Do you wear your shoes in the house?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (58469)
May 24, 2026 2:52pm CST
I know a lot of people who don't do that.
We don't wear our shoes inside. When you put some thought into it, it makes a lot of sense. In our case, we have a lot of geese and ducks who walk our streets, our sidewalks, and graze in the yard. Anyone who has been around geese much knows that they eat and poop constantly! I am not tracking that in my house, although it's not the only reason. And I will tell this one....did you know that when you are out and about, using public restrooms and walking where many others walk, you can pick up a LOT of rather nasty stuff on your shoes? Yep...you walk where there were urine dribbles in restrooms (I know, yuck! ) and endless other disgusting things...people spit on sidewalks, drop food, etc. And then you walk in it. Why would you want to bring all of that in your house? Not sure...but I don't want to. Son has enough health issues without me dragging in some weird germs or diseases because I am too lazy to take my shoes off.
Now here's the kicker for me. I have to wear shoes--if I am awake and moving, I have to. I have a major neuropathy problem with my left food and it's rather a dead weight most of the time. Every doctor I've ever seen tells me ''don't go without shoes! '' and I don't. I have a pair of slip on shoes by the door. I take off my shoes and put them on, and wear them in the house. Son does the same. All my kids do this.
We aren't fanatics about being clean because we can't be due to time. But we do take every precaution to keep from dragging in some of the things we step on while out and about--not to mention so many doctor's appointments, hospital/ER visits, etc. It's just best for us not to wear them inside.
This picture map is from Pinterest. I thought it was interesting, showing logistics of who wears shoes inside.
19 people like this
19 responses
@rebelann (117119)
• El Paso, Texas
15h
My pup is in and out a lot so it doesn't really matter if I do or don't wear shoes indoors. The other thing is that my mobile home sits about 100 ft from the front gate so by the time I drive into my lot then walk back to close the gate and then walk to my front door (all dirt, no cement or paved sidewalks) most anything I might have picked up when out and about is absorbed by the dirt and weeds around here.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
11h
I worry about the goose poop more than anything. I sweep my walks, etc. every day unless it's pouring. But sometimes, I have to walk in the grass and the geese love the grass, so they leave deposits there...I don't dare wear the same shoes inside as I do outside.
2 people like this
@rebelann (117119)
• El Paso, Texas
11h
We don't have any waterfowl around here and those mourning doves don't really stick around all that much @MarieCoyle
You have opened my eyes to things I'd never before thought of, thanks.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
7h
@rebelann
I used to teach food safety and sanitation classes...there were a lot of things I never thought of until I ''took the class to learn to teach the class'' and realized just how much can really be on those shoes we wear.
@Deepizzaguy (121549)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
13h
I do not wear shoes inside of my home unless it is very cold outside.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (121549)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
8h
@MarieCoyle I can catch a cold when my feet are not covered with shoes on.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
11h
I can definitely relate to wearing slippers or whatever, when it's cold!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169152)
• United States
11h
I could get on board with this but cannot convince my husband. My daughter lives in the Minneapolis area and she says everyone takes off their shoes near the door, and at least in her case, wears slippers. Makes sense to me.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (119731)
• United States
12h
I do not wear shoes inside my apartment, and I prefer no one else do it either. However, the only people I feel comfortable asking to remove their shoes is my dad and best friend. I really wish I could ask everyone. I don’t want things of unknown origin tracked onto my carpet.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
11h
I feel the same way. I just don't want dirty shoes in my home.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (55995)
• Canada
13h
No we do not wear our shoes in the house.
We were both raised that way and it served us well and we raised our son the same.
He, and his family do not wear their outdoor shoes in the house.
We have rubber soled slip on slippers and crocs that we wear inside.
I do have 2 aunts who wear their shoes in the house, and they do not remove them when they come to your house.
They have not always been that way, but in their senior years they are.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
11h
We are just so used to doing it, we don't even think about it. It may have never occurred to your aunts.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (55995)
• Canada
1h
@MarieCoyle I tend to think that their doctor may have warned them against taking their shoes off, or they need a seat to sit down in to remove them and put on indoor shoes. We've always had a bench near the door for changing shoes.
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
7h
We often follow habits and patterns of our family without even realizing we do it. I totally get that.
@snowy22315 (207986)
• United States
15h
I don't wear shoes in the house unless they are super comfortable and I forget I have them on. Usually it is immediately off as soon as I come home.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189339)
• Boise, Idaho
8h
When we had rugs I made sure we didn't wear shoes inside. Even now with our tile and vinyl floors we don't wear our shoes inside. Interesting map.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
7h
Oh, I do wear shoes inside, just the shoes that are ''house shoes only.'' I can't go without shoes, so that's how I do it.
@FourWalls (86127)
• United States
9h
I wear shoes in the house, for a medical reason. I have flat feet, and going without shoes simply hurts.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
7h
I can't walk well without shoes, and that darn left leg drags some anyway...so I wear shoes in the house, doctor's orders. If I have to have this problem, at least I know I am in the best of company!! 
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (134876)
• Marion, Ohio
14h
I usually take mine off and put slippers on. But I often go through the house or in and out a few times before I take them off.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (97482)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14h
I live in my Crocs inside and outside,
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
7h
I have a pair of Crocs that I wear outside to do the garden work, etc. I like the way they can be hosed clean if I get mud on them from the garden.
@MarieCoyle (58469)
•
7h
I saw that error, too! I should look for another map but I don't think I will now.
I have shoes that are just for in the house, it works out better for me that way.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (380580)
• Rockingham, Australia
4h
@MarieCoyle I wouldn't worry about another map. I was interested because Australia is blue. I think it's probably 'shoes on but some prefer shoes off'.
@LadyDuck (501204)
• Italy
3h
That map is WRONG! In France, Spain and in Italy is very rude to wear inside the shoes you wear to walk outside, you remove your shoes and wear slippers inside. It's rude to walk barefoot. we always remove our shoes as soon as we get inside and wear house slippers.
@LindaOHio (221581)
• United States
2h
I wear my shoes in and out of the house. Once I'm settled, I change into flip flops.
