New Poster, only skimmed the other posts. No, not offended, per se, but here's one perspective, if you ask people to do this, be sure your home is IMMACULATE. I went to a NYE party years ago and wore my favorite winter white pants and stillettos. Went to a party of a Slovakian (since we're talking ethnicities) friend, who asked us to take off our shoes. I did so willingly, but of course, my pants, minus the heels, dragged on his hardwood floors, which were FILTHY! Ruined the suit. So...if you do ask people to take shoes off, and have a party, it might be nice to mention it in the invites (I'm sure you can be tongue in cheek).

The nicer houses I've been to have a no shoes policy. if I want to get invited back (or invited on the "house tour"), I oblige. If I don't want to get invited back, I don't. Simple.

I haven't had a chance to read all the responses, but we are also a no-shoe household. It's just a personal preference and I'm actually not even a germophobe. I just find it unsanitary to walk around the house with shoes on, especially when you have little ones crawling and playing on the floor. Think about all the stuff you step in out there--yuck!

People seem to follow our lead and I generally only ask if it's really rainy outside since our yard collects a lot of leaves, debris, dirt, etc.

I have a relative who has a no-shoe house and provides a basket of slippers for her guests to use, which I think is a nice touch.

"Plantar faciitis poster here: I do in fact keep my shoes on at home. Dr's orders.

Me too. Same exact situation. Shoes on, all of the time."

VERY familiar with Plantar Fasciatis. Any doctor who tells you that a couple hours in someone's house exacerbates it is an idiot. You can scream "doctor's orders" all you want. But your doctor is a quack. And we all know you don't walk around your own house in your shoes 24/7. Why so lazy?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Hehehe, you really think a nice door mat keeps your house clean?!?!?! Hilarious!

Hehehe, you really think that wiping your dog's feet and taking off your shoes means that you do not otherwise have to clean your house and that there is more to your house than the floors.

Your house must be a low-down dirty shame!!! Do you think someone who wipes their dogs' feet wouldn't be as conscientious about the floors and OTHER surfaces? Hehehe.

Every time I see the "Hehehe," I can't help but imagine Will Farrell imitating George W. Bush.

We have a no shoes policy in my home. I keep a basket of inexpensive but cute Japanese slippers by the door for those uncomfortable (and believe me there are times I need a pedi or I have a hole in my sock too and feel funny at someone else's no shoes home). For kids it is non negotiable in my book. For grown ups at a dinner party, I leave it up to them.

We have no shoes policies in the house, and those who come in regularly to our house (the cleaning lady, the nanny, our relatives and a few close friends) take them off too. On the other hand, if I am throwing a dinner party at home, i just tell people to keep their shoes on. Some do take them off nevertheless (as they see our stack of shoes in the entree), others keep them on, and both are fine with me. I usually vacuum and wet clean the areas where guests walked around immediately after the dinner party (yup, not too much fun, but feels great waking up to a clean kitchen/dining / living rooms area).

I am also not originally from here, and actually come from two cultures where in one it's unthinkable for guests to take their shoes off, in the other it is equally unthinkable to leave them on inside the house. I chose to follow the shoes off inside the house culture.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're German (so, no, being Asian has nothing to do with it) and we also enforce a no shoe policy too.

We just politely say "would you mind taking off your shoes?" Our friends and neighbors know this and have no problem.

I've never heard of anybody being offended by such requests.

Wouldn't etiquette deem that guests abide by rules of the hosts' house?

Do you mean you're of German heritage? Because I'm from Berlin, and I've had anyone ask me to remove my shoes there. It's a cold country with lots of tile and hardwood floors--not terribly comfortable. ANd not really part of the culture. Just curious.

Im from Norway if you want to talk about a cold country. Even having the type of carpet on the floor that most Americans do is considered unhygienic in Norway. We have hardwood floors and tile and if people could see the kind of filth that is dragged into the home if they leave their shoes on, I think most people would begin to take them off. In Norway, it is terribly rude and disgusting if you leave your shoes on in a home. Many of you say "we dont roll around on the floors" etc. Do you realize that the crap that you bring in on your shoes doesn't just stay in the carpet? Every time someone walks on the carpet, a lot of it gets kicked up into the air and you breathe it in. No wonder why so many people have problems with allergies here. Carpet, by itself, collects and holds on to a lot of dirt and dust and people who walk on it with there shoes on just make it worse. I don't care how much you vacuum it, a lot of the dirt and dust stay in the carpet and I would prefer my carpet not collect anymore crap by you not taking off your shoes. And if you refuse, I have little green hospital booties that you can put on your shoes.

Anonymous wrote:Plantar faciitis poster here: I do in fact keep my shoes on at home. Dr's orders.

Me too. Same exact situation. Shoes on, all of the time.

I would love to show off my ped done I dont mind at all to take my shoes off.

We have no-shoes policy in our house. I never expect our guests to follow it...

One day, when visiting my brother's house, I took off my shoes at the door, walked into the dining room, and immediately stepped in cat poop. Charming.

In the end, it was certainly easier to just hand my SIL the gross socks and claim a pair of hers than it would have been to actually clean my shoes.

None-the-less, it was GROSS.

Anonymous wrote:"We just politely say "would you mind taking off your shoes?" Our friends and neighbors know this and have no problem.

I've never heard of anybody being offended by such requests."

Same here! How ridiculous!

Only in D.C. Where everything is a pissing contest! A bunch of know-it-alls that don't know too much at all.

YES!

I live in the UK and I have to say that I find this whole thread to be at best bizarre and largely ethno-centric. My best friend was in DC recently and visted one of the very best Chinese restaurants, where he was not only asked to remove his shoes but put on the appalling pair of lemon slippers. He absolutely refused to do either and left. Yet he mentioned that he noticed before leaving the ludicrous sight of well dressed professionals in lemon slippers, the very people who on this thread object to removing their shoes when visiting ones friends or family. it seems perfectly acceptable to hide behind the veil of cultural necessity when one is asked to where his Armani Suit with silly slippers, but when it comes to the free choice of a householder to ask his guests to remove his shoes, then it becomes an imposition. Would someone please explain the difference.

"We just politely say "would you mind taking off your shoes?" Our friends and neighbors know this and have no problem.

I've never heard of anybody being offended by such requests."

Same here! How ridiculous!

Only in D.C. Where everything is a pissing contest! A bunch of know-it-alls that don't know too much at all.