Shoes off in house?

[Freyja]

Here in Iceland it is customary everywhere to take your shoes off when entering a private residence. I don´t think I know anyone here who would not take their shoes off, without asking for permission to leave them on, or before specifically being asked/told to leave them on.

I remember another thread not so long ago about the same topic. It was a total eye-opener for me in regards to US habits.

 

[diznygirl]

We are usually barefoot around the house and my floors - carpet and wood - are still always dirty. Hmmm....could be the massive amount of Goldfish crackers and Teddy Grahams that get eaten, or the "help" my children like giving me in the kitchen.....

You might want to keep your shoes on in my house to avoid stepping on the crumbs!

 

[Kimberly]

Shoes off first when you come in. I like my carpets clean!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Usually shoes off here..... DS's basketball team comes here several times a week and they all leave their shoes at the door. I guess they just follow DS's lead. It does get rather smelly sometimes... but I keep the tough odor febreeze on hand and it works like a charm.

The dogs love it when they come here straight from practice!

 

[jennobrn01]

Absolutely!
It's sanitary. We place our shoes on a shoe rack just inside the door. Then we slip into our "house shoes" (slippers or clean Crocs) if we want to. Not only does it keep the house physically clean, but I like to imagine it keeps it "clean" on a deeper level. Our home is a peaceful haven. Leaving our shoes at the door is like leaving the stress of the outside world there as well.

 

[mommaU4]

I haven't read through all the responses, but we are always barefoot in our house. In the summer there is sand/dirt from outside and in the winter there is snow, so we always remove shoes and so do others who visit.

I personally love to be barefoot or in flip-flops. In the summer I wear my flip-flops everywhere. I have about 25-30 pair and my kids always tease me about them. I guess I am the flip-flop queen. And in April you will find me hosting the flip-flop exchange. Mark your calendars now.

 

[ncbyrne]

I have read thru this entire thread. I can't believe the number of people who think it's ok to ask guests to remove their shoes!!! Unless you have told people you specific request ahead of time, in the invitation, I think it's downright rude to ask such a thing. ONCE and only once was I invited to a party, and then when we got there I was told by the hostess to remove my shoes. I did and I put on the hideous fuzzy slippers that she supplied, but I would never consider ever going into their house again! I never, absolutely NEVER go barefoot, not even in my own home, or even in the back yard! I hate to feel things under my feet, be it berber carpet or grass - I'm not comfortable without something on my tooties. There - I'm done...LOL

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We usually take our sheos off unless we are going back outside in the near future. One of my boys (my 12yo) plays basketball in the driveway a lot so he tends to leave his on a lot. That's fine unless they are muddy. I'm not a big shoe wearer, but I do wear slippers in the house. In summer I wear sandals/flipflops and see how many months of the year I can go without wearing shoes.

We have cats and dogs and gave up on our carpets a long time ago. I suppose when we get new carpets we'll get stricter for awhile before we loosen back up. My family is more important to me than my carpets, any day, but it doesn't mean that they need to trash my floor, either.

I would never have adult guests take off their shoes. I might have young children take off their shoes, especially in wet/muddy weather, but many of the older kids are obviously used to doing so because my teens will have friends over and they'll all take their shoes off before going in the basement.

 

[hentob]

.......I think it's downright rude to ask such a thing. ONCE and only once was I invited to a party, and then when we got there I was told by the hostess to remove my shoes. I did and I put on the hideous fuzzy slippers that she supplied....

I agree. Not to mention trying to find the perfect shoes to go with an outfit and then being asked to remove your shoes

I am very short and usually wear high shoes (not heals, but Dankso clogs that give me an extra 2 inches). My pants would look dumpy and drag without my shoes.

 

[Hannathy]

I would never ask anyone to take their shoes off, I hate that. The people coming into my house are more important than the carpeting.

 

[noseybuddy]

I was just wondering how many parents have a sock feet/bare feet rule for their houses; whether it's to keep the carpets clean or for some other reason; and whether it applies to the kids or to all guests.

