Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Several years ago, when I was visiting Sweden with my Swedish boyfriend, I was surprised to learn that Swedes also took off their shoes. We took off our shoes at his apartment, his friend's place, and his family's.

Some places that should remove their shoes because of the shear amount of dog shit on the sidewalks don't remove their shoes, i.e. France and the Netherlands.

When I lived in France, everyone took off their shoes at home. Lots of people had a supply of guest slippers available. That was the first time I ever saw the guest slipper concept, and have been sort of intending to implement it at home ever since. If anyone knows of a good sale on slippers, let me know!

No shoes in our house! I have a sign in the kitchen that hangs at the dining room entry "Please remove shoes before entering"-we had it made of course. I instruct anyone that comes to our house to knock at the kitchen entrance, and the shoes can stay in the kitchen. Our home stays so much cleaner because of not tracking in street dirt, and our rugs never get dirty! I grew up like this but husband didn't but very quickly became an advocate of the no shoes policy in the house. I always kick off my shoes before going into anyone's home, it's habit now.

It's your home!

Anonymous wrote:Several years ago, when I was visiting Sweden with my Swedish boyfriend, I was surprised to learn that Swedes also took off their shoes. We took off our shoes at his apartment, his friend's place, and his family's.

Some places that should remove their shoes because of the shear amount of dog shit on the sidewalks don't remove their shoes, i.e. France and the Netherlands.

And there's all kinds of accessories at IKEA designed for shoe storage because of this.

Several years ago, when I was visiting Sweden with my Swedish boyfriend, I was surprised to learn that Swedes also took off their shoes. We took off our shoes at his apartment, his friend's place, and his family's.

Anonymous wrote:

I do keep a bag of surgical booties near the front door that I hand to workmen. Some are nice about it, and some look at me like I've asked them to put on tights and a dress,

LOL. Funny!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I'm offended if I am wearing sandals or shoes with no socks and then I have to walk around someone's house barefoot. Esp. if my pedicure is getting old. Very embarrassing.

I think your "drill" should be more about your guests than about you.

Just the opposite. It should be about respecting the house rules. Who are you to come in and decide that you can slough around my kitchen and living room in your shoes - I would prefer your ugly pedicure over dirty shoes? Do you lay on your bed with your shoes on too?

Not the PP, but some people actually do have their shoes on when laying on their bed! They also have their shoes on when cuddled up on the sofa and other furniture. THIS is the most disgusting thing to me.

First thing I do when I visit people is to look at their feet. If they have shoes on, I don't say anything, but if they are barefoot or have house slippers on, I ask if we should take our shoes off.

We're a no-shoes-inside household that is neither Asian nor (excessively) obsessive compulsive. Somewhat OC, but not excessively so! We have very dark bamboo floors that show every speck of everything, every scratch, etc. Every footprint, for that matter. We have a shoe rack inside the door that we place shoes on, and we wear slippers or socks or go barefoot inside the house. Most of our friends do the same thing so it's not really awkward, except for the one clueless friend who wears heels everywhere and refuses to take off her shoes. Fine with me; we don't ask. We just let guests follow our lead.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely - shoes are GROSS! I don't want my shoes - or anyone else's! - walking around in my home. Think about where the bottom of your shoes have been. I don't think it's rude at all to ask people to remove their shoes at the door. I think if my friends had a problem with it I would find friends that weren't so petty!

People's bare feet are grosser than shoes! Did you ever read the thread here about how few women even get pedicures in DC? YUCK>

Do you know how many infections are spread from unsanitary pedicures? yes - even in the upscale salons

I'll take my socks and shoes over MRSA, thank you very much.

Really? You'd rather have shoes that have walked over urine-soaked floors and bacteria-ridden floors...and feces, blood, animals, etc.? Nasty.
Pedicures do not equal cleanliness. Duh.

When I grew up, only people my mother considered tacky and LMC took their shoes off in their homes. We never took our shoes off at other people's houses unless explicitly told to do so, and I don't think my parents would do so even then. They'd stand in the front hall or leave.

I never had a no-shoes policy until I had a child crawling on the floor. Then I realized how incredibly gross it was to wear street shoes in the house where DC was crawling. Later we found out DC has an allergy to dust, so I was glad I'd started the no-shoes policy early.

We have a big line of shoes by both front and back doors. It should be obvious we're a no-shoe household, but to those who can't handle going shoe-less I don't insist. If they ask, I say, whatever feels comfortable to you, and leave it at that.

I do keep a bag of surgical booties near the front door that I hand to workmen. Some are nice about it, and some look at me like I've asked them to put on tights and a dress, but I don't care -- I'm paying them!

