I have not read this whole thread (and will not). But, some thoughts:

I always prefer to take my shoes off at home, and have no idea how anyone would feel differently (other than those individuals with medical issues, such as plantar fasciitis).

I'd love to take my shoes off at other's houses, IF I have notice that I'm going to have to, so I can make sure I don't have that really smelly pair of shoes on, or threadbare socks.

I think it's rude to require guests to take their shoes off without advance notice (for the reasons above). Similarly, if someone has medical issues, or strong preferences to keep shoes on, I think, as a gracious host, it is incumbent on you to be flexible, as leaving shoes on is consistent with American culture.

If a host asks me to remove my shoes I will do so, but unless I have a crawling child, I see no big deal in keeping shoes on. So long as you practice good handwashing and are not licking stuff of the floor I do not see how you can pick germs off the floor that you would not get from handling a door knob or opening a toilet seat or any of the 10,000 things that we touch everyday.

A lot of people wear pants that hang mere millimeters above the ground. You just know there's something unsavory in the dust and dirt that has gotten kicked up onto the the hems of their pants. That's why I always insist that guests take their pants off if they want to come in.

This is a GREAT idea!

To go along with the PP who provides shoe covers for her guests, I'm going to start providing surgical scrubs. I think I'll get a cute little sign for the entryway that says "please remove your shoes AND pants" and my guests can change into their clean scrubs and booties before entering our house!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
YET Americans are the ones who are all obsessed about lysol-ing everything, and purelling their hands six times a day. Kind of mind-boggling.

but Lysol-ing doesn't really clean, right? Doesn't it just cover up smells?

I don't think Americans are all that clean - their households anyway. It's no exaggeration when I say the bathrooms in bars and train stations in Switzerland are cleaner than most American homes.

That's exactly what I'm saying. Americans are germophobes (purell and lysol everywhere) but won't take the basic step of having house shoes versus outdoor shoes. I'm so much more grossed out by shoes than I am by door handles.

Anonymous wrote:I guess we're weird. We don't roll around on the floor.

Really? Do you have small children? How else do you play horsie, or drive trucks around and play with train sets and blocks, or have big wrestly tickle matches?

Anonymous wrote:I have plantar fasciitis, and not wearing shoes is painful to me.

I also have a four-year-old who loves to vacuum, so it works out.

The thing is, in America, shoes are a sign of formality. My parents (my mother especially) would be very unhappy if we weren't wearing shoes when company came over. To her, wearing shoes is a sign of deference. Yes, guests may track dirt into the house. But to her, it's a host's job to clean -- she wouldn't ask guest to take their plates out to the kitchen or to wipe down the bathroom sink.

YES! Where I grew up (in America), when we went to a friend's house for a playdate, we'd ask the mom, is it ok if I take off my shoes? Of course, the answer was always yes, but it would be extremely rude and presumptuous to remove your shoes and toss them beside the door.

I think we wear shoes #1, because our feet get too cold otherwise, and #2, because we have two dogs and our house is so gross because of the dogs that it is a moot point. I try to keep the dogs outside all day but it is a losing battle.

Anonymous wrote:
YET Americans are the ones who are all obsessed about lysol-ing everything, and purelling their hands six times a day. Kind of mind-boggling.

but Lysol-ing doesn't really clean, right? Doesn't it just cover up smells?

I don't think Americans are all that clean - their households anyway. It's no exaggeration when I say the bathrooms in bars and train stations in Switzerland are cleaner than most American homes.

A lot of people wear pants that hang mere millimeters above the ground. You just know there's something unsavory in the dust and dirt that has gotten kicked up onto the the hems of their pants. That's why I always insist that guests take their pants off if they want to come in.

I have plantar fasciitis, and not wearing shoes is painful to me.

I also have a four-year-old who loves to vacuum, so it works out.

The thing is, in America, shoes are a sign of formality. My parents (my mother especially) would be very unhappy if we weren't wearing shoes when company came over. To her, wearing shoes is a sign of deference. Yes, guests may track dirt into the house. But to her, it's a host's job to clean -- she wouldn't ask guest to take their plates out to the kitchen or to wipe down the bathroom sink.

Maybe Americans have ugly toes

I guess we're weird. We don't roll around on the floor.

In my experience, most of the world would be baffled that we even have to discuss this. It's a no-brainer. Many Americans, like poor PP's husband, see no problem at all with bringing the sidewalks and mudpuddles right into the house. Would you roll around with your children on the sidewalk? No? But the living room rug in a shoes-wearing house is a-ok? Whatever.

YET Americans are the ones who are all obsessed about lysol-ing everything, and purelling their hands six times a day. Kind of mind-boggling.

Something just grosses me out about bare feet. When I walk into a house and see all these shoes lined up, of course, I take off my shoes. But I feel extremely self conscious about it and want to get out of there asap. I really get upset at having to walk barefoot through security at the airport.
If our family were shoe removers and we had a guest who felt uncomfortable about walking around barefooted or sockfooted, I hope we'd give them a pass...
It seems nastier to me to have your skin touching the floor.

What gets me about wearing shoes in the house is when you've been in a public place like an international airport; you have foot traffic from all filthy corners of the world walking on those floors. Then after walking on that high traffic public space, tracking all that bacteria, dog shit, every filthy thing imaginable back into your home. Geez, THINK about it people.