Question for "no shoes" households

[Anonymous]

Why do people assume shoes are dirty?

Tonight for instance my left my office in my dress shoes, drove my new car home and walked into house my shoes are spotless.

Once home I changed took shoes off and was barefoot. I went to garage to grab a snack from fridge, took dog out in yard and picked up crap. All barefoot.

When I am no shoes my house or another house I run in and out barefoot so my feet are no cleaner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents entertained quite a bit when I was growing up and we had a large, formal house. No one ever took off shoes, to do so would be considered bizarre back then. And it never occurred to us that it made the floors dirty. People greatly exaggerate dirt being tracked in.

It’s not the dirt that’s the problem. It’s the bacteria that you step in throughout the day, ie on the streets, public restrooms. And yes, the bacteria is from shit which people track into homes.

[Anonymous]

Ugh this thread gives me anxiety. I would love to host and have people over, but I am very strictly from a no-shoes culture.

I can’t imagine going to someone’s house and insisting that I keep my shoes on when they clearly don’t want that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents entertained quite a bit when I was growing up and we had a large, formal house. No one ever took off shoes, to do so would be considered bizarre back then. And it never occurred to us that it made the floors dirty. People greatly exaggerate dirt being tracked in.

It’s not the dirt that’s the problem. It’s the bacteria that you step in throughout the day, ie on the streets, public restrooms. And yes, the bacteria is from shit which people track into homes.

This. It’s literally fecal matter you’re bringing in. Google the tests they’ve done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people assume shoes are dirty?

Tonight for instance my left my office in my dress shoes, drove my new car home and walked into house my shoes are spotless.

Once home I changed took shoes off and was barefoot. I went to garage to grab a snack from fridge, took dog out in yard and picked up crap. All barefoot.

When I am no shoes my house or another house I run in and out barefoot so my feet are no cleaner

Well, obviously it depends on your surroundings. When I step out of my Tribeca loft, I am on Greenwich st, stepping on urban detritus - dog poop, pigeon poop, dead rats, urine, etc. Would you want to bring any of that inside?

Some people also don’t want the grit and dirt from outside in their house. Imagine living on the beach - would you take a stroll on the beach in sneakers and then walk your sandy shoes right inside your house? Wearing shoes inside brings a non zero amount of grit and dirt inside, and some people do not want that, even if it’s to a lesser degree than wearing sandy shoes into a house.

Finally, it’s cultural. In some countries, you not only remove your shoes inside, but you also put on special slippers for the bathroom, which is spotlessly clean. For some people, washing your hands goes along with not tracking anything from the bathroom floor back into the house.

So, is that ok? Can people have different opinions and customs when it comes to taking off shoes? By the way, I’m sure you are fine, but being barefoot around dog poop is how people get hookworm.

[Anonymous]

You people are crazy! I tend not to wear shoes in the house as it’s comfortable but no I don’t freak out about shoes in the house and I don’t think they are covered in shit from walking on city streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do people assume shoes are dirty?

Tonight for instance my left my office in my dress shoes, drove my new car home and walked into house my shoes are spotless.

Once home I changed took shoes off and was barefoot. I went to garage to grab a snack from fridge, took dog out in yard and picked up crap. All barefoot.

When I am no shoes my house or another house I run in and out barefoot so my feet are no cleaner

Well, obviously it depends on your surroundings. When I step out of my Tribeca loft, I am on Greenwich st, stepping on urban detritus - dog poop, pigeon poop, dead rats, urine, etc. Would you want to bring any of that inside?

Some people also don’t want the grit and dirt from outside in their house. Imagine living on the beach - would you take a stroll on the beach in sneakers and then walk your sandy shoes right inside your house? Wearing shoes inside brings a non zero amount of grit and dirt inside, and some people do not want that, even if it’s to a lesser degree than wearing sandy shoes into a house.

Finally, it’s cultural. In some countries, you not only remove your shoes inside, but you also put on special slippers for the bathroom, which is spotlessly clean. For some people, washing your hands goes along with not tracking anything from the bathroom floor back into the house.

So, is that ok? Can people have different opinions and customs when it comes to taking off shoes? By the way, I’m sure you are fine, but being barefoot around dog poop is how people get hookworm.

Yes, that's right. We all got hookworms from shoes in the house

As a PP said, people are creating a problem when there really isn't one.

[Anonymous]

I’m Korean, born in the US. We never wore shoes in our house when I was growing up, and we never asked guests to remove their shoes. (Of course they could if they wanted to.) I follow the same rules today, as do most of my Asian friends because we prioritize our guests’ comfort. I think a lot of the people who are really rigid about this are more recent no-shoe adopters. There’s no zealot like a new convert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t host formal events in my house bc I’m that grossed out by shoes everywhere. I once did host many years ago and some woman had a nail coming out of her heel on an old shoe that left dings in every plank of hardwood that she stepped on. I was renting then but would be pretty pissed of that happened on my floors. Only informal gatherings for me and shoes off!

Do you work outside of the house? What about going shopping or other indoor activities, going to the movies, etc?

I have no idea what these questions have to do w my feelings about shoes in the home.

I do all of these activities outside the home while wearing shoes and then I come home and remove them.

You said you were grossed out by shoes everywhere. Clearly not. Curious why shoes in your work office don’t gross you out?

I’m grossed out by shoes that have been walking around everywhere outside in the world, then walking around inside my house, where I go to relax. It’s a personal preference that keeps my home more clean.

Pp, I absolutely agree. Shoes that have been treading everywhere outside and then spreading bacteria and viruses everywhere in my home. Some people tuck their feet with shoes on, under them when they sit on a sofa. They’ve done it in my home and I have seen it in their homes. This is disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have athletes feet on toes. When you ask to remove shoes, this is what is spreading on your floors.

Why don’t you get your athletes foot treated? It’s fungus, right?

[Anonymous]

In 15 years, the only person who has ever said a word about removing their shoes was my MIL. She now leaves a pair of indoor shoes at my house.

[Anonymous]

In my old house (all hard wood floors), we would roll up the rugs and tell people not to worry about taking their shoes off. In our new house, which is largely carpeted (hopefully not for long), we will probably ask people to take shoes off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m Korean, born in the US. We never wore shoes in our house when I was growing up, and we never asked guests to remove their shoes. (Of course they could if they wanted to.) I follow the same rules today, as do most of my Asian friends because we prioritize our guests’ comfort. I think a lot of the people who are really rigid about this are more recent no-shoe adopters. There’s no zealot like a new convert.

Agree - Indian-American here. That said, I have never had a guest NOT ask if they should take their shoes off. I think a lot of posters here are full of shit.