So as the title says do you guys remove your outdoor shoes when you enter the house?
I find it very difficult to understand that people can just walk all over their house wearing their outdoor shoes, do people not find this dirty or mind getting their carpet dirty?
Just curious to know what people think of this as I always remove my shoes before I even step inside the house carpet or no carpet. But I have noticed neighbours just go in to their homes without taking their shoes off, and in some cases noticed they are wearing their outdoor shoes inside when I chat with them outside their house.
Edit: Thank you all, it’s a mixed bag of answers. Most on here seemed to be concerned about staining the carpet so would take their shoes off but are ok with keeping them on in the house if walking on hard flooring as it is easier to clean.
For me, as I have replied to some, it’s not just about staining the carpet or flooring. The pavement and roads we walk on everyday whether we can see it or not, at some point would have had dog mess, people spitting, bird poo, and other people and their dirty shoes walked all over etc. The thought of that is enough for me not to wear my outdoor shoes ever inside the house regardless of flooring.
Anyway, quite interesting to read some of the comments, and of course at the end of the day it’s down to personal preference and what people view is clean or not.
48 comments
Yes always.
It depends on wether or not there is a pile of shoes by the door for me
We don’t, and can confirm in my close to fifty years on this planet, I have not died and neither has my wife.
We are rarely ill.
Obviously if there is mud or dog shit on the shoes we would take them off and clean them before entering the house but most other time, we cba.
Oh and yes our house is clean.
My default position is to take them off when entering any house.
I only leave them on if the floor of the house I am entering is clearly dirtier than the soles of any normal person’s shoes.
Yes, always.
My feet like their freedom.
If there is carpet yes if hard flooring no. I work in peoples houses every day doing broadband repairs and I find people appreciate it a lot and it gets you off to a good start with someone who can sometimes be at the end of their tether dealing with the repair call centre.
Yes. Wife wears slippers as she’s fearful of treading on a spider (don’t ask!!).
I generally walk in bare feet or wear socks.
I wear slippers at home because its more comfortable though the cleanliness thing is a nice plus to that
Down stairs I’m not arsed because it’s all wood flooring so it’s easy to clean and a little muck builds immunity.
If you go to step on the stairs shoes must be off tho because it’s carpeted and I get sick of cleaning my carpets all the time. Every 4 weeks for the carpet shampooer is enough for me.
My front door opens straight into my lounge so I’ve had hard wood flooring out down throughout the whole downstairs so its more practical when walking through to kitchen/diner. The stairs and all upstairs is carpet so shoes are taken off before going upstairs. And the hard wood is easy to clean/mop.
Yes and no. I don’t wear shoes around the house, but I do have to get to my room to take my shoes off. So I walk in, go upstairs, drop bag and shoes and coat, and then I’m free to put slippers on or something.
Yes, I find it absolutely grim that people exist that do otherwise.
Do you put your indoor shoes on?
My house yes, anyone else I ask what they want.
Don’t get people who walk about in shoes in their own house surely that’s not comfortable and their feet must stink.
Yes.
Quite aside from anything you track in from outside, feet that have been in shoes all day and not allowed to breathe, fucking ming.
Yes, I take my shoes off when I get home, if I’ll be sitting down. If I’m going to Potter about the kitchen or go in the garden, I’ll usually leave them on.
But, I do have a pair of house shoes, some slides and a pair of slippers that I’ll wear in the house.
Our downstairs is all hard floor so it doesn’t really matter.
We don’t generally wear shoes upstairs which is all carpet though.
Not in my house we dont. I will though if i go somewhere that does.
Yes and my trousers.
I don’t think it’s common to wear shoes indoors in the UK because we get a lot of rain, so it’s normal to take your shoes off at the door when going into a house. Who wants to trek mud and dirt all over the floor? Plus socks and/or slippers are more comfortable if your feet are cold.
In a drier climate I can see why people are more likely to wear shoes indoors.
Always. I have some house slippers I put on when I get home. Or am wearing all the time when working from home
Yes, we have slippers for inside. However growing up we wore shoes all over the house. Couldn’t fathom it now, though.
Yeah, if it’s someone’s home I usually take off my shoes unless they are wearing shoes themselves. If it’s an office or something then no, never
Nope, unless they are visibly muddy or dirty.
I hate bare feet as well so hate when I go to someone elses house and there are people walking round bare foot 🤢 if I dont have my shoes on, I have socks on. No bare feet here.
