Do Americans Leave Their Shoes On?

[Mighty Frugal]

Mrs. M's mat thread got me thinking. Probably 90% of the TV shows and movies that I watch are American. And in every single show all the characters walk around indoors with their shoes on.

I've read American reports that state that wiping your shoes before walking around eliminates X percent of the bad stuff-which also leads me to believe that IRL Americans leave their shoes on-since the article didn't say 'take off your shoes' but rather 'wipe them'

In my neck of the woods (Ontario Canada) most of the homes I have been in (95%) it is expected you remove your shoes-and not just in winter.

In fact, I always do a sock check before going over to someone's house (don't want to be sitting around with a hole in my sock

So, is it true? Do most Americans leave their shoes on indoors? If so are your shoes left at the foot of your bed? Do you put them right on after you get dressed? And then walk around with shoes whether or not you are going out?

[Valley]

I can only speak for me, but I always keep my shoes on in my home. I usually keep them on in others' homes as well, unless I see that everyone else has removed their shoes. When I am not in shoes, I wear my slippers. I grew up in Pennsylvania and our floors were rather cold in the winter...so,maybe that is where it all started....

[bae]

In my home, and most of the other homes in my community here in the Pacific NW, people tend to remove their shoes in the entryway or mudroom, especially during the rainy season.

I never wear shoes inside my own house, and often not outside if I'm just doing misc. outdoors tasks.

[Geila]

DH and I do not wear our shoes inside, but we're immigrants. Most Caucasian Americans that I know do keep their shoes on indoors. Most Asian Americans do not. We would love to have our guests take off their shoes, but in seems rude to ask so we don't. Also, most Americans wear laced up tennis shoes (the running shoe type) and it seems like such a hassle for them to unlace, pull off, and then have to repeat the process when they leave. They also seem uncomfortable doing so. And ironically, they seem ill-at ease when we take off our shoes in their homes.

We have hardwood floors and I also dread the high-heeled visitors, especially the skinny heels.

Does anyone have any good ideas for asking guests to de-shoe without seeming rude?

[Mighty Frugal]

DH and I do not wear our shoes inside, but we're immigrants. Most Caucasian Americans that I know do keep their shoes on indoors. Most Asian Americans do not. We would love to have our guests take off their shoes, but in seems rude to ask so we don't. Also, most Americans wear laced up tennis shoes (the running shoe type) and it seems like such a hassle for them to unlace, pull off, and then have to repeat the process when they leave. They also seem uncomfortable doing so. And ironically, they seem ill-at ease when we take off our shoes in their homes.

We have hardwood floors and I also dread the high-heeled visitors, especially the skinny heels.

Does anyone have any good ideas for asking guests to de-shoe without seeming rude?

Move to Canada-all of your guests will remove their shoes-haha

Can you have a basket of comfy slippers by the entrance way? When guests come over just say casually 'oh, after you take off your shoes there are slippers here for you to wear if you wish' and then walk away.

[Float On]

As stated previously there are a pile of shoes all all my entry doors....except my shoes. I take them off and either set them on the stairs or take them to my closet. I keep one pair of yard shoes right outside the back door so I can slip them on for chores.
I take off my shoes when I go to someone's house. I always carry a pair of socks in my purse during sandle season, I'm not going to go barefoot in someone's home.
We have friends who greet people at the door and hand them surgery booties to put on. She orders them in bulk.

[Geila]

Move to Canada-all of your guests will remove their shoes-haha

Can you have a basket of comfy slippers by the entrance way? When guests come over just say casually 'oh, after you take off your shoes there are slippers here for you to wear if you wish' and then walk away.

Canada is beautiful...

I like the basket with slippers idea. It would probably take me a few tries before I could be so casual about it, but very much worth trying. I've also seen some cute signs that you can put outside your door. That might be nice, people would be prepared ahead of time.

[Miss Cellane]

Some Americans take their shoes off indoors. Some don't.

It seems to be a growing trend. When I was a kid in the 1960s, no one took their shoes off indoors. But in the past 10 years or so, I have read a lot of internet forum threads about shoes on/shoes off. It can be a very heated subject.

It's not necessarily regional--every time someone says I live in X and we all take our shoes off and I can't believe there are heathens out there who would track all those germs and dirt into someone's house, there's someone else who responds with Well, I live in X and we are all respectable people who know how to walk in shoes and how to clean our carpets and floors and don't need to stoop to forcing people to take off their clothes in order to enter their houses.

When I was a kid, we were trained to use the mat outside the door and brush our shoes off. In wet or snowy weather, we'd have over-the-shoe boots on, and those would be removed before we entered a house. Grownups would wear boots, too. And common sense came into play, as well. If your shoes were really dirty or muddy, you took them off before going inside or you could expect your mom to be kind of upset with you.

The high-heeled shoe problem has been around for a while. I have an old housekeeping book from the 1960s and the solution recommended there is to keep straw slippers by the door and ask any guest sporting spike heels to wear slippers in the house.

My circle is mostly shoes-on people. I've inadvertently upset people by walking into their houses with my shoes on--apparently, in the hustle and bustle of entering a house for the first time and being introduced to the family members and taking off my coat, I'm supposed to notice the basket of shoes and instantly realize that all guests need to take their shoes off. But I really do need more clues than that--because it is so uncommon in my circle, I don't think to look for clues that I need to take my shoes off.

If you want people to take their shoes off, you will need to ask them. I think it is polite to let people know ahead of time, if possible. That way, people can avoid socks with holes in them. And those people who need to wear shoes at all times can either decline your invitation, or ask if wearing house shoes (that are never worn outside) is acceptable. There are a surprising number of people who truly do need to wear shoes pretty much all the time--diabetics, people with foot or back problems, people with really bad foot odor.

[Geila]

I always carry a pair of socks in my purse during sandle season, I'm not going to go barefoot in someone's home.

Just curious, why not?

During warm weather we always go barefoot inside, including when we visit others. Is this considered rude?

Come to think of it, we have friends from India and they've told us that most Indians take off their shoes in the house as well.

In cold weather, I offer socks and our slippers to guests who take off their shoes (usually Asian American family and close friends who don't mind wearing our slippers and socks). I'm really liking the basket idea with slippers and socks. It would be fun to stock it with fun & funky goodies!

[pinkytoe]

DH and I were just having this conversation recently and opted to move to shoes off in the house. If you stop and think about what is on the street out there (snot, spit, feces, urine, pesticide, etc.) and then bringing that into your house it only makes sense. We keep a nice wicker basket by the doors with slippers.