I have the shoes off in house rule for all family members and for guest who have dirtly, muddy, etc. shoes. I hate wearing shoes. I can't wait for spring so I can start wearing sandals and flip flops.

 

[glass-slipper]

within the family, we all take our shoes off. I would never request someone do so in order to enter my home. When the kids friends visit, they all automatically take their shoes off, way more comfy

 

[petchie]

Shoes off here. Have a bench inside the front door where you can sit and remove and replace. Have slippers for anyone who would like to use them.

Those who are appalled, please do not ever go to Japan!

They have slipper baskets with various sized slippers as well.

You never wear house slippers into the bath room. You use a different pair of slippers to go into the bathroom.

You never walk outside in house slippers.

True Japanese hotels and Ryokans (not western chains) also supply slippers for the room and the bathroom.They are not disposable.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

I agree. Not to mention trying to find the perfect shoes to go with an outfit and then being asked to remove your shoes

I am very short and usually wear high shoes (not heals, but Dankso clogs that give me an extra 2 inches). My pants would look dumpy and drag without my shoes.

If you worry that much about how you look, then you probably wouldn't be very comfortable in my house anyway. I guess "formal" just isn't us. We are more likely to have the laid back, wear your 'fat pants' and have fun type of get together.

I don't ask adults to remove shoes when they enter our home. But maybe it's the fact that there are usually 12-20 pairs of shoes there already (from the kids who shed them when they came in) that makes them think it's the thing to do. Peer pressure, you know.

 

[MariettaC]

We've had "no shoes" rule for years. Our carpets do stay cleaner longer and wear longer. Guests may leave their shoes on.

 

[Freyja]

I have read thru this entire thread. I can't believe the number of people who think it's ok to ask guests to remove their shoes!!! Unless you have told people you specific request ahead of time, in the invitation, I think it's downright rude to ask such a thing. ONCE and only once was I invited to a party, and then when we got there I was told by the hostess to remove my shoes. I did and I put on the hideous fuzzy slippers that she supplied, but I would never consider ever going into their house again! I never, absolutely NEVER go barefoot, not even in my own home, or even in the back yard! I hate to feel things under my feet, be it berber carpet or grass - I'm not comfortable without something on my tooties. There - I'm done...LOL

Wow! There you can see how different we all are on this board. In my opinion it is downright rude to expect that you can wear your shoes in someone elses house!

 

[hentob]

If you worry that much about how you look, then you probably wouldn't be very comfortable in my house anyway. I guess "formal" just isn't us. We are more likely to have the laid back, wear your 'fat pants' and have fun type of get together.

Oh, we have those kind of get togethers too And, of course, I worry how I look I don't see anything wrong with that. While "fat pants" and bare feet have their time and place, I am not sure I would like to dress sloppy for every social gathering I host or attend. And believe it or not, some people feel very comfortable dressed nicely (and with shoes on)

In my opinion it is rude to ask guests remove their shoes if they are not comfortable with the idea. I keep thinking of the poor soul mentioned in this thread that was embarrassed by her bunions. OMG! A carpet is more important than this woman's feelings?


Buy a carpet steamer, people

 

[palmtreegirl]

We all take our shoes off at the door but it's not a rule, we just all like being barefoot. I would never ask a guest to take their shoes off though, including extended family.

 

[PenskeSth1]

I have a sign as soon as you enter my back door....NO SHOES BEYOND THIS POINT!!!! I don't feel it is rude. Guests don't have to clean my floors or my carpets. I was brought up to take my shoes of at the door. When I go to someone else's house, I remove my shoes at the door. It is just a habit. I think it is common courtesy. Also a neat freak.

 

[Freyja]

I have a sign as soon as you enter my back door....NO SHOES BEYOND THIS POINT!!!! I don't feel it is rude. Guests don't have to clean my floors or my carpets. I was brought up to take my shoes of at the door. When I go to someone else's house, I remove my shoes at the door. It is just a habit. I think it is common courtesy. Also a neat freak.

Although I don´t have the sign (I don´t need it here in Iceland) I totally agree. And for those who said, us neat freaks, could just buy some carpet steamers: Well, I don´t even have a single carpet in my house!!!