Category: Let's talk
The first time I was in France, I thought it was extremely rude and inconsiderate for people to walk into my flat with shoes on. I learned very quickly however, that it is the norm in their culture to do just so. I of course still requested my visitors to take their shoes off before entering my home. France streets are more often than not littered with dog droppings and people have been known to walk on them by accident. This fact alone is enough for me to stick to my gun.
So, do you keep your shoes on upon entering your house or the other way around?
I take them off in my room here, unless I'm just coming back to grab something. Same at home. I've been in houses where people don't have a rule either way, or they request that people take them off. It kind of varies.
We have wood floors which attract all manner of dirt and dust easily: I ask for people to remove their shoes.
it's a cultural thing. no one has ever asked me to remove myi shoes. if they did I'd be happy to do so.
I had never, ever removed my shoes in the house until I met some civilized Canadian people in college. I grew up in a low income white bread southern family, and I had never heard of such a concept before. Now, I take my shoes off as soon as I walk in the door, and it makes me a little twitchy when people don't. (We have full carpeting in our house). Whenever I go to someone's house, there's this awkward moment when I really want to remove my shoes, but I don't know if that would be weird. Here in Colorado though, snow is the great decision maker.
It's Swedish culture to take off shoes when entering your own or someone elses house.
Usually we have slippers we can wear. I am wearing my sheepskin slippers at the moment.
Often people will have a spare set of slippers around. We have a couple, mostly for when Johan's mum comes over because she can't really walk around without something on her feet.
But yes, it took a lot of getting used to, because in Australia it wasn't really the done thing. Carpets are pretty rare here, so that probably has a lot to do with it.
After my first visit I instituted the Swedish rule in my house, because it made loads of sense to me and made cleaning up much easier.
Canadians regularly expect you to take off your shoes in the house. It is the exception to the rule if a Canadian, in my experience at least, tells you it's okay to leave your shoes on. One of my cousins sometimes does this.
My first impulse is to take my shoes off in any house unless told otherwise, right at the door after I've come inside.
I've read stories, many of them, where American children get up in the morning and put on shoes right away before going downstairs. For me this is an oddity, we never ever did this. Putting on your shoes was pretty much the --last thing you did on your way out the door, with the exception of winter gear.
So for me, personally, I expect people to take off their shoes unless they're coming in for only a minute or two. If my dad comes to pick me up and he has to use my bathroom, he usually doesn't take off his shoes and I don't insist. If someone's coming to actually visit though? I'd find it somewhat rude if they didn't remove their shoes.
Yeah... most people here in Canada takes off their shoes upon entering their or someone else's home. For me it is not just the cultural thing, but think about it... The bottom of your shoes comes in contact with the outside as well as public rest rooms and so on. Why on earth would you want to drag all the bacterias and dirt into your own living quarter? I'd say carpet is even more of a reason to take your shoes off because, let's face it, how often do you steam wash them? Vaccuming could only do so much... With hard surfices floors, it is much easier to simply clean with a bucket of hot water and cleaning solutions. I wash my floor every couple of days, and when we were at my parents, their home has carpet which got washed once a year because everything has to be moved so that the entire surface could be washed.
Off off off. There's no tile in the entryways of the aps in my building. Stupid stupid builders.
I ask people to take their shoes off if they are staying a while. If we are quickly grabbing something, or carrying in groceries we don't.
Here in my apartment, I leave my shoes on, but am starting to understand why my mother has the rule about shoe removal when entering her home. tracks in less dirt and junk from outside. But it still feels weird for me to have my shoes off when visiting my parents. so I have socks on at all times in their house.
I've never really thought about it. If someone wants me to take my shoes off, I will. If I know it's really muddy out, I'll ask that people wipe their feet on the mat before entering, and maybe it's just a southern thing, but in my small home town, if someone came in and took off their shoes, or insisted that you take off your shoes at their house, you'd naturally assume they were just too good for us small town folk.
A good example is this. Years ago, my mother married a guy named Don, and his family invited us to a cookout. There was a woman there, (don's sister,) named Janis. She opened up a can of coke and after she took a sip, she folded up a napkin and put it over the can. everyone just thought it was a crime! How dare she act so high and mighty. Did she think she was queen of England or something?
Personally, I'd never thought much about it, but it made sense that she might want to keep the flies and such out of her can of coke.
In my parents house nobody was ever asked to remove shoes and the houses were always set up so that it wasn’t necessary. All the entrances had places to clean shoes, or were off the kitchen.
