Just out of curiosity, how many of you ask that people remove their shoes when entering your home? I grew up always taking my shoes off when we entered our home, or someone else's. I get so grossed out at the thought of everything that could be embedded in carpet. When people come over to our house and walk inside with their shoes on, I get so distracted by the fact that they are wearing their shoes that it's sometimes difficult for me to enjoy their company. I may be a bit OCD, but that's how much it bothers me! But, seriously, I live in Wisconsin, and it's winter...Who would wear their snowy/salty shoes and boots into someone's living room?
I was raised like that and I always take my shoes off when I come inside. My daughter does,too, but I just realized I have never explicitly taught that to her. Somehow I don't feel weird when guests come over and they don't take off their shoes - I don't have many people come over anyways. I have never asked anyone.
I would never ask someone to remove their shoes, but I ask if I should when I go to someone's house for the first time...or just slip the off immediately. Rarely comes up.
The few people I've visited in my lifetime didn't ask us (me/parents) to remove our shoes. I personally rarely, rarely have visitors, if at all (not counting the BF), so I don't ask people to. My BF knows not to wear shoes in my apt, he wears socks. I walk barefoot just a bit, so I almost would NOT want visitors to be walking around barefoot as well. I don't know what kind of skin condition they have. So, I'm kind of d@---- if you do, d@---- if you don't. I of course want my light-colored carpet to stay clean (carpet color NOT my choice), yet I don't want other people's bare feet on my carpet & they don't visit early often enough to bring separate house shoes.
The norm here is to remove shoes at the door. I wouldn't ask people to, but I don't think I've ever had anyone not do it.
I would not, but that's because I have wood floors and they get very cold in the winter. I also have five animals, so no matter how much I sweep and mop, there will be things on the floor that hurt when you step on them. I hate wearing socks with shoes, but my feet always get really cold, and I will keep fuzzy socks in my purse in case I go somewhere and they want me to take my shoes off.
And here. I wouldn't ask people to remove their shoes, but would be surprised if they didn't, especially in the wintertime. With the snow and salt and sand, how would you keep your floors clean? I'm thinking it would be hard with wood or tile floor, but carpeting must be a nightmare!!!
Just to clarify, I have never actually asked anyone to remove their shoes. If they wear them in the house, I just have a little panic attack inside my head. I have been to homes where people have a polite sign on the door, asking visitors to remove their shoes.
I have always walked around barefoot most of the time. I guess some of you would just be grossed out to come to my house. :mellow: I don't care how people walk in my house. I think it may be because I grew up way up in the mountains where most people rarely wore shoes.
We wear shoes in house (I put slippers on immediately) unless it's snowing or raining, then we take them off at the door.
I have hardwood floors. With the weather we've been having, I'd ask people to remove their shoes if they didn't. Thankfully I've never had to ask. I was raised never walking with shoes on in the house. In fact, even if we forgot something, we'd take our shoes off before going back in to get it.
I take shoes off inside and always hope guests do and when they don't I also do the inner freak out, but rarely say anything. The problem is I have hard wood floors and they are COLD so if guests aren't wearing thick socks it's really unfair to ask them to take off shoes. I leave slip on shoes by back door for when I go into yard. Husband only does it cause I do. It does make me feel like floors are dirty if shoes are worn inside.
I always remove my shoes when I go over to other people's houses. I don't ask that people remove their shoes in my house, although I secretly prefer it.
It's the same here, but military don't do it as much as locals do. There are lots of places where you can buy signs requesting visitors to take off their shoes. We don't ask anyone to take off their shoes in our house, but some do.
There was a thread like this six or so years ago. (Edited: The reason I remember is I was talking to an elderly woman who was waiting for her oncology appointment in the same waiting room my late husband and I were in. I tried to make it a point to talk to folks who were waiting alone, even though I'm not the most talkative person and that thread seemed like a safe topic.) I never been asked to take off my shoes. I'd tell someone who took their shoes off to put them back on at my house. We spray but an occasional scorpion survives. You don't want to find one of those with your bare feet.
