Do You Remove Your Shoes Before Entering Your Home ?

[calibanjr.]

I'm fine with the shoes off, it's a lot more comfy, etc. The guys wigging out about shoes on in "American movies" and bringing "filth" etc. into other's houses are a bit over the top to me. The VAST majority of American homes I've been in, people don't expect guests to take their shoes off. There are some people that do, and it is expected that they tell you their preference for it, if you don't notice them taking them off themselves when you enter. Feet up on the coffee table or other furniture, shod or not, is always a no-no. I'm from a winter wonderland area, and if you come over with snowy/wet shoes, you're expected to wipe them off or take them off as the situation dictates, but that's usually it. Most of those homes, like my whole very large extended family's, seem as clean as anything I've seen anywhere else. Seems like some hyper-anal-retentive types in the vicinity.

Anal retentive?

You said.

Would you be happy with someone walking bare foot in your home IF

They had verucas, athletes foot or other contagious fungal infections

These conditions are associated with poor feet hygiene and wearing shoes too much.

Never said that and not sure how it relates to my post.

[jietjon]

I'm fine with the shoes off, it's a lot more comfy, etc. The guys wigging out about shoes on in "American movies" and bringing "filth" etc. into other's houses are a bit over the top to me. The VAST majority of American homes I've been in, people don't expect guests to take their shoes off. There are some people that do, and it is expected that they tell you their preference for it, if you don't notice them taking them off themselves when you enter. Feet up on the coffee table or other furniture, shod or not, is always a no-no. I'm from a winter wonderland area, and if you come over with snowy/wet shoes, you're expected to wipe them off or take them off as the situation dictates, but that's usually it. Most of those homes, like my whole very large extended family's, seem as clean as anything I've seen anywhere else. Seems like some hyper-anal-retentive types in the vicinity.

Last time in Samui, i was invited to ladys home . On arrival i charge in ,with my sandy shoes on and she asks me , can you take your shoes off please. I was so embarassed, but smashed on Finlandia vodka.

Anal retentive?

You said.

Would you be happy with someone walking bare foot in your home IF

They had verucas, athletes foot or other contagious fungal infections

These conditions are associated with poor feet hygiene and wearing shoes too much.

Never said that and not sure how it relates to my post.

[suegha]

Always do in Thailand, mostly do in the UK - sometimes it's too cold to do so! At home in the UK I usually wear comfy shoes/slippers/sandals when inside and leave the 'outside' shoes by the front door (just inside).

There's no right or wrong in this case, depends on cultural differences and personal preferences.

[cobra]

Yes, but routinely get a pass to remain shoed, simply for scratching off dead skin from my bunions and investigating new areas of nail fungus while carrying on cordial conversation,

[garro]

I'm fine with the shoes off, it's a lot more comfy, etc. The guys wigging out about shoes on in "American movies" and bringing "filth" etc. into other's houses are a bit over the top to me. The VAST majority of American homes I've been in, people don't expect guests to take their shoes off. There are some people that do, and it is expected that they tell you their preference for it, if you don't notice them taking them off themselves when you enter. Feet up on the coffee table or other furniture, shod or not, is always a no-no. I'm from a winter wonderland area, and if you come over with snowy/wet shoes, you're expected to wipe them off or take them off as the situation dictates, but that's usually it. Most of those homes, like my whole very large extended family's, seem as clean as anything I've seen anywhere else. Seems like some hyper-anal-retentive types in the vicinity.

Last time in Samui, i was invited to ladys home . On arrival i charge in ,with my sandy shoes on and she asks me , can you take your shoes off please. I was so embarassed, but smashed on Finlandia vodka.

Anal retentive?

You said.

Would you be happy with someone walking bare foot in your home IF

They had verucas, athletes foot or other contagious fungal infections

These conditions are associated with poor feet hygiene and wearing shoes too much.

Never said that and not sure how it relates to my post.

My apologies, there should be two quotes. The first comment was directed at you and the second at IvanLaw.

[a2396]

Another nitwit post. Do you polish your shore everynight before going to bed or do you polish them in the morning? If not, how often do you polish your shoes? What kind of shoe polish do you use? Do you have a good wife who will polish your shoes for you? If not, why not?

[greenmember]

The tricky part here, for schoolteachers, is that the students remove their shoes before entering the classroom, leaving the hallway scattered with 100 shoes. The teacher, however, keeps shoes on all day.

No wonder my children's school socks are dam* black and dirty.

