Shoes: on or off inside?

[rousseau]

Do you take your shoes off when you get home? This is something that has perplexed me for a while. Americans definitely seem not to, but Canadians do. Or, some of us do.

It seems to be a class thing, as far as I can tell. If your house has wings, then you leave your shoes on because it's like walking into a museum. If you're part of the urban or rural economic underclass, then you leave your shoes on because you don't give a phuck. If you're middle-class, you take your shoes off, winter or summer, because otherwise the floors get filthy and it's unhygienic, besides.

I grew up with the shoes coming off. All of my relatives do the same. What do you do?

[rousseau]

Further to this:

1. I lived and travelled in Asia for six years. Shoes coming off at the threshold of the living environment (and putting on indoor slippers) is not just Japanese.

2. I grimace when I see someone jump onto a bed or lie down on a couch with shoes in an American film or TV show. I find the idea disgusting, and I'm not some fastidious busybody or anything. Europeans seem to leave their shoes on when they get home, but I don't think they would wear them into the bedroom. Would they?

[Bigtime]

Always been shoes off for me, that is how I was raised.

[Pavlov]

I have an indoor slipper policy. I think this is ideal.

[Ayreonaut]

No shoes inside for me.

[TonyAnderson]

From my experience as an American, it's the norm to take your shoes off at home - I don't think humans really like wearing shoes in general. Some people will even have a policy of no shoes in the house. At the same time, it's common just do whichever you'd like. America = freedom

[habfanman]

Interesting..

For me, it's weather related. If it's a dry day I leave them on, wet or snowy I take them off. I have hardwood floors throughout and would take them off if I had carpeting. I always take them off at someone else's place unless they tell me not to.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

From my experience as an American, it's the norm to take your shoes off at home

Seriously? My experience and travels in the U.S. are probably not as extensive as some, but every single time I went to take off my shoes when entering someone's home I was greeted with jocular ribbing and the question: What are you, Japanese?

The Japanese comment came out every single time, without exception. We're talking probably seventy or eighty times in my life in American homes this has happened.

And yet you say taking off the shoes is normal in the U.S.? Not trying to be argumentative here, but...really? Honestly? I mean, I've never, ever seen it in an American film or TV show, and, well, aren't they supposed to be somewhat reflective of the culture?

So what gives?

[matt602]

I don't because I don't have carpet in the house and I clean my floors regularly. I only take my boots off if I'm not going back out for a long while. They take too long to put back on otherwise.

[drew]

There are hardwoods on the main floor of my house, so if it is dry out, and my shoes are clean, I'll leave them on.

Growing up in Winnipeg, being able to have a choice of leaving your shoes on or off is somewhat of a rarity because it can only happen on dry days in the summer or fall. During the winter and spring it's way too messy to even consider it.

[samne]

Shoes off for me. i dont like wearing shoes. I dont like socks either, but I save that for home.

I'll usually take the shoes off no matter at a buddy's "temporary" bachelor pad or my mother-in-law's.

I think house-parties are the exception. I'll follow protocol.

Perhaps Americans seem to keep their shoes on because otherwise the Huxtables or whatever sitcom family would look silly with socks on tv.

[Rathgrith]

I always take them off but whenever I have had exchange students from France come over... they always leave them on!

[Acajack]

Shoes off inside for me as well.

I too have heard that Americans find it odd that Canadians take off their shoes indoors all the time.

But I think it might be mostly a climate-related thing, and in warm (or at least warmer) climates like you have in much of the U.S., the line between indoors and outdoors is much more blurred, especially when it is also dry.

Even here in Canada, I find that at least in my household we are less fussy about taking shoes off in the house during hot and dry periods in the summer, and inside vs. outside doesn’t really matter so much.

[circle33]

Off. One can never be sure of what they stepped in while outdoors.

[1ajs]

depends what i am doing if i am runing in to grabsomthing no if i am just coming home i take em off

if i am visiting someones home i genraly take them off as they usualy are my big clod hoper work boots that are to big to drive with

[vid]

I take them off at the top of the stairs but sometimes will keep them on if I've just popped in for a few minutes or haven't gotten settled yet. On really snowy days, I take them off by the door, which is one floor below the actual apartment.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

From my experience as an American, it's the norm to take your shoes off at home - I don't think humans really like wearing shoes in general. Some people will even have a policy of no shoes in the house. At the same time, it's common just do whichever you'd like. America = freedom

Fuck yeah! (as you can tell I just watched Team America again recently)

[sammo]

i don't think i breaks down to americans -shoes on, canadians- shoes off. i think the divide is along cultural lines. for instance i think the more 'waspy' cultures (the ones that will have the dog snack from the dinner table, sleep in the their bed, lick their face...) would have less regard for a clean floor, spotless dishes, hence shoes on -ok.
i myself don't mind a strand or two of Mr.Darcy's (my attack cat's) hair in my morning espresso. - i kinda like it, infact.

[Ramako]

My family would usually leave our shoes on during the day, and take them off in the evening.

In the day you're going all over the place, in and out of the house, running errands, etc. It seemed like a hassle to take them on and off every time you would come and go.

It never really made the floors messy. If your shoes are muddy, then you take them off.

[240glt]

Normally shoes off, but due to recent construction activity and the corresponding mess it's been shoes on lately, except for one bedroom and my office, which are hoarded off with poly and I am really trying to keep clean.