Shoes on or shoes off?

[Asheyr]

I often hear how no shoes in the house is a stereotypically Asian thing.

We have had a lot of plumbers, builders and estate agents in and they have without fail all taken off their shoes unprompted. Even the Estate agent lads in their very early 20s.

Our pales floors are currently spotless as we are selling so that may encourage this.

We are no shoes mostly but occasionally allow shoes in the kitchen if we are going back out/doing a big bin job.

What about you?

We are shoes off. DH is German and that is standard there. We lived there a couple of years and I really got used to it.

TBH everyone we know is shoes off to a certain degree. No one demands it, but it's appreciated and I'm in the habit now of bringing my snazzy travel slippers in whatever bag of drinks etc I take to their houses.

I'd feel uncomfortable in socks or even worse bare feet in the summer if I had to take shoes off in someone elses house. I do take my shoes off at home for comfort but I'll happily leave them on if I'm going back out.

I specifically buy slippers with proper soles that I can hang the washing out with and empty the bins, I don't want to be faffing around with my shoes every time I pop outside to do something. I avoid the hedgehog shit though

I don’t mind either way. We have hardwood floors everywhere, as we have animals, so they’re very easy to clean.

I take my shoes off when going to people’s houses but would never ask or expect visitors to take theirs off at mine. At a party as per other thread I’d expect them to stay on.

Shoes off. Mostly because I don't like wearing them in the house myself.

Most people offer when they see the pile of shoes by the door tbh.

If they don't then I don't force them - none of my guests/ tradesmen ever seem to be wearing stilettos which are problematic on my wooden flooring.

shoes off in other people’s houses and actually two of my friends have a few pairs of spare slippers for you to wear at their house. I’d love to get to no shoes here as all of their floors are so clean but we just haven’t properly enforced it and myself and dh are the worst offenders, it’s just we’re generally running out somewhere and it’s easier to have shoes on!

I don’t insist on shoes off for guests but we have hardwood flooring on ground floor and tiled kitchen floor so easy to clean. I do insist on no shoes upstairs though

Shoes on in our house, and always was growing up too. I will always offer to take my shoes off when I go to other people's houses though - their house, their rules, but I feel quite vulnerable without shoes on for some reason. Even in my own home I always have something on my feet, whether it's slippers or shoes.

We take our shoes off in our house, but we don't insist others do. Some of our friends do, others don't. One of my friends brought her slippers last time she came.
I wouldn't expect others to take their shoes off in our house because I know some poeple feel it's a bit 'familiar', and they also might (like me) have permanently cold feet!

spot on ^
You are welcome at ours anytime @DiamondArtists

I find it funny when Asian people explain it as if it's a new concept for English people. Everyone I know of my age and younger takes shoes off. Older family members are shoes on so not sure if it is a generational thing. However, I don't ask guests to take shoes off but the mostly do. My parents are the exception.

Camp shoes off. I’d never dream of traipsing my mud into someone’s home.

Shoes on. I think it's as rude as fuck to ask someone to take their shoes off.

As family, we don't wear our outdoor shoes indoors. I don't like going round in stockinged feet so I take my indoor shoes when I visit, having washed the soles to ensure there can be no reasonable objection.

Sitting here with my boots on.

But @MereDintofPandiculation you are doing shoes off, indoor shoes are slippers or an equivalent 🤣

The whole reason for shoes off is to not have outdoor shoes on the floors of your house.

Shoes off.

Mainly shoes off at my own home, however as a GP doing home visits I'd never offer to take them off and have never been asked.
Some people's floors are disgusting and as a lone worker I need to be able to make a quick exit if required!

I'm not that fussed. We have all hard floors and a big dog and a cat. I take my shoes off at other people's houses unless I know it's not a shoes-off house.

Edited to add: it's actually not great for me to take shoes off if my hosts have hard floors, as I have recurring plantar fasciitis.

Shoes off. I can't stand the thought of shoes being worn in my home.

I'd automatically take my shoes off when visiting someone else's home too without a second thought.

I will remove my shoes if asked by the homeowner but i find it incredibly rude to expect someone to mess about taking shoes off! I would never ask someone coming into my home to do it!

On. Shoes on. Shoes on households are not dying at massively increased rates.

I may be doing it, but I don't ask my guests to take theirs off. That's the difference. And I would happily wear an indoor pair of shoes to take the bin out, or even post a letter, whereas I wouldn't wear my slippers to do that.

I put slippers on as soon as I get home but guests can do whatever they feel comfortable with.

We are shoes off upstairs, not downstairs. Small farmhouse with a stone floor directly on the earth. Dogs etc come and go. No dogs upstairs and ditto shoes off.