Do you wear shoes in the house?

Remove thy shoes - No shoes in the house!
@jesssp (2712)
Canada
March 2, 2009 5:22pm CST
This is one of those things where Canadians and Americans are supposed to differ. Apparently us crazy Canucks insist on people removing their shoes whilst indoors but people south of the border prefer to keep 'em on. Is there any truth to this? I'm Canadian and, yes, we have never ever worn shoes in our own home or anyone else's. So to everyone around the globe, what is your preference? Do you wear shoes in the house or not? Do you think it's strange when people do the opposite of what you do? And does anyone know why not wearing shoes in the house was dubbed 'a Canadian thing'?
8 people like this
59 responses
• India
3 Mar 09
hi i m an indian girl and want to tell u that we too not to wear shoes at home but when any guest come to our house they can wear b'coz it doesn't look good that before entering inside they remove their shoes.
2 people like this
• India
14 Mar 09
But I love to wear shoes in ma house...If cleanliness is concerned I think dere is a point in that...else leave...
1 person likes this
• Canada
2 Mar 09
Yeaa, I live in Canada and everyone who comes to my house takes off their shoes. I never ask, i think it is just expected in my religion to take off your shoes. It keeps your house very clean(no sand, mud etc.) and it is more comfortable because when you wear your socks you feel more free but when you wear shoes indoors it would just feel weird. My mom would probably freak if someone came into my house with their shoes on because her house is her pride and she loves it when everything is clean and in its place. I would never wear shoes in someone else's house because i think that would be disrespectful. I have no idea why wearing shoes indoor was dubbed a Canadian thing because most countries in Asia do the same thing as us! http://www.yesjapan.com/culture/shoes-off.gif
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
3 Mar 09
well i dont know, i am canadian and the moment i get home, off go the shoes and on go the slippers! i find shoes pretty uncomfy and would much rather wear my warm slippers or in the case of the summer, take off my sweaty shoes and be more comfortable.
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
5 Mar 09
To me it's always just been what ya do when you come in the house. It's just more comfortable - and more sanitary!
@jcj_111776 (3216)
• Philippines
17 Mar 09
Hello! Here in the Philippines, we wear slippers inside the house. But in my house, we have separate slippers to be used outside and inside the house. I want to make sure that we don't add unnecessary dirt inside that can cause health problems for us. Plus, I don't want to ruin our carpet. But if we have guests, there are some who will remove their shoes before entering our home. And there are some, who doesn't. If that happens, after they leave, I just make some cleaning. I don't ask my guests to remove their shoes or slippers. But fortunately, it's usually customary for the guests to remove their shoes or dirty slippers outside the door, as a sign of respect for the home's owner.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
17 Mar 09
I have slippers that I wear in the house too.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I never wear my shoes in the house and I'm an American. My ex husband always did, as do his parents and sister, my mom does but my dad doesn't and neither does my stepmother. My brother and sister kick them off the minute they're in the door but I have friends that never take their shoes off till they go to bed! I don't understand people wearing shoes in the house--they're full of icky stuck from the sidewalks and streets that get in the rugs and the wood and besides that, feet need to breathe! I wear flip-flops outside from the first warm day of spring until the first snow and sometimes beyond. Mainly because they're so easy to kick off and they let my feet breathe!
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
3 Mar 09
The way I've always looked at it is that you step in a lot of gross stuff in a day. You potentially step in animal (or heck, sometimes even people!) poop or pee walking down the side walk, do you really want that tracked all over the house or ground into the carpet? I don't know what's different about us Canadians but we never even have to ask guests to take their shoes off, everyone just does!
• Canada
2 Mar 09
I am Canadian and it is considered rude by me and everyone I know to go tromping thru someone's house with your shoes on. Probably has something to do with slush and muck and mud, but even in summer it is a no-no.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
3 Mar 09
To me it's always been an automatic thing - you go in someone's house, you take off your shoes. It's never even been a matter of being asked, it's just what ya do!
1 person likes this
• Canada
5 Mar 09
cultures have interesting quirks, eh? It was always the same for me as a child too. And if you didn't take your shoes off your parents would get after you, right? Mine did.
@y2ksuprio (853)
• India
3 Mar 09
I dont wear shoes in my house, we have a shoe rack infront of the door of out house where we put all of our shoes and then we enter into the house. We always clean our house regularly with anti germ lequid everyday so we dont need shoe in house. Apart from that we always clean our hands and legs when we came back home from somewhere.
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
3 Mar 09
Hardly do i wear shoes inside the house. Our living room is carpeted and since i spend most a lot of time there, i have gotten into the habit of removing the shoes. Also after keeping them on the whole day at work, can't wait to get them off and relax my feet. Sot it's either with slippers or barefooted sometimes.
