This started from this Question of the Day and I thought it could be it’s own post. To take off your shoes when you go in the house or not?
I do always take mine off. Almost no matter what. I’m the one who has to clean the floor so I’m sure that’s why. Shoes are also so dirty that it drives me bat shit crazy thinking of all the places those shoes have walked during that day. I mean I take my jeans off if I’ve been to any public place and the bottoms have dragged on the floor and put them in the hamper so what about the shoes??? What about people who go into every single restroom they come across in a day and then walk in their house or put their feet up on something IN THEIR SHOES????
We also were taught as children to take our shoes off at the door. We never walked through the house with them on so I’m sure that has a lot to do with it too. I do know a LOT of people though who just come walking right in with their shoes on. The thought to take them off doesn’t even seem to enter their minds and I’d never say anything but inside I’m thinking “they better not have a pebble or something in there that’s going to scratch my floor.” It’s not just germs. People can bring something in on their shoes that can wreck your floors.
Paul’s famous for saying “I’m just rushing in for a second” but his shoes are full of grass clippings or they’re wet or just sandy. He doesn’t think his “minute” will take me a lot of minutes to clean up. It doesn’t bother me anymore unless I’ve just mopped.
Do you think this is regional? I know in Canada people would never walk in the house with their shoes on. Out here now where I live, almost everyone takes off their shoes at the door. There are just a few I know who don’t. Do you think it was how you were raised? Do you take yours off? Why or why not?
Us Girls..Our Views 
I almost always take off my shoes at the door. The exception would be if I’m in a hurry and just running to grab something and leave again. My kids also take their shoes off at the door. The older people here, not so much. But I’m not the boss of them.
I don’t think we had a consistent rule when I was a kid. We didn’t have carpet until I was around 9, but when we got a carpet, my parents became picky about it. Off and on. Maybe it’s a hard rule to monitor when you have a bunch of latchkey kids.
I mainly take off my shoes for comfort purposes. I’m not one to put my shoes on furniture, but I’m not too worried about the floors. It’s not like we eat off of them. There is probably more dirt in some parts of my house than on the bottom of my shoes. But I hate having anything binding on, and that includes shoes. It makes me crazy when we’re supposed to be leaving and I’ve put on my shoes, and then everyone else is putzing.
At other people’s houses, I normally take off my shoes unless I get some kind of vibe that makes it seem weird. You know what I mean? Like they will feel like I’m in my underwear if I uncover my socks. Or if everyone else is tromping through with wet, dirty shoes and my socks will get nasty unless I keep my shoes on.
I generally take my cue from the homeowner when I visit. Some houses are ‘shoe-free’, others are not. My house, eh. I’ve got a dog that sheds everywhere and I can’t keep up with it, so I figure when I DO sweep, the hair has already caught most of the dirt, so I just kind of herd it all together into one big pile!!
I generally take off my shoes in my house. I have a pair of wicked comfy slippers that I wear most of the time, and they’ve got rubber soles, so if I DO have to step out – like to meet the mail lady when she comes up the drive – I don’t have to change them. And I’m kind of like SKL, I don’t like having shoes on unless I have to. Even if my shoes are comfy.
Steve, though, he wears shoes ALL the time. He’ll leave his on in the house, he’ll put his big ol’ boots on the furniture. I’ve given up trying to train him. Josh seems more like me – the fewer shoes, the better. He pretty much leaves them, like I do, in the laundry room. Unless he forgets, then your guess is as good as mine as to where we’ll find them…
I take mine off as I walk in the door unless I’m just running in to grab something. We all take them off at the door. I usually encourage visitors to leave them on (as long as it’s not raining outside) because I don’t want them to bother…. but other than that we all just take them off – – I don’t remember having to take them off at the door as a child. I think we just do it now because it makes sense to take them off.
I’m like most here. I take them off for the most part unless I am running in and out. I try to remember to take them off at other people’s houses. Some, I know without a shadow of a doubt, they don’t want shoes in their house, and others I know would rather you just keep them on. I intend to take them off, unless I am told not to, and even in that case, I still do sometimes.
I didn’t grow up with anyone taking their shoes off. It was a hard thing to get used to when I moved here, and when I go back to California they always take notice and say something. Must be a mid-western thing! lol
I do think about what’s on the bottom of people’s shoes. Especially when Jason walks through. He uses those nasty men’s bathrooms at work all day and all I think about is all the pee and nasty stuff now on my floor that I lay on, and walk on barefoot. I try not to let it freak me out. But it does, a little. lol
I wish you hadn’t mentioned the idea of all the bathroom floors shoes see in a day YUCK!
Just last week Navar came in with shoes on” just for a moment” and he tracked in mud all over my fresh mopped floor. I usually ask when I’m visiting peoples houses wheather to keep my shoes on or off. Usually I can tell if they have a big pile of shoes by the door.
In Hawaii most people leave their shoes at the door. When my Dad was single he use to leave a pair of bright red high heels outside the door just to get the naiegbors to laugh or maybe wonder. He has a pretty good sense of humor. :+)
I think I love your dad!!
Thanks Laura! He is a great guy with a very fun sense of humor. :+)
I just have to be different! I walk right on through with my shoes on. I honestly don’t even give it a second thought. The only time I take them off at the door is if they are super muddy. Once inside they really don’t stay on too long because I hate wearing shoes period!
LOL!!! Of course you do!!! LOL!!!
At my own house, if I need to run back in for something and my shoes have no dirt or gravel on them, I will run through the house with them on. I do try really hard to remember to take them off at other’s homes b/c I know people who can’t stand it (mum!). My mom wears shoes in the house all the time, but I think she changes them when she gets home into her ‘house’ shoes. Did that make sense?!
Yes. That makes perfect sense. I have shoes that I’ve never worn outside. I buy them for that reason because I really can’t stand to be barefoot. Or I’ll wash the bottoms off and spray them with lysol. Speaking of, I should do that to Paul’s shoes today.