Shoes off means less cleaning!

My family takes off shoes, but we would never ask guests to do so.

No shoes in my house as I have white rugs. Flip flops are kept in the kitchen for kitchen and terrace use.

A bench with cubby for storage at the entrance.

Most definitely OFF! Read my post...New York City! That's all I've got to say.

We're in rain forest country--I prefer my house dry. Earlier, we lived in Asia for many years where street footwear is not worn inside and the
western habit is seen as insulting and ignorant. One doesn't track city dirt into a
home. Often, but not always, the expectation seems to arise in cultures where a clean house is seen as an important social cue (as in Japan). In Bangkok, our terraces were washed down twice daily--a necessity. In some of these cultures, occasional top flight entertaining can be an exception to the rule--but there's a cleaning project immediately after.

Now living back in Canada, our tiled foyer has a chair for removing shoes and a Chinese, marble topped shoe cabinet--we offer slippers. Moving up into the house it is 8" Dutch white oak flooring, oiled not varnished, and guests ooh and ahh over them (though I note that varnish is better protection and that dropping a phone at the right angle can dent the surface).

Yes, if the Queen pops by for tea, it is shoes off...but protocol does require advance notice of the expectation--the corgis stay outside. Reminds me that, in my experience, pets are often a factor in whether people like shoes on or off.

Should inquiring minds want to know, I have fabulous socks ;-)

well here in lies the rub, I say shoes off, hubby keeps wearing them. 25 years of this, but i am going to show him that over twice as many people on houzz say shoes off! Also, i have pets, but they have their own yard. they are twice as likely to catch something from the bottoms of those dirty shoes!

I hate being asked to remove my shoes, but I understand this is a geographic and cultural issue with differences. At home I usually wear slippers around the house, as I don't much care for going barefoot. Since I rarely carry my slippers when I visit elsewhere, I don't want to be forced to be walking around barefoot or in socks. If you choose w white carpet that is impossible to keep clean, then don't invite guests in at all. If my shoes are wet or muddy or snowy I will remove them if needed or do my best to wipe them clean first. But most of the time I never think of taking them off, hate when I am told I must, and would never, ever ask anyone to do so in my home. If the floor gets dirty, I vacuum or mop.

I also think the phobia about tracking in germs from other places is silly. Chances are that your guests have more germs on the purse they put on the coffee table or the hand they put on your doorknob. Germs are not evil; unless you are immune compromised, exposure to germs is not a bad thing. Unless you are in the habit of eating off your floor or doing handstands and then not washing your hands before you eat, none of these things will harm you in the least. We have become a ridiculously germ-phobic society.;

Here in Denmark it is very common to remove your shoes when you enter someone's home. I'm a home nurse and I always remove my shoes before entering my clients' homes. For me it's a question of respect for other people's homes. Naturally there are exceptions; if you invite people to a (formal) dinner party no one would expect to have to remove their shoes.

any time i go to a hospital, clinic, veterinarian's office..ie wherever illness is treated, i wear crocs and when i return home they go into a hot wash cycle in washing machine. i don't wear those shoes in my home until they're clean.

i like that idea 8pond. i am compromised, but i still would not ask people to take off their shoes. Of course I do not have many people in either. When i go places with ill people, there i am careful.

we have a sheep / cattle farm. especially when we have new lambs and calves we maintain bio-security. if the vet has to come, or if the farrier comes to trim horse and mule feet, we provide disposable boot covers and make them put them on. when you think about it....vets only travel to farm if there is a problem, and i SURE don't want some other farm's illness infecting my critters.

age showing comment coming, I can dig it.

Made me think of this.....

obviously not of the time? or place? otherwise that would not spring to mind? tehehe

You lost me there....who what when? The "can you dig it scene" in Warriors is fantastic and quite 70s..... :-)

don't know, never saw it. It is what we said, maybe they stole it from the rest of us?

It's a movie with a huge cult following. It's about gangs in NYC in the 70s. Very hip and groovy ;-)

does not sound hip and groovy, sounds dirty and low down? i do not think i would have ever said what that man said.

oh thank goodness not made til 79, i was married by then, did not have to go see all those awful guy movies. yechhhh!

Sounds like it was up there with Death Wish 1-53. ugghhh, half the night in the bathroom trying to forget what i saw and hoping the movie would end so i would not see anymore!

http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/home-and-garden/5-super-easy-ways-to-make-people-comfortable-in-your-home/ss-BBmDlvE?ocid=UP76DHP

See #1...

