Do Americans really leave their shoes on when they go inside someone's house, or is that just on tv? (That seems awfully dirty.) I've heard some people say they have that as a rule in their homes, like it's not just an obvious thing to do.
2007-10-01 22:36:43 · 11 answers · asked by loganj1203 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
These are very informative answers. :)
FYI, I am Canadian, have lived all over Canada, and NOBODY leaves their shoes on inside, unless they want to be TOLD by the owner to take them off.
2007-10-02 01:49:59 · update #1
It isn't an obvious thing to do in America. Some people, like myself, have this rule. Others do not. When visiting people, it's a good idea to look at the hosts' feet and take your cues from them.
2007-10-02 07:18:13 · answer #1 · answered by XP 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know if Americans do it, I was brought up by Australian and European parents and we leave our shoes on in the house, also.
Even today, bare feet are not always considered acceptable, especially if the home you are visiting belongs to people of an older generation or a more formal lifestyle.
I would never take my shoes off at my Grandmother's house, for example, she would not like it. Even though she has severe arthritis, she still wears footwear in the house, but now it is slippers, not shoes.
Travelling in Italy and Germany, I found people leave their shoes on in the house there, too, as an ordinary thing.
Nowadays, with more people having expensive carpet in their homes, there are more requests to leave your shoes at the door, but this is a fairly new development.
As for being dirty, no I don't think so. People wipe their feet before entering a house, there are special mats at front and back doors for this purpose.
It is just a cultural difference, I would think.
Cheers :-)
2007-10-02 06:59:14 · answer #2 · answered by thing55000 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When you visit someone it's always the big shoes-on or shoes-off dilemna. I live in Australia and I'd never heard about taking your shoes off at the door even in the most beautiful homes. It's a weird thing, and I don't understand why it's dirty unless you've accidently plonked your foot in a bit of dog poo on the way which you would surely know about.
2007-10-02 06:08:21 · answer #3 · answered by Miss Sally Anne 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It depends on how well I know the person, if its someone I know really well, and I have been to there house often, and my shoes are clean, I will keep them on. If it is someone I am visiting for the first time, I will take them off, unless the tell me otherwise, which most of the time they say "take your shoes off and stay for a while." So naturally I take them off.
2007-10-02 08:40:33 · answer #4 · answered by EngSupCo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Remove all foot wear, have good smelly foot spray at hand. If thy walk in S**T thy bring it in, you live with it-sleep with it-eat along side it YUK? Shoes should always be taken of at the door or else there be wiping there feet on the way out? I brought all my children up & grandchildren to remove foot wear of any king at the front or back door. I agree even adverts show children & adults with there shoes on all over the furnitur. Soaps thy lounge over 3 peice suits & beds with shoes on, I think we should all make a stand-bring out the paper foot wear you can just throw away & there Evironmentally Friendly. No wonder alot of people suffer with foot problems. I have laminated flooring, rubber bottoms to slippers are avised if your a bit wobbly on the pins. Good socks should do the job?
2007-10-02 06:23:18 · answer #5 · answered by Froglive 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Americans AND Canadians
2007-10-02 05:40:35 · answer #6 · answered by stevemeister 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wearing shoes into the house is very dirty. They bring in germs and all kinds of dirt under their soles into the house.
2007-10-02 12:16:09 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most do. It is just acceptable. I believe Canadians do too. By the way, it does cost us a lot in carpet and floor cleaners. It is not that bad though. We don't eat or sleep, or even lay down on our floor. If the occasion arises that we absolutely need to, we put down rugs or blankets.
2007-10-02 05:58:28 · answer #8 · answered by PEGGY S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's why we have vacuum cleaners. :-) Seriously, if everyone keeps their shoes on, then nobody will pick up microbes from the carpet on their feet. If their feet stay inside their shoes, then that's one less possible breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, etc. I'd much rather keep my shoes on in someone's house (except my own) than to have everyone's bare feet stepping where everyone else's bare feet have stepped.
2007-10-02 05:41:57 · answer #9 · answered by Michael S 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Iv only ever taken my shoes off once going into some1s house it seems really wierd to me that some people wud take them off
2007-10-02 05:45:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