Why do some people wear shoes in their homes?

Question

As you can see, I'm Korean and it's custom to take your shoes off when you go in to a house. Aside from being a custom, isn't that the clean thing to do? You wear your shoes outside all day stepping around in who knows what. Why would anyone want to wear that around their house? I honestly don't understand the whole concept. It's also more comfortable without your shoes when you're inside, isn't it?

chips and dips, if you read the question correctly, i said why do SOME people, i didn't say ALL.

Answer 1

i completely agree

Answer 2

I used to be a shoes-in-the-house person, but in the last few years, I have turned into the type of person that removes his shoes upon entering the house. However, when I am a guest in someone else's home, I usually leave my shoes on. I would taken them off if they asked me to, but I usually keep them on. I am almost never barefoot in the house, though, unless it's time for bed.

Someone mentioned that in American society there is a taboo about feet. I can agree with that somewhat, but I don't think it is a very strong taboo. After all, when the weather is nice, I always see tons of people wearing sandals.

I can see a lot of good points in not wearing shoes in the house. For one thing, since I became a no-shoes-inside person, I have noticed that my shoes don't wear out as fast. I also don't have near as much trouble with my feet iching as I did before I became this way. Also, the floors do seem to stay cleaner longer.

Answer 3

I understand your way of thinking as I am a germa phobe, if ever there were a such thing. You step in everything all day in the streets and bathrooms you use in public, so I think it makes sense to take off your shoes once you get home. Most Americans were just raised that way. When you wake up you get dressed to include your shoes, and go about your day and once you return home you usually are so preoccupied with household duties and your arms are full of stuff, so the shoes come off when you are ready to unwind and go to bed. I personally take my shoes off when I get home and don't put them back on unless I'm going outside, like out to the store, not to run the trash out. I am not a shoes/ clothes person, so when I get home they come off first. It's so constricting. Nowdays though more people are following the no shoes rule and usually have a basket of footies at the door for guests that don't want to walk around barefoot, but usually it's because they have light carpet or thin walls and the downstairs neighbors can hear then walking. But shoes worn in the house is just second nature in Americans.

Answer 4

I need to wear something on my feet whether I'm outside or inside. I noticed when I moved to the Midwest lots of people would go outside barefoot, I just can't do that!

My dad is Japanese and has a strict rule about no shoes on while in the house, most of the time I abide by this but when I get home from work I usually don't, I know it's bad. Yes, he mentioned that shoes make the house dirty and he has to vacuum :)

I guess I just don't like my feet to touch the floor.

Answer 5

I would love to invoke a no-shoes policy in my house, but my husband would never go for it. When he comes home from work some days, he'll walk down the hall I'll find clumps of mud from the treads in his boots all the way from the door to the bathroom and/or bedroom.
American culture at least doesn't have a general rule about shoe wear, it's up to the keeper of the house. I agree with taking shoes off, it keeps the floor cleaner, the carpets last longer, etc.
However, when I walk through the door trying to carry groceries, mail, and whatever else, and have to keep the cat from escaping, wrenching my shoes off my feet is the last thing on my mind. My husband refuses the no-shoes rule because he has a mentality that once he takes his shoes off, it's impossible for him to do anything (like he does anything once he plants his butt on the couch anyway) and never takes them off before bed. Which is odd, because his parents have a non-strict no-shoe policy in their house.

Answer 6

I take mine off first thing in the door and put them on when I'm going out the door.

My only thing is there is really no way of asking your company to remove their shoes without being rude.
As a result, we live in Michigan, My floors look like crap and then people perceive you don't clean your house.
When i go to someone Else's house i most likely take off my shoes at the door.
My feet get cold but that's what they have socks and house shoes and fleece blankets for, so when its cold you stay warm, Besides who wants to cover up in blanket to get warm with their shoes on?
We have a spot right by the door to put our shoes,
Hope that was helpful.

Answer 7

I can't answer that question. I'm sitting here in my socks wondering the same thing. My feet are comfortable. My floor is clean. Maybe I was Korean in a previous life. I take my shoes off at the door!

Answer 8

I am Japanese so I was raised the same way, it was out of respect for your home. When I moved in with my boyfriend this was an issue we battled that I came to win, but he did have a valid point. It's still something that I have to remind the teenage boy about however.

When you go barefoot, the oils from your feet stain the carpet more than the dirt from your shoes, so some people choose not to take their shoes off.

My solution was to wear socks, end of story.

It's all a matter of how you were raised though. It bothers me more when people enter my home, seeing there are shoes next to the door and still walk in with their shoes on.

As for the man that said it's a matter of class, I so disagree with that. A lot of my friends take their shoes off in their home and they have 8,000 sf BEAUTIFUL homes. It's almost the exact opposite with them, they just spent thousands of dollars on carpet, there's no way they're going to get nasty dirt all over it.

Answer 9

Well when I was younger my mom made us do that! She did it to keep the carpet and floors clean. I never understood why when it gets dirty anyways. I used to hate it when she made us do that. But honestly I take my shoes off when I'm ready to sit down and relax. I don't make other people, cuz sometimes who knows what their feet smell like. Just an inconvience to others.

Answer 10

It probrably depends on the way they were raised....i used to wear my shoes in the house sometimes but other times not...in the summer no shoes in the but socks and or shoes in the winter...now that i have my own house i don't were shoes at all in the house...just socks....when people come visit they take their shoes too out of respect

Answer 11

We're definitely shoes-in-the-house people. I think the reason most Americans are, though, is there is a taboo about feet. Most people think of feet as a private body part, not something you would expose to guests or hosts. There's also the issue with some people having smelly or sweaty feet and of feet being dirty. You don't want to have to deal with other people's smelly feet and you don't want people who have issues with foot odor to be embarrased.