Unless you are the person who cleans the floor it is only respectful to remove your outdoor shoes on arrival! I supply slippers for all my visitors who choose to wear them. However I need extra support for my plantar facietus so have extra support in my slippers :)

My husband and I remove our outdoor shoes at home. But his brother in law doesnt when he comes to visit, so it is really frustrating when visitors don't respect the wishes of the hosts! Extended family members sometimes think they get a free pass and the rules don't really apply to them.

@meteorsky "frustrating when visitors don't respect the wishes of the hosts" - silly me, I was brought up to think the role of a host is to make the guests comfortable. I don't walk around in socks at home (will in slippers, but don't bring those with me when I visit people) and don't expect to be asked to do so when a guest in someone's home. Of course if it's raining or snowing I will not traipse water and mud throughout anyone's home, but in general I would be appalled by a guest who thinks I'm being rude by not following his/her "rules". I cannot imagine having a family member talk about me behind my back for the sin of wearing shoes!

@Susana....

Are you aware that spiky heels can do major damage to wood floors? Frankly, I think if someone is kind enough to invite you over for a nice dinner party or any other pretext, you should be willing to accommodate their requests regarding shoes. How about bringing an extra pair that is not street worn or is flat to avoid damaging the hosts floors or making more work for him or her? Having guests involves quite a bit of work so maybe you could put yourself out a bit too.

susana, there are places where one should be mindful..In certain cultures, it is an insult to the host if the person entering the house does not remove their shoes.

Printesa I understand that shoe removal is dictated in certain cultures but first off those cultures often offer indoor shoes for guests to use and second the dilemma is clearly presented for those cultures that view this as choice i.e. most western cultures.

As far as people worrying about damage by spiky heels ... Life is just too short. Homes are to be used and enjoyed, if you want yours to be a magazine perfect showplace then don't entertain. When you have guests yes your floor may get scratched, your tablecloth may get stained, heck your toilet may get stopped up. This is real life.

And think about this ... Bare feet could mean spreading athletes foot or toenail fungus. I mean if you really want to consider all sides.

Sorry, bottom line in my house will always be guest's comfort comes first. And if I'm give the impression when visiting someone that their spotless rugs or shiny floors are more important than my (literally) cold feet (and painful as mine are with no support), then I'm done visiting. Fortunately in real life I have only rarely encountered such a viewpoint.

@susanalanandwrigley, I was raised to be a courteous guest, if I go visit others' home I'm respectful of the fact that it's their house and their rules. I do want my visitors to feel comfortable, so I offer slippers at the door, and he chose not to use them. I could try getting different slippers that look more appealing, but that's probably not going to change his mind. I don't believe I'm making unreasonable request by asking visitors to leave shoes at the door, especially when we have carpeted floors. Also, in household with crawling babies that play on the floor , you are doing them a big favor by not tracking dirt and contaminants into the home. On another note, one of the reasons I don't wear outside shoes at home is because there are many studies showing chronic lead exposure from wearing shoes inside the house (http://www.thankyourbody.com/reduce-home-toxins/).

Meteorsky if you provide slippers that fit and give appropriate support I'll wear them. But for many people their shoes are part of their outfit and removing them would be akin to having them change their pants or jewelry or whatever. (Not me, I'm into comfort over fashion). Not to mention the many people that require custom orthotics for comfort - I would guess I'm a number of years older than you but I guarantee it is a larger number than you'd think.

The idea that people are traipsing less dirt into your home when barefoot is an illusion in my opinion. You don't know if your guest was previously walking thru his yard barefoot or has a fungus you could catch. Kids especially make very well have been climbing trees or splashing in puddles barefoot. Dirt, pollution, pet hair, etc clings to clothes, skin, hair.

I am really surprised at the number of people who value their carpets over their guests' comfort and who think exposure to outside elements is harmful to their kids etc. Somewhere in the last 50+ yrs people got it the idea that all dirt and germs are evil and that homes should never get dirty. Not how it grew up and not how I raised my family, and none of us are any the less healthy because f it.

But it's your home, so make all the rules you like, and those of us who do not like to treated like children in your home with a list of rules to follow will hang out elsewhere.

@susana, no where in my post did I mention that I want my guests to go barefoot, not sure how you got that. I provide slippers so people don't have to go barefoot. If people have foot issue and need orthotics then that's a different story, but most people don't. And honestly I don't see the connection between politely asking my visitors to leave shoes at the door and treating them like children? Every one has different life style habits and pet peeves in their home, and I respect that when I'm the guest.