My mother was from the south as well, and people were meant to be comfortable when they visited. If they made a mess, we just cleaned it up.
My mother’s house is this way now. She had tile floors installed in places where people need to walk when they come inside.
If weathers bad, she has thick rugs to catch the mess.
Sure, if a person came in out of the mud and had to walk over carpet it made sense.
When I became were I had my own house, I followed this pattern until one time we had wood floors installed.
In that case, we had no choice but to ask the removing of shoes.
I do think it is cleaner, and I don’t mind removing my shoes at others houses, and I don’t need to be asked, especially if the door I come in is carpeted, or has flooring that is easy damaged.
In my house, if my shoes are clean, I’ll leave them on most times.
Golly, I had no idea my shoes were so offensive. lmao
Yep, I'm from the south and like Anthony, I'm all about making others comfortable in my home. I have a basket by the front door because my son likes to take his shoes off at random places. Now, at least he puts them in the basket. Also, he has a friend who takes his shoes off so this works out well for everyone.
As for me personally, I've had several surgeries on my left foot. IF, heaven forbid, I bump a particular part of my toe on something it's horrifically painful. There are some parts of my foot I can't feel. I've been instructed by my orthopedist to wear shoes with incerts as much as possible because of some of my foot issues so I am usually wearing shoes.
I grew up wearing shoes In the house. It's just what we all did. Since I can't see others taking off their shoes, I've probably offended tons of people if they haven't asked me to take mine off in their house simply out of being unawear.
Well, now I feel like an ignorant hick. lol
Naw sugar! You lived in the South. If you were suppose to take your shoes off, you'd have been given a drink and instructions as to were to sleep later. Smile.
Temp company, naw.
I keep some plastic booties on the shoes rack just for people with health issues or elderly parents whom have trouble bending down. I'd just help them slip the booties over top of their shoes and that way, they're comfortable and I have my clean floor... a win win situation!
That's a really nice and kind way to do it. I wear slip on sandal type shoes as much as I can, so taking them off isn't hard to do. cultural stuff like this is really interesting.
Yes indeed. These bootty things are a good idea. Probably a Canadian feature.
Kimmy, where did you find those? Love that idea.
Anthony, I wish I could claim to come up with such innovative idea, but I've stolen it from visiting a friend working in a daycare... It is mandetory there that all visitors and staff to either take off their shoes upon entering the fecility or place these plastic booties/shoes cover under their footware.
Joanne, these could be located at any Walmart stores or when in a crunch, if you have a couple of disposeable showercaps they would do the job just as well seeing as they could be slipped under the shoes and hold
Shoes come off at this Canadian's door, regardless of what country it's in.
When I lived in Canada, shoes came off without question... it's just how it's done and
nobody questions it. If you want to leave slippers by the door to wear, that's fine, but
shoes still come off at the door.
When I lived in the Caribbean (with a bunch of Canucks), shoes came off at the door...
there was never any spoken rule about this, we all just did it like that. Unless we were
expecting company and wanted the house to look tidy, we just left all of our shoes in a
somewhat organised jumble... running shoes for work, flip flops for the beach... you
name it, if t was footwear it was left at the door for easy access.
Now that I live in the UK, I remove my shoes at the door. Ed goes into the living room to
take his running shoes/trainers off, and while I'm not so keen on him doing that, given
that he at least puts them out of sight under a corner coffee table, I don't have much
grounds to complain. To his credit, he does take his work shoes off at the door when he
comes home from work, so I am willing to cut him slack on where he takes his runners
off.
Kind of like the Tyvek suits forensic scientists must wear to keep crime scenes uncontaminated.
I honestly thought that this was an Asian/eastern thing. I learned something by reading this. Taking your shoes off at the door makes sense, but nobody around me enforce this rule because of people's dirty feet and whatever else stupid reason not to do it.
I'm also from the south, Texas--and growing up, we didn't take off shoes at the door. Well, about 15 years ago, my parents bought a house that had wall-to-wall white carpet, and my mother threw a fit if people didn't take off their shoes at the door. This was the first I'd encountered such a practice, and I'm lazy, so... it was a little maddening, when I visited. It also meant that I had to wipe off the puppy's paws. Actually, I think the maddening aspect wasn't so much that she asked people to do this, but that she didn't trust that you'd remember to, and so constantly nagged about it!
I have hardwood floors now, and this thread has made me think. I don't like to keep my shoes on in the house, anyway, but my partner does...that might be a problem. *smile* And I think I'd feel slightly awkward asking guests to remove their shoes. I'm just not used to it being done.