I saw some students walking outside with only the socks on (no shoes). No wonder theirs have holes. This is equally stupid.

Edited July 27, 2008 by greenmember

[YaiJung]

I take my shoes off when I come inside and agree its much cleaner than dragging filth from outside all over the house.

One thing I can't get past though is the eating on the floor bit. Barefoot or not, it brings my food a little too close to everyone else's feet for comfort. Not only am I now sitting in other people's foot grime, but I also can't help but use my hands on the floor to help my sitting position get comfortable which means my hands are no longer clean for eating...

OK for eating outdoors in clean natural environment, but inside a bustling house full of people....I dont think so.

[greenmember]

We have garden with dogs (dogs stay outside the house only). They have vaccine once a year and injection for skin problem, worm and flea every 3 months, but 2 of them often have white flat worms running outside after they sh_t. Disgusting if someone steps on the worms / worm eggs, dog sh_ts and pees and brings it into the house with their shoes, walks to the kitchen and later puts their clothes + undies on the floor to fold. To them if the floor is not black, it's clean.

Not enough, they walk outside with the in-house slippers or bare feet.

[libya 115]

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Japan...........

Now that I automatically remove footwear before entering my own and anyone elses home I actually feel uncomfortable wearing shoes when I go back to the U.K. So I remove (them) without being asked to.

I think that wearing footwear inside the home is a disgusting, filthy habit.

I think that carpet is disgusting and filthy. If I ever live in the UK again I shall insist that the whole place is floored with either wood or ceramic tiles.

The more you think about people back in the U.K. coming in off the filthy street and walking around their homes with shoes on just makes me want to vomit.

In fact this topic could be in the health section of Thai visa. How many childhood diseases and infections could be prevented? I remember as a kid crawling around on the carpeted floors, dropping food and sweets onto it, eating them etc. etc. Maybe I can sue my parents?

[lazeeboy]

living on samui theres sand eveywhere,nothing worse than sand on bare feet,i have a tap outside the door everyone washes there feet before entering,this is accepted by all that live in thailand but not visitors from the uk ,who find it to personable ,after staying in thailand a few days they understand when they find sand almost everywhere in there hotel room including the bed...

[sylviex]

I think that carpet is disgusting and filthy. If I ever live in the UK again I shall insist that the whole place is floored with either wood or ceramic tiles.

Totally agree. If you must, have rugs that can be cleaned. Carpet acts like a sponge for nasties. It is always dusty and creates problems for those with dust mite allergies. Same goes for heavily upholstered furniture, curtains etc.

Perhaps people have to wear shoes indoors because the carpet is so dirty .

[howmuch]

I take my shoes off all time now, it makes me wonder why i didn't before?. An England thing i suppose, but it saves cleaning the place.

Any road, has any one noticed how big Thai womens feet are? Great big mud pluggers...

Edited July 27, 2008 by howmuch

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Being from Hawaii, I've always removed my shoes before entering my house or other's. Just don't feel comfortable in a house wearing shoes.

Same here. It makes so much sense where it rains a lot. Who wants to track mud into the house?

[greenmember]

I wear socks all the time so feet won't get cold.

[wintermute]

I don't see what's so western about tracking mud and dog sh*t inside your or someone else's home. I take 'em off automatically unless someone doesn't care at all. There's nothing eastern about this practice plenty of western countries do the same thing especially if you live in a cold wet environment.

[BigSnake]

Yes, I do always, This is Thailand(TIT), it's a Thais custom and I for sure don't want to offend my host country; beside it is a good way not to track dirt and other thing all over your Home. After fifteen plus years in LOS it has become second nature to me. Almost remove my shoes once when entering a beautiful home like Gold Shop; the owner insisted, no need to do so.

Edited July 27, 2008 by BigSnake

[Scott]

I don't take them off outside, but I do take them off inside the house, usually. I have no problem walking around with my shoes on in the house (such as if I forget something upstairs), but actually it's just too warm to wear shoes here.

If you come from one of the coldest places in the US, however, you usually don't take your shoes off in the house--feet get really cold.

[Thai Chi]

Shoes (sandals) off outside my house / my wifes houses / my in laws house / my dentist / my pharmacy / my barber / my daughters school and doctor et al......

Have been doing this way before I even thought of visiting Thailand. Although back in Oz, it was just at my place as well as friends.....and some of them could not understand why

[Marvo]

I wear socks all the time so feet won't get cold.