Well not everyone has socks on, not everyone will fit into your slippers (or be comfortable wearing slippers shared among strangers), and maybe it's because so many of my friends are of my age and active athletes as am I, you'd be surprised how many need extra support including orthotics, prescription or otherwise, in their shoes. Not sure why you think most people don't need them (you would never know unless you asked and I would bet most guests are too embarrassed to discuss their foot issues when asked to remove their shoes at your door, but that doesn't mean it doesn't bother them). I understand that this is your pet peeve, I was just trying to give the perspective of a guest. And yes, if I'm told what I can wear in your home, you are treating me as a child. Of course I would not track mud or snow into your home, but normal street shoes, wiped at the mat, should not present a problem. Obviously you will continue to do what you do, but I know for sure as a guest that I am not alone in thinking it is rude to ask me to remove an integral part of my outfit when in your home, whether it is integral for comfort or fashion.

Good for you Susana! You are such a gracious person and so compassionately stand your ground. Unfortunately you won't be coming to my house as I am one of those rude folks that have the arrogance to request that guests remove their shoes, or at least not wear their street shoes or heels in my home, not to speak of treating you like a child. It is amazing that I have any friends at all, isn't it?

I have one more question for you. If your invitation suggests a certain form of dress, i.e. formal, do you comply with that request even though it is treating you like a child?

If you really can't see the difference, so be it. Have a nice day. I am very fortunate that in real life, I know of absolutely no one who would deny me the right to wear properly supportive shoes, or who would make my neighbor who always wears heels to complete her outfit to walk around in stocking feet. In my 50 yrs I can recall exactly once being chided for entering a home with shoes on because she'd just had white carpet installed ... and I was dealing with a toddler and a very immediate crisis with another child at the time, which she knew, yet her carpets came first. So be it. I would rather spend my time with people with better priorities, so you'll go your way and I'll go mine.

I keep extra slippers in front closet for guests. I never mention, but most people see our shoes, and ask. I let them decide but most people want to take their shoes off. Some family and friends also always bring their slippers with them.

we have lots of slippers around, in a wide variety of sizes and types. all available to choose from have been freshly laundered before offering. we had a young Marine (son of a good friend) choose big pink fuzzies.

i would probably be pretty dead-set against someone wanting to wear heels on my beautiful rugs or 170 year old, original, pine floors. just not gonna happen. BUT, who would wear heel out to a farm? there is absolutely no pavement their heels would get all dirty and scuffed in the dirt and grit driveway.

While reading all these posts it has come to mind that so many people have posted that they need supports in their shoes. I too used to need those, due to suffering from Plantar Fasciitis but have found a fabulous product that has cured me! I am sharing the product info below and hope no one minds the change of topic..... !

http://kingbrand.com/Plantar_Fasciitis_Treatment.php?REF=1094PV1

May as well go all in, eh? Sorry, but there's not a dime's difference between this and the "OMG you're wearing shoes in my house!" phobia.

never heard of this plastic cover other than here in us,,,I didn't grow up here, but where I did spend my childhood, everyone removed their shoes in the house..Not a phobia, just the way it was

Shoes are OK on hard surface, carpet is a no no

Always off. Do not my kids or other kids playing on floors where nastily shoes have been. I think it's rude for people to not take them off in my house. My house my rules. My kids come first.

It's definitely better to take shoes off

It's definitely better to take shoes off

I regularly wear the shoes in my home that I use to walk or run around the neighborhood. But anything that's recently been in a public restroom comes off immediately upon entering.

Indeed ... huge cultural differences around shoes judging from this thread that seems to go on and on. We provide slippers ...

No one wears shoes in my home. White rugs throughout my home, except in the kitchen, bathrooms and foyer. There is a bench with cubbies below for taking off shoes and storing. I also have foot covers for anyone who wishes to wear them.

That's what i'am talking about

I'm going to guess most of these people who suggest leaving guests shoes outside don't live in Australia. The very idea of all the spiders, snakes and other creepy crawlers that I would later need to shake out of my shoes! I understand that people with different environments would do different. But there's no chance I'd leave my shoes outside here.

Oh and I can't imagine why these people offering slippers would think anybody would wish to wear slippers that could of been worn by anyone else. That seems like a bigger hygiene issue to me than friends and loved ones wearing shoes inside? The places where this culturally occurs may be filthy overpopulated cities, not sure, just saying that a good door mat would take away any worry of dirt where I am, unless farm boots or dirty work boots, then obviously they need to come off.

Foot covers are new and disposable therefore allowing quest to walk in new foot coverings.