I'm the same way. I'd feel really awkward and unwelcoming doing that.
It's pretty common here, not everyone does it but it wouldn't be surprising to be asked.
In my own place I don't usually wear shoes and I ask others if they'd remove them, I'm not insistant about it though.
Oooo, I'm gonna show this board to Music_Richie!
Anthony, LMFAO! That'll send him into fits.
Growing up, I never had to take my shoes off upon entering the house. Here in my own apartment, I often leave them on out of habit.
Shoes definitely come off in my house. I have a shoe rack in the entry way and find that even maintenance people will sometimes take the hint and take them off as well, which I very much appreciate because if they don't I have a maniacal floor cleaning session after they leave.
Wow this is really informative.
I like to be without shoes when home, but I do wear mine when at my walking desk for work. I admit it's never occurred to me to ask someone else to take theirs off though. I mean, never actually occurred to me.
Shoes come off immediately in my house and dorm room, though I find it interesting when it comes to others I know. When I went to my boyfriend's house, for example, they kept their shoes on, and I felt strange not removing mine.
the question is academic since i never have anything on my feet.
most of my visitors bare their feet upon entering my house.
when entering someone elce's home, I remove my shoes for manners sake. but ask for a spare indoor slippers if possible
Taking off one's shoes in someone's house is beyond weird to me--I never did it growing up, and years later as an adult when I was asked to by a roommate, I flat out refused. Why? Because I actually care about taking care of my feet.
People talk about the germs that come in from outside, but they fail to mention the things you can get access to by way of not wearing your shoes (like fungus, stepping on glass or other sharp items, ETC).
Even if I didn't have orthopedic issues, I imagine I wouldn't be any different--and quite honestly, I'm shocked at the number of people who would rather take their shoes off and expose themselves to God knows what, than to actually keep their feet clean, cozy and supported.
I'd hope the people I visit that are asking me to remove my shoes don't have God knows what on the floor.
Chances are they don't. Most likely the reason their asking folks to remove shoes.
I'd think you could probably smell if a person house was that dirty.
Yes. And who's going to have glass lying around, inside their house? I'm sure no one wants their feet cut up! Or their kids' or their pets.
the glass mentioned above was in reference to walking *outside* in public spaces.
You know the glass on the floor has been talked about a couple times.
I don't understand why anyone wouldn't clean up broken glass, but I have seen it.
A blind person should vacuum if they brake a glass to make sure it is up.
A seeing person needs to get off that lazy ass.
When I was a kid and young adult and before having diabetic foot problems, I always took my shoes off as soon as I entered my apartment or home simply because barefoot was more comfortable. But I've never gone to someone's house who expected guests to remove shoes. If not for reading this board, I never would have known how many people seem to have this requirement. As I stated in my earlier post, I would remove my shoes if asked but would never ask others to remove their shoes at my own house.
I'm more than happy to comply about shoe removal. But I guess I grew up with the notion that I don't ask guests to do something. They're guests, after all, and unless they're doing something that compromises other guests or the family, I just wouldn't.
Reading this board has been educational, and not just about shoes.
I can't speak for anyone else, but personaaly, I keep my living space extremely clean and tidy, and one could eat off of my floor... I have a little girl who's favorite things to do is play, roll and lay down on the floor... So, I have an interest to make sure that it is kept cleaned.
Here in Canada, it is an unspoken rule that one removes ones' shoes upon entering a home... Nothing awkward about it and people are not put off by having to do so. It has to do with respect for someone's living space...
Well you're right, at least I remember something similar when I was in Japan. You'd go inside the entryway, take off your shoes and step up into the house. Turn around, turn your shoes around so that you can step down into them without getting your feet on the dirty entryway.
I see all your points. It's merely new, was all.
here is another thread to add to this cloth. when our kids were small, during spring, summer, fall, or winter, we'd let them run around our home barefoot. my dad and stepmom would have a hissy fit. "it's winter. they will get sick. it's cold." as often as I said "it's 70 in the house today. that is no different than 70 in the house in may." I'd still hear the whining and moaning. so finally I got tired of it and said "grand folks are coming soon. put on your shoes." anyone else experience this?
