We wear indoor flip flops and always take our shoes off before coming inside. We keep ashoe rack right by the front door and the entryway through the garage. However, we never ask our guests to take their shoes off. But, most of them choose to take their shoes off because they see the shoe rack & get the hint and also see that we are not wearing outdoor shoes indoors. I truly appreciated it especially when our toddler was much younger and crawling all over the house. When we go to someone else's house, we always take our shoes off unless the host or hostess insist we wear them and we see that they do the same.
Home & Garden Shoes off! - in other people's homes?
- Thread starter Traminer
- Start date
I think I may have a mild form of podophobia (I like to wear nice shoes & cute socks, and I think my own feet are cute, but everyone else's... 
). Keep those feet encased in my home, please; I don't want to see them. The idea of people walking barefoot on my floor or only a thin layer of cloth between someone's foot slime and my floor grosses me out.
). Keep those feet encased in my home, please; I don't want to see them. The idea of people walking barefoot on my floor or only a thin layer of cloth between someone's foot slime and my floor grosses me out.I think I may have a mild form of podophobia (I like to wear nice shoes & cute socks, and I think my own feet are cute, but everyone else's...
Thanks for the laugh! I needed that today.
Thanks for the laugh! I needed that today.
You're welcome! I know I'm strange that I'd much rather clean up tracked in shoe dirt than foot slime, but if it makes some else's day brighter, I guess it's worth it.
Shoes off was always a rule at my house at home. When I moved into my own apartment, I don't wear shoes there, either.
(I love being barefoot, so if I could possibly avoid wearing shoes, I would. I remember a couple of times, being home for Christmas, and it's really cold, and my mom asking me, "Where are your slippers?")
I instinctively take off my shoes when I go to my friends' houses. I remember visiting my friend's grandparents' place and it got to the point where her grandfather told me I didn't have to take off my shoes every time I came into the house. (We were barbecuing for dinner and I was helping set up the table outside and I kept going in and out of the house.)
(I love being barefoot, so if I could possibly avoid wearing shoes, I would. I remember a couple of times, being home for Christmas, and it's really cold, and my mom asking me, "Where are your slippers?")
I instinctively take off my shoes when I go to my friends' houses. I remember visiting my friend's grandparents' place and it got to the point where her grandfather told me I didn't have to take off my shoes every time I came into the house. (We were barbecuing for dinner and I was helping set up the table outside and I kept going in and out of the house.)
I don't mind unless the shoes look hideously dirty or if they're wearing heels (we have porcelain tiles so I want to protect them). We're generally a shoes off house, but I know that NO shoes on our living room rug (it's beige and fluffy so no shoes!) and on our carpets. Admittedly I wear shoes on carpet sometimes but only when I know that my shoes aren't too dirty. I never wear my work shoes inside - ever (nurses shoes ugh no thanks). I don't force people to take their shoes off but they instinctively do it anyways. I've had friends who leave their shoes on and I don't mind.
Nearly all our friends keep their shoes on when they visit us.
Those who don't are also welcome, of course.
We do not throw "shoes-off-people" out of our home - as some of them seem to do with "shoes-on-people".
And what I do not like at all about some of the "shoes-off-people" - that is their attitude that they are somehow better and superior human beings. They are not ......
Those who don't are also welcome, of course.
We do not throw "shoes-off-people" out of our home - as some of them seem to do with "shoes-on-people".
And what I do not like at all about some of the "shoes-off-people" - that is their attitude that they are somehow better and superior human beings. They are not ......
Interesting discussion. I never thought of the people who DON'T like to take their shoes off. I have carpet so we always do, light colored at that. Awareness! I'm easy going tho so I never tell people to take them off if they don't automatically at the door. We just keep going and enjoy ourselves and our company!
I don't think of myself as superior - I think you are deliberately provoking now because you did not get the response that you wanted from this thread.
In my country it is very much a cultural thing - more than it might be in USA, at least.
But I am also subjective. I cannot understand why some people would have anything against taking their shoes off when they enter my home. In Denmark it is the cultural norm.
Also: I don't throw out "shoes-on-people" out of my home! But because they are visiting me and my home, they should follow my lead i.e take their shoes off to be polite. If they have a phobia around feet or some real issue that keeps them from doing that - fine! I will vacuum after they leave but if it only is a small preference they should follow my lead.
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I keep reading about "culture".
Suggesting, that those who keep their shoes on, have no "culture."
I keep reading about "culture".
Suggesting, that those who keep their shoes on, have no "culture."
That is not what I said at all - you are twisting my words. In Denmark (where I live) it is the cultural norm take off shoes when you step inside someones home unless they say otherwise. It is the default in the Danish society!
It has nothing to do with being "cultured" but everything to do with Danish culture and society.
Same where I live, even the guys who delivered my fridge a few weeks ago took their shoes off before coming in. Also, when my parents refurbished recently I noticed that the workmen started taking their shoes off as soon as the hardwood floor was even a little bit uncovered. Most people take their shoes off in an office I work in sometimes too, but it is a small office and they have separate inside shoes I think. To get the floor properly clean from city shoes surely vacuuming isn't really enough, you'd need to mop too. I'd definitely be super uncomfortable if I had carpet and people wore shoes on it. Much easier to take shoes off. I would usually assume my guests wash their feet more often than streets are washed, but I'm not generally freaked out by feet except in very extreme cases. If someone insisted I wore shoes inside I'd find it a bit unusual but I wouldn't mind doing it, after all they'll be the ones cleaning!
at foot slime 
I remember always being shocked when I was a teenager when watching US shows that people would collapse into bed with their shoes on 
Thank you!
I wonder if there is some sort of language misunderstanding going on throughout this thread or...?