why do people who aren't asians wear shoes indoors?

Question

ive noticed that in movies. the actors walk in the house withshoes on and i horrified ad amazed at the same time.
"Why the hell aer you wearing shoes indoors! AND HOW ARE DOES YOUR FLOOR STAY SO CLEAN!!!!"

i know filipinos take of their shoes because the parents are having a hard time cleaning the floors all day.

so tell me folks, why dont you take off your shoes when you enter the house?

Answer 1

I always walk barefoot, indoors and outdoors. I wipe my feet when I come in but I don't always wash them immediately, depends on where I've been. I used to take my shoes off most of the time, but sometimes I didn't bother, and I was the only one in the house who ever went barefoot; my parents always kept their shoes on. And taking closed shoes off, your feet aren't clean; if you've worn closed shoes all day feet can get pretty sweaty and while that kind of dirt may not be as visible, that doesn't mean those feet are clean!

Bottom line is, my house is meant to be lived in; I have a sturdy carpet and a vacuum cleaner. I don't care about a little dirt, my two cats walk in and out too and they don't even wipe their feet. I could never live in a house with a brand-spanking clean, white carpet, those are for showrooms, not living spaces.

Answer 2

Those are just differences in culture. In some countries it's normal to wear shoes indoors, in other cultures it's normal to take off your shoes before entering a house. It's not only Asians who take their shoes off, many others do it too.

In my country, Iceland, people take off their shoes before entering someone's home. It is rude here to wear shoes indoors unless the host tells you it's ok. We can wear shoes indoors in most public buildings though, except some schools and sport centers.

In the Netherlands for example people mostly wear shoes inside, but in the homes I've been to there the floors are from stone, so I guess it's not as bad as if they had carpets or wooden floors to keep clean. If everyone wears shoes in the homes there, then it's not as important to keep the floor spotless either.

Answer 3

Many individuals placed on slippers interior the residing house. In certain areas those are even referred to as "residing house shoes." I stay in an portion of the US the position there is diverse sand interior the soil and that i do no longer favor to placed on shoes into the residing house because they music grit which damages the hardwood flooring. besides the undeniable fact that, i'd never assume visitors to do away with their shoes and if I were having a celebration, i'd placed on shoes interior the residing house.

Answer 4

I hate wearing shoes indoors and so does my mom and my kids. I've gotten my husband used to taking his shoes off in the house but I don't give him a hard time of it if he doesn't immediately take them off. I'd like to take my shoes off whenever I go to someone's house but unfortunately I can only do it where it's ok with the person whose house it is. I do it at my aunt's house and at my mom's best friend's house but for some reason my mother-in-law laughed one time when I took off my shoes at her house.
I'm not sure why because we have always gotten along, I didn't have stinky feet (=P), plus she lived many, many years in San Francisco where she had many Filipino friends and neighbors --so the concept is not at all foreign to her.
???

But I just don't like wearing shoes in the house, I think it's uncomfortable nd unnecessary.

Answer 5

I have a friend who makes her niece and nephew put their shoes on when they come indoors because their feet are so dirty!! :) Just thought I'd share...

Actually, I leave my shoes on because I have fallen arches and I wear orthotic supports in my shoes. It's very painful for me to walk around for very long without shoes on. I'm sure I've been perceived as rude when I walk into someone's home and do not take off my shoes. If they ask about it I'll gladly explain it to them, but otherwise I try not to make a big deal about it.

Answer 6

It's not cultural for me, but I do take my shoes off in the doorway of my own home and close friends houses to prevent the carpets from getting dirty.
However, I once went to the home of someone who was from Hawaii, and it is cultural to take off the shoes at the door. I was very embarrassed to meet his parents for the first time and felt very exposed.
When I went to Japan, everyone takes their shoes off at the entryway, and indoor slippers are provided. That felt a lot better. There are also "bathroom slippers" there. That are only used in the restroom. (In hotels, and presumably homes, but this was not the case in bars, no shoe rules applied there.)

Answer 7

Bare feet or 'stocking feet' (that is, just socks or other hose) are not acceptable in many places, including private homes, in the western world.

It probably comes about because many people in the west are descended from people who lived in cold climates where footwear was essential to good health.

It's also worth remembering that the plush carpetting you see in movies was not common in western homes outside the US until quite recently.

In recent years, more people are starting to remove their shoes at the front door, on the request of the homeowner, but for many this is still very difficult.

For instance, my grandmother (99 years of age) wears special shoes to protect her feet. Many other people have orthotic footwear that they cannot easily remove.

As for the cleanliness of floors, most homes have a coarse mat made of stiff coir fibre or other rough material at each doorway into the house, and people wipe the soles of their shoes on those before entering the home.

If your shoes are very muddy or dirty, you would take them off before coming in ~ it is very rude to walk mud or filth into someone's home.

And, of course, we all buy a LOT of cleaning products to keep our floors clean, fresh and germ free.

Basically, I think it's a cultural difference and neither better or worse than what others do!

Cheers :-)

Answer 8

My house is meant to be lived in and my carpet is meant to be walked on - not treated as a sacred artifact. If I can't be bothered taking my shoes off, I leave them on. Steam cleaning and regular carpet cleaner suffice to keep it clean with no dramas.

Besides, do you really want half of all movies to be taken up with people taking shoes off and putting them on again??

EDIT: I do take my shoes off at other people's houses upon request or if I think my shoes are muddy

Answer 9

Its not that parents just clean floors all day . They do this because its considered rude when you bring in the street germs into the place you live .

i dont take my shoes off for two reasons One im too tired when i get off work to automaticly bend down and place them somewere.
Two construtions going on and saw dust is every were.

Answer 10

I don't know. My mom is French and we never wore shoes inside the house. It almost just seems practical to not wear shoes inside, that is if you don't want a disgusting floor!