Aaahhhhh, someone else with circulatory problems - I'm not alone!

[chickenslegs]

I take my shoes off all time now, it makes me wonder why i didn't before?. An England thing i suppose, but it saves cleaning the place.

Any road, has any one noticed how big Thai womens feet are? Great big mud pluggers...

Mmm... Are you sure of your facts?

[chickenslegs]

If you want to drive your wife crazy, ALWAYS take off your shoes before entering the front door.

Then, walk through the house and exit the back door into the yard or garden in your bare feet.

After a while, re-enter the house - again with bare feet.

Wait for a few moments, until she starts to boil.

Let the fun begin.

As a variant, you can always leave the toilet seat up or discard your used underwear on the floor next to the linen basket.

I don't wear shoes in the house and even take them off when entering some of the more old fashioned shops (if I see the tell-tale pile of flip flops outside). Common courtesy really.

[hanno]

Absolutely. Apart from all the cr*p on the street, people here in Vietnam spit a lot and I really do not want to carry that into my house.

[wolfmanjack]

I don't take them off outside, but I do take them off inside the house, usually. I have no problem walking around with my shoes on in the house (such as if I forget something upstairs), but actually it's just too warm to wear shoes here.

If you come from one of the coldest places in the US, however, you usually don't take your shoes off in the house--feet get really cold.

I come from a place in the USA that gets -40 in the winter time and i took my shoes off in the house.

I did have sheepskin slippers that i wore when i was in the basement rec room but the central heating kept it plenty warm enough in the living room for socks.

[t.s]

Yes I always remove my shoes as it is far more hygienic. I don't want my baby crawling over a floor covered in all the things that I picked up outside or during visits to the toilet. Of course,to many posters on TV that might see this as trying to be Thai but in my opinion they are just ignorant and so screw them.

garro

A outside toilet? My grandparents had one of those. Is yours a 2 seater or a one seater. Big seat, small seat so none of the kids would fall through. Does yours have a butt washer? Theirs didn't.

BTDT I did say outside or to the toilet so this should obviously tell you that my toilet is not outside.

not at all obvious.

do you wear shoes to the toilet? because if you are going to the toilet barefoot or in socks i cant see the hygenic benefit you mwention.

[t.s]

I take off just inside door . Outside poses a risk of a shoeful of tokay poop, insect nasties or other unwanted surprises. Also, I recall reading here of the man from Sunbelt Asia having to go to work in suit and sandals after his shoes were stolen from outside. I think his whole street was cleaned out, if I remember correctly.

It's disgusting watching, mainly American, movies where people sit in a sofa or a bed with their dirty shoes on or bring in all sorts of filth that is deposited on the carpeting.

Don't know if mainly American or not, but the same horrifies me in films now, as does putting shoe-clad feet on the COFFEE TABLE ! Have a scone !!

It makes perfect sense to remove shoes inside. Probably more cultures do so than don't. I have always preferred to be barefooted. Shoes feel quite uncomfortable now. I think my feet have broadened from lack of confinement. Many shoes are even very bad for the feet and spine, notably high heels, in which you also risk breaking your ankles.

You should protect your feet properly outdoors, though, to avoid snakes, stinging insects and nasty tropical microbes and other undesirables.

BTW, Aussies don't wear flip flops. We sometimes wear thongs, though .

At one Thai place I sometimes visit , they insist you do not remove your shoes before entering. They wear their shoes, too. I always wonder if there's a "trendy farang practice" idea going on. Hope it doesn't catch on.

mental image be gone!

[t.s]

Out of curiosity ?,

Would you be happy with someone walking bare foot in your home IF

They had verucas, athletes foot or other contagious fungal infections

How would you know?

In our home we provide slippers for visitors.

Just wondered how many other people do?

Regards

Ivan

PS

Slippers are regularly cleaned , disinfected

some of us just live our entire lives without ever worrying about such nonsense

[Beacher]

I think a more interesting poll would be to ask if you take your shoes off before entering a Thai shop. It seems to me that many Thai people remove their shoes before entering a lot of Thai stores and shops. I see their shoes scattered outside the door, and that makes me a little uncomfotable walking in with mine on, but I do enter wihout removing them, making sure to wipe the bottoms if there's a mat at the door and not to step on the threshhold (after hearing that that was a no no).

BTW, in response to the original poll, I do remove them at home.

[pampal]

Shoes are removed after entering house, did the same in LA

[dhind1]

Of course I do.

It is a local custom an an excellent idea.