Why must some American's wear shoes in their house?

a reply to: CranialSponge

I thought that was you dear..


lol...

a reply to: Serdgiam

When the heat turns on, I get tumble bunnies rolling across the floor.. A and that's with vacuuming and hand picking up the dog hair constantly.

Right?? And yeah - the constant bending over and scooping up dog hair along the baseboards and under the chairs.....
Fun!

Anyway - I wouldn't thrive in a home devoid of plants and animals (we have fish, too). It just - is what it is.
I let weeds grow in my yard, too, as long as they don't get TOO tall.....

a reply to: pez1975

Me too! I know many others who do the same. My British spouse and he was brought up to do the same.

originally posted by: kosmicjack
House shoes or no shoes for us.

And I'm still shocked each week at the dirty floors when I do house cleaning. I shudder to think how gross they would be if we wore outside shoes in the house.

I mean, think about it...your outside shoes have been all over the floors of public places. Imagine the dirt, grime, chemicals, bodily fluids, etc.

I know! I once parked at the mall at the same time as some nasty guy in front of me, and he must have spit on the parking lot twenty times before we got to the entrance. All I could think was I didn't want that crap on the bottom of my shoes to track inside my house when I got home.

originally posted by: SecretKnowledge
a reply to: Ghost147

and Americans in TV and Movies do this (often at least). That's why it seems more of an "American thing"

WOW.
Dont you realise the absolute ridiculousness of that sentence?

So if you watched British TV and movies and saw people in houses with their shoes on it would be a 'British thing'.

Its only an American thing to you because you see it on their TV and movies.

Clearly you didn't read the entirety of the first post, or felt the need to keep in the rest of that quote of mine where it says that I actually know Americans who do this.

I wear shoes in my house and everyone who comes into my home is free to do the same.
I don't know anyone who does not wear shoes in their house, or asks people to take theirs off.
I've no problem with anyone who has issues with shoes being worn in their house, your house, your rules, but personally I don't know anyone in real life who worries about such things.

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
If you can explain to my why it's an issue with you.

As a country, it's common etiquette. Personally, I feel as though you're tracking anything you've stepped on outside in public into your own house. Gum, spit, dirt, rocks, fecal and urine, plant material, bugs, bug guts, anything and everything that is outside is now being brought inside to some level (whether it be full sized chunks of it, or simply particulates).

Not to mention that shoes are much harder on surfaces than feet or socks are. Wear and tear would be another issue.

I see a lot of people here who say that putting their shoes on and taking them off repeatedly is too much work for them. Yet, I've done it my entire life, and I know for a fact that adding a few seconds to my day isn't hurting it.

Go ahead and wear slippers if you must wear something inside, that's what they're meant for. But to me, and many countries, shoes indoors are a no-go.

My dentist office and the Golds-Gym I go to require their customers to take off their shoes at the entrance before going any further into the building. A few other companies do this too (it's probably about 5% or so I would say). Their reasons are the same as mine.

a reply to: hutch622

Yeah... That would kind of be why I said we never asked others to take their shoes off before coming in. And I know right many people who would go through someone's house with muddy feet because people are arses that care very little for other people's things. Fortunately I do not know anyone like this that I would invite over. I did have a paperman come over to put my paper box up when we first moved in to our house. He finished and helped himself to walk right inside our house with 3 inches of red mud caked to his shoes when he was done to collect his money. He didn't even pause. Walked right up to and then on our brand new carpet.

I paid him, we talked for a minute over the screaming in my brain, I was polite and he left. I however, was not happy when he left because I had to spend hours getting the stains out of the carpet. So to answer your question... YES. I WOULD have preferred a sweaty footprint, and a stinky foot.

We leave our sneakers on, because we have ceramic tile floors and our feet hurt...but -

- I keep thick. fibrous doormats outside each door, and we wipe our shoes (even turning feet sideways a bit) vigorously, basically 'scrubbing' them clean before stepping into the house...