I take mine off to go upstairs but I mostly wear slippers, I have kids so it’s never a good idea to walk around without something on your feet.
Yes but only after going inside hallway is tiled so don’t care about that but carpets are shoes off
I don’t get how someone wouldn’t take their shoes off not just cause of dirt but how uncomfortable? Sitting on the sofa with shoes on? No thanks.
Always. I’ll wearing my shoes inside if I’m about to go out or if I just got in but I’m not gonna keep my shoes on for hours, that’s just weird.
i sometimes walk though my house with shoes on just to get keys from another room before leaving the house.
other than that it’s not good for your feet or your house.
i always take my shoes off when in someone else’s house unless it’s obvious that they don’t take their shoes off or other guests have their shoes on.
i really appreciate when people take their shoes off when entering my house, especially cos i have a white runner in the hall and want to keep it that way.
Shoes must be removed before entering the house. I wear inside slippers around. My kids usually socks
Hell yeah, gotta let those puppies breath, and mostly because you want to decrease the about of stuff that ends up in your bed with you….( Never mind every ware else!)
Being clean is 👍 nice
We have laminate flooring and a dog and a cat so the floor is covered in pet hair all the time. We sweep and mop the floors twice a day (mid morning and just before bed) but it does little to combat the pet hairs in the middle or the day so yep we keep our shoes on.
I have started wearing sandals around the house ever since I got them to wear while showering for a holiday that got cancelled. The other slovenly miscreants I live with just wore their shoes around the house, this seemed like a medium.
The Japanese have a point, I live by myself now and can’t see myself not wearing them for the future.
Did before I used wheelchair but not now but got hard floor or Lino now. No carpet
Generally yes, but I’m not that fastidious about it. I mainly take them off for comfort’s sake rather than cleanliness.
I’m not going to die from a bit of trodden-in dust, and the only thing likely to touch my carpet is my feet anyway.
I just leave them on and honestly hate taking them off at people’s houses. I usually wear lace up steel boots so having to undo and do them all up again is a faff, especially as I smoke so every time I want to pop out it’s annoying to put them on and off multiple times.
Our floors are fine, our house is tidy.
Yes, I live in a house with people…Not in a hut with pigs..
No carpet and the cheap shitty laminate floor is disintegrating so splinters are a regular hazard. I hate wearing anything on my feet indoors so I go around barefoot and then have to pull the splinters out! My partner has really poor interception so he can wear his shoes inside and not be bothered by it which makes me slightly jealous, being constantly aware of my feet all the time is super annoying.
Majority of homes I’ve been to in the UK, if the home owner takes there shoes off, you do too.
Most people, I’ve noticed do, and most own slippers.
The only time I’ve noticed when people don’t, is if there’s a party around someones home.
I wear slippers but do wear shoes around the house if I’ve just been out/am heading out. For example if I’ve forgotten to pick something up I’ll walk the around the house in my shoes to get it, stuff like that. Also if I’ve forgotten my alarm fob the alarm panel is under stairs so I have to walk in without having time to take shoes off to get the alarm turned off
Not my house. We have wooden floors so I prefer to keep my shoes on and I don’t mind visitors keeping their shoes on too. If I go round someone else’s house I take my shoes off by default
I ask, “shoes on or off?” because I’ve known people of both camps. Also, I’m used to houses that have an entry hall and a doormat upon which to wipe shoes, and the entry way buffer zone.
Cultural habit. When you only have one pair of shoes as was general in my youth you always wear them. Poverty trains folk a lot different from those with excess disposable income to spend on things like two pair of shoes, a d poverty means bare bards so injury in socks is extreme from wood splints in toes etc.
As an Indian, yes it’s a #1 rule when entering any house.
Yes, every time – I’m originally from a culture that removes them on arrival and it’s so grim when people leave them on. Your shoes are not clean 🤢 same with outdoor clothes on a bed, it’s disgusting
No I can’t be asked especially if I’ve got Doc martens on. Also what do people think about mankey smelly feet on your carpets?
Nah mine stay on. Don’t know where you guys are walking where your shoes get filthy but mine are generally always clean
Yes, always, also in friends/families homes, unless they have pets and tell me not to. Even with my work which involves me going into strangers houses, I don’t remove my shoes but I do 100% wear shoe covers.