If I go to someone's house and they have their shoes off or I notice shoes by the door, I always ask if they prefer I remove them. I grew up in a very diverse area so there are many families who take this very seriously and others who find it odd. I don't think it's rude to ask others to follow your habits on this, but maybe just because I'm used to it. I'm always barefoot at home, but we're not shoe-removers. I just find it comfier.
I've never been asked to remove my shoes, and I've never expected anyone to take off their shoes in my house. Last night my two visitors did remove their shoes, but they had walked through snow to get to my door. Otherwise, I'd never have expected it. I wouldn't even have minded if they had left them on. I cannot go barefoot, so I would feel really uncomfortable if someone asked me to remove my shoes. I have numbness in my feet, and I can't tell if I'm walk on something hot/cold/sharp, etc. I always wear some kind of shoe. I have one room with carpet, and it's off-white. I still don't mind if people walk on it with shoes. It can be cleaned.
I am not thrilled to take my shoes off in someone's house - unless they are wet or dirty. My orthopedist prescribed custom inserts for me - which I wear at all times. She said the worst thing for my feet/legs is to go barefoot or to wear slippers, etc. without proper support. Walking too long in unsupported shoes can actually be painful for me. For that reason, I would never require guests to remove shoes.
My neighbor just walked through my kitchen and dining room with snowy, wet feet. Took all of two minutes to clean up after him when he left. No big deal. That's one of my favorite things about having vinyl in the kitchen and hardwood in most of the rest of the house.
I've never been asked to remove my shoes, nor do I ask for visitors to take off their shoes before entering my home. I would do it, if asked, but I'd be annoyed and would think their request was bizarre.
I prefer to have slippers or shoes on, but I'd never dream of leaving dirty shoes on, even if they told me it's okay.
I can't stand to be without shoes. I did have a friend who preferred for you to take your shoes off, but not much of a request around her. I had high gloss tile in my den and it would leave footprints, so I preferred for people to keep their shoes on.
I think it's just a cultural difference. I think shoe removal is the norm in Canada (see replies from our Canadian members!) as well as Asian cultures.
Exactly I guess what I meant to say was that if anyone around here asked me I would think it were weird.
I've never had to ask someone to remove their shoes. Most people have done it automatically when they come over. It's not a big deal to me, though.
When I go in a house I always ask if I need to take off my shoes. In my house I always wear flip-flops around. We have ceramic tile floors and open windows and a dog. So the floor is always covered with dirt and dog hair. I don't want that on my feet!
Same here! I've never been asked to take off my shoes, and I would be uncomfortable (but obliging) if asked.
Haven't you heard of the expression, "d@mned if you do, d@mned if you don't"? Or if you're asking what I mean by that, I said why in the following sentence of that post.
I wouldn't ask guests to remove shoes. I have never been asked, but have asked before.(white carpet,etc.) I was never asked to remove them.I have lived in 3 states, but it may be more of a regional thing....
Lol. At a party in the wintertime in Canada? Good luck finding your shoes in the mountain of footwear by the door. Bonus points if you can do it without getting your feet wet!
I don't automatically take my shoes off when I come in the house. Just depends on what I'm doing. I don't put my shoes on until I'm leaving the house though. I don't ask anyone to take their shoes off when they come in. Now that I think about it my son's friends all take their shoes off when they come in, but not my daughter's friends. I would not like to be asked to take my shoes off, especially in the winter. My feet are always cold. Hubby can't feel one foot, so he could easily fall if he doesn't have his brace on.
When you type it like this, it's clear what you meant. Your prior post was simply d@---I thought it was some tech expression.
If you have a boot tray near your front door then people would see it when they came in and most would automatically take their shoes off. If I knew my shoes were overly dirty/muddy/whatever I would probably take them off. If it was a regular dry day I might not think of it. If someone wore their shoes in my house I wouldn't go into panic mode. I have a door mat and small rug near the entrance of my house so feet can be wiped there. I think it's a little cuckoo to be worrying THAT much about it. If you have white rugs in your house then you're just asking for trouble!!! :lol:
I grew up taking our shoes off, I trained hubby to take his shoes off, and I DO ask guests to take their shoes off. The city is gross!!!!! The area by the door, inside the house, is where we take our shoes on and off and it's filthy!! I clean it regularly and can't imagine all that gross stuff smeared around the house. Bleh!