppers! The exception is our neighbor girl when she comes over in the a.m. before school. She is only here 5-10 before the kids leave for school so when she comes in I just tell her to keep them on (unless its snowing/raining).

I will take my cues from other people at their homes. If I go and see someone has their shoes on in their house, I won't remove mine, but if I go and notice there is a pile of shoes by the front door, I will.

 

[minniecarousel]

I don't, but I can see why people would ask people to remove their shoes. Example: we have hardwood floors, and a woman in spike heels put some rather noticeable dents in the hardwood. I still have no idea when it happened, but they're there now, and the dents weren't there when we moved in 9 years ago!

 

[Mischief_Managed]

Everyone must remove shoes in my apartment because of the germ/chemicals-factor. I work in EOH, and know what is out there - stuff I don't want in my apartment. I also have an indoor cat, so I don't want her walking around in outside germs/chemicals.

I live in South Florida, so it's not a northerner-thing. It's a public health thing. Most of my friends are in public health, so no one thinks twice about it because they do it too.

 

[LK03]

I don't ask my guests to take their shoes off ever. In fact, when I know who is coming to my home, I buy them their favorite drinks and snacks always. I want my guests to feel comfortable.

I flew to my best friend's home to throw her a baby shower, carried all the gifts, luggage was more than full and my foot (plantar fasciitis) was acting up real bad that weekend. I had my shoes on in her home because I need the support and by god she asked me to take them off.

If people are so against their guests wearing their shoes into their home, buy universal crocs or painter fabric cover-ups for them. Sometimes we all have smelly feet and/or feet that hurt and it makes us feel very uncomfortable.

And, honestly, what adult would walk into someone's home and trapse about after walking through mud, snow or salt? Maybe a very rude person, but thankfully, those people don't visit my home.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I wish my family and friends would take off their shoes before coming into the house. But with 3 dogs who have the run of a doggy door, guess it doesn't really matter!!

 

[ajk912]

I have wood floors now and my kids all walk, so it's not a big deal to me anymore.

But for about 8 years I had carpet downstairs (couldn't afford otherwise) and had crawling kids on and off throughout the years. I DID ask guests to take off their shoes, and explained I had a crawling baby. Most people understood. My ILs did it a few times and then ignored me afterwards thinking I was making a big deal out of nothing. I suppose I could have bought slippers for them, I didn't think of it at the time.

It's just so gross to me. I have a baby crawling around on these carpets, and you are walking everywhere outside, in public restrooms, possibly stepping in dog poop and other people's gum and spit and everything else..and you give me a hard time about taking off your shoes?

 

[Kurby]

we live in canada and no one i know shoes in the house unless there is some christmas party but then they bring them since christmas around here also mean snow most of the time.

most houses up here have wall to wall carpeting so wearing outdoor shoes means dirty carpets that's much harder to clean then wood or tile floors.

though i do know people in condo's that keep shoes on but again it is mostly because most of the dirt comes off the shoes in the lobby and halls while walking to the door of the condo.

we just came back from our disney trip and spend the first 3 days at dh's cousin's house where they all kept their shoes on.

they had hard wood floors which may be part of the reason - the other being they live in florida and don't worry about salt, snow, and much dirt though i'm sure sand is an issue.

 

[aprilgail2]

Wow. I didn't even know people didn't take off their footwear at other peoples home. .

I never knew people would take their shoes off in other peoples homes until I read it on here! !

I didn't even know people really did that! I never take my shoes off when I go to other people's houses! It sounds odd, actually. I'm not sure how I'd feel about strangers walking around barefoot in my home, or me walking around barefoot in stranger's homes.

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I agree- the thought of other people walking around my house in their bare feet creeps me out. I hate feet so having to look at guests bare feet would not be a fun thought for me LOL. I think its way to personal for someone to come into my home and take their shoes off- whats next, take their pants off and sit on my couch?????? Unless you are spending the night with me, keep your darn shoes on your feet LOL!
If I was to go to someones home that wanted shoes off I would turn around and go home- those type of people would not be the kind I would want to hang out with anyway.

 

[DisneyJules]

That's so funny you bring this up because I've seen this topic before and it seems to sometimes (not always) depend on where you live and the climate in which you live in. I'm from Canada and I know at least in my home, my parents, my siblings and my friend's homes, you take your shoes off at the door. I think because we do get so much lousy weather, you can't possibly be tracking in snow or mud, or slush all over the floors, yuck! But even in summer, I take my shoes off when I get home. No point in tracking in more salt and sand from the streets.

 

[ShuisFan584]

I've never asked someone to take off their shoes in my house. But I always take off my shoes in my house, and almost always when I'm at someone else's house.

 

[englishteacha]

We wear our shoes inside, outside, whatever. I don't mind taking off my shoes if I'm visiting someone, but I wish they'd tell me ahead of time so I can a) make sure I'm wearing socks and b) make sure DH isn't wearing his disgusting old socks.

In a future home, I think I might institute a no-shoe rule...though DH might not agree. Both of us grew up in shoe-on homes. I hate to vaccum, so if I could convince him, it might be worthwhile!

 

[scrump]

Yes, we ask people to remove their shoes. I think it's pretty common in our building, and it's just not a big deal.

 

[jrmasm]

A question for the shoe removers, do anyone of you have dogs? Do you wash their feet when they come inside or do they remove their shoes too?