Taking off shoes when going into the house?

[Ziggy Stardust]

I never have been asked to take off my shoes, and I know of no one who would. Wipe your feet at the doormat, sure. But take off shoes? Never happened to me. It wouldn't be wise to ask me to remove my shoes anyway without the neccesary equipment handy.

I'm quite amazed by the reactions in this thread. I never knew this was also common in western countries.

 

[Reno]

I always take my shoes off when going indoors (unless wearing indoor sandals), practically everyone here expects you to take off your shoes indoors. You will be considered impolite or rude if you walk inside with your shoes still on.

 

[El_Machinae]

Until this thread, I hadn't realised that it was so common to leave your shoes one.

Only rarely have I seen people suggest leaving the shoes ON, those are rare hosts. The exception being if you're moving boxes or unloading a truck or something.

 

[Gladi]

Bright day
Did he offer you inside shoes? If not, it would be possible to refuse in my country.

 

[Gelion]

Recently I was visiting someone and I was suggested by a coworker to take off my shoes as to be polite, as everyone else was doing so. This kind of irked me since I was wearing combat boots and it took me a couple of minutes to unlace them so I could take them off.

This got me thinking, is it polite to ask your guests to take off their shoes?

I'd say no, for the problems they create. Hosts should welcome their guests no matter what they are. Also, there is the problem of walking around a person's house in your socks or bare feet, which is also awkward.

If it is cultural and/or a habit of the place where you are going... then you should do so before being asked by the host or ask the host yourself.

 

[mrtn]

As with all other Scandinavian posters I always take off my shoes. That's only logical if you live in a country were you might encounter mud or snow half the year.

 

[Turner]

Generally I'll take my shoes off, unless I'm only staying for a little bit. But generally I take my que's from whomever I'm visiting.

When I was a kid, I rarely if ever took my shoes off. Unless it was my aunt's house, we didn't wear shoes in her house.

If I'm having guests over, I don't ask them to take their shoes off. But they're more than welcome to.

 

[Urederra]

If it is soooo common in the USA to take off your shoes when going into a house, how come that thingy is not reflected in the american sit-coms? I have never seen Homer Simpsom take off his shoes when he arrives home, or any others home. Or Al Bundi asking his gorgeus wife to take off his shoes for him. Not even Bill Cosby, the King of manners. Neither does that the King of Queens. Peter Griffinn? nope. George Constanza? Fifty? (sorry, Kramer, does Kramer take off his shoes after opening the Seinfeld's door and heading to the fridge? Nope either.

 

[Turner]

That's cuz those shows are fiction, and not real life.

I'm not going to dig it up, but it goes along with not looking up phone numbers, not saying good-bye on the raprod, not having to pay for taxis.... that kind of thing.

 

[Urederra]

But they reflect real life, and George Constanza pays taxis.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

I live in the country and have a farm, so yes shoes off ... that is unless you need to fertilize the floors ... I only have stone or hardwood floors not carpet for me.

Likewise here, well, we don't have a farm, but I do occasionally have to clean the mess my big dog's made in his pen (big meaning 135 pounds), all we have to clean it is a shovel and a hoe. So there is still some room for some to get stuck to your shoes, but lately we've also been hosing his pen down.

Also, the soil around my house has an almost inhuman amount of clay in it, so even when it hasn't rained for weeks here, you can still track mud inside. I grant you we have ceramic tile flooring in the kitchen and dining room, but everywhere else but the bathrooms and furnace room have carpet.

I now take my shoes off just as a mere habit without even thinking, unless I'm in a huge rush.

 

[Sanaz]

Always off for me. Sometimes people leave their shoes on in my home, then I need to clean everything. We don't demand people remove their shoes, there may be a good reason they're left on - flat feet, stink, fungi, sores, whatever. But generally people remove shoes when coming to my home, and I always do in theirs. We don't go as far as having guest slippers at the door, some of my friends do this. It's a good idea, but we don't really have too many visitors.

 

[M37]

Of course you take your shoes off. - unless your walking into something resembling a disaster area.
I remember hearing that years ago my folks practicly secured a home we rented by taking thier shoes off when they entred. My folks would have done it anyway but the Japaense family that owned the house thought this was fantastic.