Shoes on or off?

[Skytteflickan88]

In your country, do people remove their shoes when they step indoors?

My niece came back from a language course in LA this week (we live in Sweden), and she brought up to her class mates (if I remember correctly, they were all from different countries) that we take our shoes off in Sweden when entering someone’s home, including our own. This surprised her class.

Not everyone in Sweden does this, but from what I’ve noticed, it’s rare that people keep their shoes on, expect in some families, or in rare cases (for example when we’re just stepping briefly in to grab something before going out again, or we're too lazy). It’s considered rude not to remove them when entering a strangers home(unless the stranger is keeping his/her shoes on), but we're a bit more open-minded about our own or our family's floors than with strangers.

I for one do not enjoy cleaning floors, so I’m pro this “rule”.

How do they do in your country? Does the weather, kinds of floors, shoes, etc etc factor in?

[Eric]

It might vary from area to area a little in the U.S., but generally we keep our shoes on in strangers' homes unless they ask us to take them off. I remember I used to have a friend whose parents always asked me to take my shoes off when I came over. I wasn't surprised or anything, but I wouldn't have thought to have done it if they didn't ask. His parents were actually from somewhere in Europe, so I guess it makes sense.

When it comes to our own homes, it varies even more. It's pretty much just whatever you're comfortable with.

[The Girl In Question]

Eric's right, it really does vary in the US. If I'm going to someone's house for a party, I'll keep my shoes on, when I'm going to a house just to hang out, I feel it's more polite to take off your shoes. But then again I was raised with an anal parent and I grew up with friends who have parents from Japan and Korea (they usually take their shoes off there). There really is no main "shoes on or off" rule we follow here.

[The Night Lord]

I always take my shoes off when I go inside either my house or anyone else's

[wenxina]

I like walking around barefoot in my own house. I grew up in a culture where you removed your shoes at the door. And it's always made more sense to me, since I really don't like to bring in all the crap from outside everywhere in the house.
My room-mate walks about the house in her shoes (her fiance does the same), and though it peeves me, especially if I just cleaned the floor, it doesn't bother me too much. Going to a party though... shoes definitely stay on. For one, parties tend to end up with really sticky and gross floors, and two, anyone who watched that episode of Sex and the City (yes, the one where someone stole Carrie's Manolos) will know that shoes can be "misplaced".

[elenasaur]

I think TGIQ pretty much has it right for the US, at least the area I grew up in. For parties or somewhat non-casual stuff, most people keep their shoes on. But if we're all just hanging out someone's house, I generally take my shoes off, just for comfort's sake.

A few of my friends will ask me to take off my shoes, but that's more for people who have white rugs and don't want to get them dirty...

[Hellbound Hyperion]

Traditionally, Japanese culture requires "outside" and "inside" shoes.

Me, I have a special system for determining the covering of my feet based on the activity at hand. I've been fine-tuning it over the years in order to maximize shoe/sandal usage while minimizing money spent on said things.

[PJ]

It all depends if I want to take my shoes off, or leave them on!

[Jsebold87]

I grew up in a house where my mom was totally anal about having to take your shoes off before you come into the house. So it's become second nature to me. I always take my shoes off before going into someone's home. I think it's more of a polite thing to do. Plus it's gross to track around all that dirt from outside, and goodness knows what else into your home.

I always had a few friends growing up who thought it was weird that they couldn't wear shoes in my house, but I think it just depends on the family.

[Beaumonde]

When I've gone over to a friends house, a lot of them have removed their shoes at the door so I always do the same. If they don't do that then I don't either, but I'll wipe my feet which I don't usually do in my own house.

It's not really a cultural thing in the UK, it's just usually if people want to keep their floor clean. In my own house we've never taken our shoes off inside unless we wanted to. If my shoes were really gross I'd probably leave them outside.

When I come in I usually end up taking my shoes off cos it's really warm, but I still walk through all the other rooms with them on. I don't know why, it would seem simpler to just take them off as soon as I got in, but my family's never done that or had a place to put shoes. They just go anywhere.

[afterthebattle]

I am also from Scandinavia Skytteflickan, and, like you, I almost always take my shoes off when entering a strangers house, unless I am told that it isn't necessary. However, in some cases I don't - e.g. in the summer, when the weather is nice and I'm sure that my sandals won't leave any dirt on the floor. But except from that all Danes take off their shoes before entering other people's houses. That's just the norm in Denmark, I guess.
When it comes to me and my own home I don't care very much. I often walk around indoors in my shoes - hey, it's me who is going to do the cleaning anyway!

[Randi Giles]

I have carpet. So nobody comes in my house with there shoes on. That's just me though. I think I've been in 3 other people houses my entire life where I had to take my shoes off.

[Scarygothgirl]

Personally I take my shoes off wherever I am. It's fairly accepted in my hone and other peoples homes, but I tend to get told off around college etc where it's fairly normal to wear shoes.

[drusillacakes]

We always take our shoes off before entering the house. It's a respect thing as well as an issue of hygiene. Besides, living in NY, I seriously don't want to track in anything from those gross streets out there. (I shudder to think! Ew.) When I visit other people's houses, I ask what they prefer and follow their wishes. Most people I know prefer that you remove your shoes before you go in, but some people don't care.

[Midnight Butterfly]

Over in Ireland we don't do that. I'm not too sure about the Republic but in the North we keep our shoes on.

[whitecandy]

I always take my shoes off in my own house as soon as I get in. People take their shoes off when they come in my house, as I do (and others do) at other people's houses. If it is a party type situation at someone's house then I would leave them on, but if it was just a few friends for dinner or a movie then I would take them off. Most people seem to be the same that I know.

[BlueJay]

I've always had to take my shoes off when I enter the door. We even have a shoe rack for this purpose. I plan on adopting this rule for my future place too. In the mean time, when I have friends come over, if there's any awkwardness about asking them to take off their shoes, I just tell them that it's my crazy parent's rule.