Shoes on around the house

[ByGentleFatball]

So another poster said that shoes on vs shoes off in the house isn't an issue that people feel strongly about. Not my experience at all!

When my partner took me to his parent's house, he told me at the door to take off my shoes and he did the same. I'd never been in a shoes off home before that.

One day, much later on, his mum was talking about how disrespectful someone was for just walking in her house with shoes on and how it was her looking down on them.

I explained that I never would have done it either if partner didn't say so as I wasn't raised doing it. Her other kids piped up and said they reminded all their friends to do it if they knew they didn't at their own house or wasn't sure.

Since then, I've seen that some people do feel really strongly about it for respect and/or hygiene reasons. Some equally defend not doing it, and not visiting homes who have that rule.

Are you a shoes on or shoes off home? Have you experienced it as a divisive subject?

Not unreasonable: I know people feel strongly either way

Unreasonable: This isn't an issue anyone really cares about.

I remember being in primary school in the 90s and the teacher reading us a story with a message about cultural differences. In it, the English girl was shocked that she had to take her shoes off at her Indian friend’s house. Everyone in my class was confused as to why she was so shocked. This was a very multicultural school with a large black population. It’s interesting how that story would have been perceived differently in another part of the country.

Everybody who is likely to visit us already knows that my wife is Japanese, and shoes on in the house are unthinkable for her. For me it would be staggeringly rude to wear shoes into someone's home knowing that they would prefer you not to.

Shoes on in the house is disgusting and unhygienic. To walk around around outdoors, picking up all sorts on your shoes, and then walk into your home and spread it around, especially on carpets, but even on hard floors is gross.

Cue the weirdos who will come along and say ‘but I don’t lick my floors’. As though that’s the standard by which you measure hygiene.

It’s similar to people who will sit on or get in bed with their outdoor clothes. After having sat on public transport or seating in public areas. Those surfaces are absolutely gross. A vast number of people have terrible hygiene standards and sit on and use the same seating and spaces. How can you share the same seating and spaces and then not get changed before going sitting on what is supposed to be the most hygienic space where you place your face and sleep in - your bed.

I don’t know if it’s an Irish thing or not but I gave honestly never been asked. I would hate it if I was though. Especially in summer if I wasn’t wearing socks. I would avoid visiting in that case.

Although in saying that if I was told in advance I would have no problem bringing slippers or something suitable.

What about dogs, do they have to wear shoes?

Those kind of ' disgusting and gross' people also tënd to have great immune systems.

Yeah nothing wrong with shit all over your floors and dirt on your clothes, because unless you do this, you won’t have a good immune system.

Honestly, the lengths people will go to so they can justify poor hygiene.

I don’t understand the pet thing either to be honest. Your dog goes outside in all weathers to pee and poo and walks straight back in having tread on God knows what and cats are in a litter box burying their shit with their paws. Make that make sense.

I actually think it's often more of a reflection of the financial hardship they have faced. It's a want to keep things like carpets which are seen as luxury clean. A bit like when older generations covered everything in plastic. It's a very working class thing to do.

Amennnnnnnn!

we always take our shoes off in the hall, and so I always take or offer to take my shoes off when I enter someone’s home. Assumed everyone does, basic manners. Some say its fine (wood floors) but most do the same.

No, Eastern cultures generally view personal hygiene a bit more strictly. The same reason why in eastern cultures, people wash themselves after going to the toilet, always. It’s got nothing to do with being poor.

"Eastern cultures" aren't the only people who do this though. My partner's culture is known for it but still not everyone does it. The white British people I have known of doing things like that have been from lower socio-economic classes. Nearly every other part of the world has either something about shoes in the house from a respect or hygiene aspect. The only people who tend not to are Western Europeans and in particular, Brits.

Point being, the people I believe are most likely to live in shoes off homes are not those with "first world problems". In fact, their hardship has meant they look after what they have.

Shoes on does not equal 'shit all over the floor', honestly the lengths people will go to justify being a germaphobe

I'm 60 and literally have only ever known one shoes off family. we only have hard floors so protecting carpets isn't an issue. That said we generally wear slippers indoors as they are more comfy.

No it’s called hygiene. Quite a simple concept really. Shit outdoors on pavements gets on your shoes, no matter how careful you are. You transport it into your house when you wear shoes around the house. There some basic physics in there too.

And being unhygienic is not a pre requisite for having a strong immune system.

Does it get on your dog’s paws ?

What makes you think everyone in the land has a dog?

If you don’t have a dog fair enough, your rules but if you do have a cat of a dog you are talking shite.

For those saying that walking with shoes on is linked to privilege- of course it is. Historically upper classes had staff cleaning after them relentlessly.

But most of them don't now, not full time, and living in a house with muddy floors is the opposite of posh.

You can afford to change your carpets as often as you want, but it's still not good for your immune system to breathe in the dust that your shoes brought in on daily basis, neither is it healthy for your feet to be always in shoes.

Knowing what we know now, it is a very backward thing to do.

why are you asking me? Can’t you decide for yourself.

Me too it makes me feel ill. I have blue shoe covers for tradespeople.

We don't tend to have shoes on upstairs, but don't mind if visitors do. We find it mixed who does and who doesn't.

I'm happy to take my shoes off if someone asks me to