I experience this more with jackets and shorts with my kiddo and the grandfolks. We're in Texas so it doesn't often get unreasonably cold. My son wears only a shirt and hoody to school rather than a heavy jacket. My mother is convinced he's going to catch his death. lol I keep trying to explain that viruses and bacteria cause illness not temperature. I realize that hypothermia coul be a concern but not in this case. lol Besides, he's a 12-year-old boy. If he's not smart enough to learn to put on a heavier jacket when it's cold by now, then he's got more problems than just being cold. lol
besides 12 year old boys think coats "are for dorks" a direct quote from my now 27 year old son. I was like ok be that way and freeze it's yor life. when he moved out to western md where it gets cold, he called to ask for a coat. the shock nearly did me in.
Lol. that's too funny.
Upon seeing the title of this board, I assumed it was from a person of Asian descent, but we all know what happens when you assume! I had no idea that there was a "Shoes off" policy in Canada. I will definitely keep that in mind for the future. I personally don't care either way if people take their shoes off. When my family moved in to their new house, my mom tried to make rules about taking shoes off, staying out of certain rooms etc. but eventually things went back to normal. As someone living in the house, I was not a huge fan of the rule because some people have really stinky feet and I'd honestly just prefer to clean after they leave. The thing about America is you never know if someone has the "shoes off" rule whereas in another country like Canada people probably take extra care to clean their feet and wear clean socks. Also, awkwardness in asking people to take off shoes is all in how you do it. I'm always willing to take off my shoes if asked, it's very disrespectful not to. However, I have chosen not to enter places if I was asked to take my shoes off in a disrespectful way. For example, living in the dorms with people from so many countries, I usually stand at the door and talk to people unless invited in. One day, I was talking to someone and came closer to the dorway to hear what she was saying, when her roommate stopped me and said, "If you want to come in, you need to take your shoes off." In a condescending tone. Since she was just the roommate and it's not from her culture, I don't think she is well versed in how to politely make this request. Other students usually say, "Please take your shoes off," or some variation of that with a smile. So yes, there is a way to do things that comes with practice, time, and watching other people.
Lmao, If you take shower everyday and change into clean socks... I mean to say I don't know how your your taking the shoes off would be an unpleasant affair unless it is do to some illnesses.
And like everything else... how you phrase a request in any given situation does count when it comes to receptiveness... unless said person is unreasonable lol.
If most of you decide to keep your shoes off, more power to you. Personally, as I've said, I'm not gonna take such a risk myself. Shoes on at all times for me, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Comfort is a huge issue, not to mention just because I keep my place clean, doesn't mean everyone is the same.
Where I live I where slippers all the time. for now my home is an upstairs house so I have one slippers for outside and one for inside. When people come to my home if they walk in like mud or dirt they know to take their shoes off. And there's a rule for the Hindu religion in Trinidad where I live no one can never walk in to a temple with a shoe or slippers on. Everytime I go there's always an entrance to leave shoes and you can put your names because there could be lots of people entering so you won't get you foot-wear mixed up with anyone else.
when I went to vietnam, we went to a temple in Hue where we had to take
our shoes off. The temple itself was very cool to the touch. I think it was made
of marble, given its proximity to the marble mountains, but I don't know. So we
took our shoes off and stepped up into the temple, and that was fine. But it was
noon, so while we were in the temple, the sun was baking our shoes and the
concrete around them. So when we came out of the temple, it was miserable to
put our shoes back on. still, best day of my life I would say; so far anyway.
as for my house, shoes off. Right now, my parents have their entire place
tiled, and they have dogs that aren't house broken, so I wear shoes to avoid the
minefield so to speak. But when I have my own place, shoes off or no entry.
Especially since I hope to have carpet. Wearing shoes on carpet is just dumb.
I agree with the carpet thing. Down here in Trinidad where I live most if not all of the hindu temples are modern. With tiles and a kind of shed to put shoes so rain or sun you are good to go.
Where I live, nobody seems to take off their shoes just because they are going indoors. Somehow, though, I've developed the impulse to do it. I feel weird wearing my shoes into people's homes - it feels like I'm tracking all sorts of stuff in. Still, I generally leave them on... People act like I'm crazy if I take my shoes off in their home!
In Ireland, it would actually be considered rude to take your shoes off on entering a house, as it's a sign of making yourself comfy and intending to stay! Fine if you're asked to, but to do so without being asked is almost slobbish and definitely not good manners! England tends to be somewhat the same although less extreme,e but I notice it's more common now to have shows off indoors than it was when I first came here. Regardless of custom, everyone takes shoes off here and leaves them in the kitchen, as the germs on the bottom of shoes are a worry for the breeding cats.
I'm guessing that it depends on people and their habbits. If they want to keep cleaning they wouldn't mind if you walk in with your shoes on.