I never ask people to take their shoes off at dinner parties. I can't imagine doing that when someone has gotten dressed up to come to my house for a party. Shoes are an essential part of any outfit! We clean up after the party and mop the hardwood floors. Guests don't go upstairs, so it's not a problem.

I make all kids go shoe-less. I even make them wash their feet if they are barefoot and particularly grubby.

I have to say that I agree with PP it's a bit gross to have people walk around my house barefoot. (I don't hand out slippers to the un-socked.) But I think tracking all the junk on the sidewalks they've stepped in would be worse.

Unless it was a party I would not be offended. That said I work as a nanny in a house that has this "rule" and it drives me crazy that the floor is not kept clean always (what is understandable)- my socks get sooooooooo dirty. Barefoot is even worse since I can feel little crumbles under my feet. I keep making a mental note to bring brand new shoes to wear only inside that house, but keep forgetting...

At my house I had this policy to our family when it was wall to wall carpet, but now that it is hardwood floor I relaxed a little bit since it is easier to clean.

On a side note, the first week after we had the hardwood installed we hosted a dinner party and one of my husband's friends came in with dirty muddy boots - he left those dirt shoes marks all over my beautiful (dark) floor. I was so pissed!

I seriously think it is gross to walk around someone else's house without shoes. Should that be respected?

Funny, I was in my thirties before I encountered this custom. I lived in a very multicultural part of Houston, TX and my realtor told me it was a normal Asian custom to remove shoes before entering a home (we were viewing a lot of homes that had this noted). I wasn't offended at all, and in fact, after he pointed out how clean the 5 year old carpets in the house were, I came to see it as a benefit!

Now, we also have a wicker basket by our front door that we all drop our shoes into the minute we walk in the door. I have never been one to wear my shoes inside anyway, nor do I wear my shoes outside (even in snow) to run and get the mail or the morning paper!!) unless I'm going somewhere. So for me it's just natural to conform to a no shoes inside policy.

Enforcing it with friends and neighbors... could be tricky. I'd go with a basket and a box of new flip flops for the extremely uncomfortable. 90% of people will get the drift and you can't win them all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely - shoes are GROSS! I don't want my shoes - or anyone else's! - walking around in my home. Think about where the bottom of your shoes have been. I don't think it's rude at all to ask people to remove their shoes at the door. I think if my friends had a problem with it I would find friends that weren't so petty!

People's bare feet are grosser than shoes! Did you ever read the thread here about how few women even get pedicures in DC? YUCK>

Do you know how many infections are spread from unsanitary pedicures? yes - even in the upscale salons

I'll take my socks and shoes over MRSA, thank you very much.

Do you have open sores on your feet or something? You're not going to get MRSA by walking around barefooted. Sheesh.

I don't like the no shoes request, but I abide by the rules. However, I once went to an open house and was asked to take off my shoes. DH and I turned around and walked right out. I did find that offensive. Did they want to sell they house or just keep the carpet clean? It was annoying.

Actually this is STANDARD practice when a homeowner has replaced the carpets and has nosy neighbors and house hunters trampsing through their home all day. I know... I used to have to sit at these boring open houses when I worked in marketing for a real estate company. I would say the MAJORITY of people who's homes are on the market with new carpet request this.

Yes, this is the standard (as the person above just stated). Plus, imagine being the buyer and with a less than pristine "new" carpet that has been trampled with dirty shoes by prospect buyers. So, don't be offended - it's not personal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely - shoes are GROSS! I don't want my shoes - or anyone else's! - walking around in my home. Think about where the bottom of your shoes have been. I don't think it's rude at all to ask people to remove their shoes at the door. I think if my friends had a problem with it I would find friends that weren't so petty!

People's bare feet are grosser than shoes! Did you ever read the thread here about how few women even get pedicures in DC? YUCK>

Do you know how many infections are spread from unsanitary pedicures? yes - even in the upscale salons

I'll take my socks and shoes over MRSA, thank you very much.

Do you have open sores on your feet or something? You're not going to get MRSA by walking around barefooted. Sheesh.

I don't like the no shoes request, but I abide by the rules. However, I once went to an open house and was asked to take off my shoes. DH and I turned around and walked right out. I did find that offensive. Did they want to sell they house or just keep the carpet clean? It was annoying.

Actually this is STANDARD practice when a homeowner has replaced the carpets and has nosy neighbors and house hunters trampsing through their home all day. I know... I used to have to sit at these boring open houses when I worked in marketing for a real estate company. I would say the MAJORITY of people who's homes are on the market with new carpet request this.