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
2 Mar 09
I am from NY and never wear shoes in my house either. I don't let my kids, friends or family wear shoes in my house. When I go to others homes, I always take off my shoes out of respect for the home I am visiting. Wearing shoes in the house can ruin the carpeting and floors. I don't know many people who wear shoes in their houses.
1 person likes this
@chimrani (1426)
• India
3 Mar 09
no its against indian culture to wear shoes or slippers in the house
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
2 Mar 09
It's not just Canadian. I had an Indonesian friend who asked me to remove my shoes at the door. For me, I wear my shoes upstairs, take them off and put slippers on. My girls and husband take their shoes off, my son prefers to wear them. There's no set rule.
1 person likes this
@diyphone (29)
• China
3 Mar 09
in my opinion,wear shoes or not depends on which you like,in my home,I always wear them,I think it is not polite for guest if you don't wear shoes when guest is in.
1 person likes this
• Canada
2 Mar 09
Im also canadian and do not wear shoes in the house. It would be so unconfortable, not to mention if you had white carpets could you imagine how dirty they would get and fast!
1 person likes this
• Sweden
3 Mar 09
Why should I wear shoes inside the house ? I donĀ“t get why Americans does that... One of the best thing about getting home Is to removes those shoes...
1 person likes this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I am from the US and no I don't wear shoes in my house. And if guests do not remove their shoes I do ask them to. I was always taught that it was very disrespectful to wear shoes in any house so therefore I don't. I have a wooden place in front of my doors where you can remove your shoes. If I am bringing in groceries or something I just simply slip them off and then back on when I go outside. I don't normally wear a shoe that ties so it's not hard to do. I never heard it dubbed as a Canadian thing but maybe it is! Maybe me and my whole family are canadians and didn't even know it!
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
5 Mar 09
I really don't get why it's supposed to be a Canadian thing either, I've just always heard that. I can't imagine wearing shoes on carpet, I would feel like I'm committing a crime!
@snowcat46 (2322)
• United States
3 Mar 09
Shoes, no. Booties, yes. I have really cold feet. I loathe having to wear something on my feet in the house, but I have to!! Even in summer, I gotta wear them sometimes. Sucks to have poor circulation! I thought not wearing shoes was a Japanese thing. Shows how much I know! We do wear shoes throughout the house if we're going right back out. It's easier to clean the floor at the end of the day, than take off the shoes over and over and over. Even with tracking mud in all day.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
5 Mar 09
I don't know how or why it was branded 'a Canadian thing'. I've talked to a few Americans over the years and I always ask them if they take their shoes off in the house and most of them say no. If I'm taking groceries in or something I don't take them off every trip but for the most part the shoes never get past the porch!
@anklesmash (1412)
2 Mar 09
i am from the uk my mum makes me take of my shoes in our house but she dosent ever tell guests to take of there shoes
1 person likes this
@tea512 (687)
• United States
3 Mar 09
great topic love when i learn something new. Never where shoes around the house, never ask guests to take off shoes. i had a friend who had an expensive carpet put down so evryone had to take off thier shoes to visit. That is the only time i can remember being somewhere i was asked. i think that unless the rain and mud would get tracked in the house I would never ask anyone to do the same. I have a problem i hate feet so i would never want someone walking around my house in bare feet if they had no socks on.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
5 Mar 09
I've never asked anyone to take their shoes off at our house, they just do it automatically when they come in the door because apparently we're all such good little Canadians! It's kind of funny when you're having a party and there's 20 different pairs of shoes in the porch.
• United States
2 Mar 09
I try to encourage my guests to take off their shoes. Though it doesn't happen all the time. I don't wear my shoes in the house unless I am bringing in groceries and have to take them to the kitchen. Or when I'm bringing my daughter in from outside. My father in law always tells me its worse on my carpets to not wear shoes, but I think he just says this so he can keep his on! =] I don't think your crazy, I'm in America and a lot of people do it honestly!
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Mar 09
I grew up not wearing shoes in the house. If you live somewhere full of rain and mud, wearing shoes inside just makes for a mess.
• United States
3 Mar 09
To me it depends on the situation. I live at the beach, and have 3 big dogs . I'm always sweeping up sand and dog hair . Someone wearing thier shoes in the house is noo problem for me . I can see taking shoes off at the door if you have carpeting. I can see taking them off if the company is going to stay for awhile . I can't see having company take off shoes if they are going in and out , and not staying , or if they have on shoes that they have to bend down and unstrap or unlace . My husband has bad knees and he has to sit to unstrap his shoes to take them off. We have one friend that expects people to take shoes off and he is very uncomfortable going there . I don't blame him, by the time he is done taking his shoes off it would be time to leave .