Sorry, it's not just an american thing. My south american brother-in-law has always insisted that no one remove their shoes in his home unless they are bathing or in bed. Otherwise, people in his home MUST wear shoes at all times.

Not me, I hate shoes, how about that, a woman who hates shoes.
I only wear them when I leave the house and have the minimum needed for multiple occasions.

Do you have children? I am not a nasty person..but kids are notorious for mess making..no matter how much we yell, ground whatever..they are little and messy..I don't like the feel of crumbly stuff on my feet. We always wear shoes/slippers in the house because of these munchkins I can sweep 20 times a day and somehow there is always 'something' on the floor. We have hardwood throughout the entire house and tile in the bath..so it's very noticeable when barefoot.

a reply to: Ghost147

Why do people feel like America is the pinnacle of these cultural issues?

Many citizens of other countries wear their shoes indoors.

Many citizens in the U.S do not wear their shoes indoors.

In fact, the majority of homes that I've stepped into within the U.S that aren't party dens or bachelor pads- you take your shoes off.

Why do some earthlings see flags and nations instead of individual people?
That's what I want to know.

It really depends, in the UK very few people take their shoes of religiously and even less force guests to de-shoe. I think in the case of guests, people would rather a clean shoe than the risk of a stinky sock situation

Also i find that people in their own house who dont take their shoes off, most of the time will take them off to go upstairs.

Of course 99.9% of all people everywhere have the common sense to take shoes off if they are dirty or wet, weather they have slippers to slip into or not

I am mostly a slipper wearer, so where possible i use those, but it doesnt bother me to wear shoes around the house.

originally posted by: Biigs
Of course 99.9% of all people everywhere have the common sense to take shoes off if they are dirty or wet

That's the world I live in.
If your shoes are gonna mark the floor then take them off, but if not no worries. It's the floor, not the kitchen table.

Isn't this why God invented doormats?

originally posted by: skalla
Isn't this why God invented doormats?

I actually did laugh out loud at that, nice one skalla!
So true in my 'dirty' house floor society haha, no marks no worries, but mud n stuff? Come on, that is a totally different kettle of fish, nobody would be cool with that.

I used to be barefoot indoors all the time....until I badly bruised a toe walking around my new house....hit a cornere I wasn't expecting.
Then I wrong thongs indoors.
Still do in the evenings.....but with flat feet, I must wear braces most of the time....so, shoes are worn.

FWIW, my podiatrist said it can be dangerous walking barefoot indoors.....things fall, etc. and with no protection....serious injuries can occur.
Just sayin'

originally posted by: skunkape23
I prefer to go barefoot.
My feet are tough as leather.
I don't get the concept that bare feet are dirty, but shoes are somehow cleaner.

Of course you would go barefoot, because your the Skunkape23!

originally posted by: ThinkingCap
a reply to: Ghost147

Why do people feel like America is the pinnacle of these cultural issues?

Many citizens of other countries wear their shoes indoors.

Many citizens in the U.S do not wear their shoes indoors.

In fact, the majority of homes that I've stepped into within the U.S that aren't party dens or bachelor pads- you take your shoes off.

Why do some earthlings see flags and nations instead of individual people?
That's what I want to know.

I didn't say that all "Americans do this, all Americans are crazy", and all that. I was asking IF all Americans do this, because from my personal experience with Americans, they all have done it. And in Film and TV, they all do it. In fact, in Film and TV it's an actual focal point in some cases (The Last Samurai).

I am pretty sure I made the question clear when I stated "Why do SOME Americans Do this?"

It easy to pick on America because they have the most international pull when it comes to media.

originally posted by: Ghost147
a reply to: pez1975

See, that's the thing though. In my country no one ever asks their guests to take their shoes off, the guests just do it because it's normal not to wear shoes in the house. You can wipe your shoes all you want, they still are going to be dirty in some form or another.

I'm official then, you are > us.

/close thread.