Why do americans allways keep their shoes on inside the house? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Ulmer]

I don't know, I think it would be kind of disrespectful to take your shoes off... unless they had a dog you could blame the smell on.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

A show of respect? A show of respect? My point of view puts the shoe on the other foot (pardon the pun)... I think it's rude to ask a guest to remove his/her shoes if that is not traditional for the culture (and it is not in the U.S.) Whenever I hear "Please remove your shoes", what I really hear is "Please remove your shoes because I don't believe you're smart enough to have avoided stepping in dog shit on your way here" or "I want my carpet to look brand new forever and that's more important to me than having visitors."

I had a friend in high school whose mother wouldn't let me park my car on her driveway on the chance that if it had the slightest oil leak there would be a drop or two on her clean concrete before I left. Being mechanically inclined and taking pride in my ability to take care of my vehicle, I found that to be not just rude but downright insulting.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Bill, how does taking off shoes relate to honor? That's just silly.

In Japan, you are showing respect to the house that gives you shelter by not dirtying it

I hate wearing shoes, so I take them off whenever I can.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I must live a shelter life because I've never experienced people taking their shoes off when visiting other homes!

Crawdaddy

 

[Patrick Sun]

But have anyone of you smelled my feet? You'd ask me to keep my shoes on, I assure you!

 

[Philip_G]

it looks like it's been well covered. But up here in the winter, yes I would probably remove my shoes/boots. In the summer... eh, I look around, obviously if the host is not wearing shoes and there's a line of them by the door I would, otherwise not if they wer clean

 

[Jack Briggs]

What Jeff said.

(Jeff, this is, I believe, the second time we have agreed about something. Call the media now or later?)

 

[Bill Slack]

I take of my shoes in my home. I ask guests too unless they're just coming in real quick (and I still like it if they do anyway.) Msot of my friends just automatically do it when they come over.
Maybe a third of the people I know are the same way about it as me.
I don't like shoes very much, so it just makes sense to me. And you track a lot of crap around the house wearing shoes anyway, at least, around these parts.

 

[Danny R]

In Japan, you are showing respect to the house that gives you shelter by not dirtying it

See, thats just the thing. My shoe's aren't exactly the type that are going to track dirt into your house.

However I assure you that you do NOT want my bare sweaty feet trapsing over your carpet. You'll have a difficult time getting the smell out.

The thing about customs like this is that people often carry them forward without thinking about when and why they formed in the first place.

 

[Jens Raethel]

I don't judge real people by what TV characters do, I just wanted to know how its usually done in the USA.
I have to know how to behave when I come visit you!
Here in sweden we often have wooden floors and they get easely scratched if you wear shoes all the time.
And its NO wonder you all have stinky feet if you wear shoes all day long!!

 

[Trace Downing]

"I want my carpet to look brand new forever and that's more important to me than having visitors."

I have a very good friend who does this. But she has OCD about her house. She owns no mop, she gets on all 4s to sponge her tile. She has white berber carpet. Berber is notorious for capturing dirt. Out of deference to her, and not to give her a panic attack, I take 'em off. It's not as big a deal for me as our friendship. Besides, if someone works that hard to make their place spotless, it is disrespectful not to at least try and be accomodating.
Personally, I love not wearing shoes. I guess when you grow up in SoCal, that never leaves you.
She doesn't seem to mind being at my place. Although I'm fairly clean, in the back of my mind, I think she must think I'm a real slob for having a scratch on my hardwood floor. I hope she never does the pop-in thing. I can't constatntly monitor the toilet rim for little black curly hairs. :b

 

[Maurice McCone]

this is a fairly practical issue as far as I am concerned..

when I had carpet throughout, I would have hoped that people take their shoes off, or at least not minded when prompted.

With my new house I have gone for wooden floors throughout and don't mind if they remove footware or not; its also great not having to worry about spillages of red wine at parties.

Not aware of any difference between cultures on this issue apart from the Japanese customs as mentioned above.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Maybe it's a climate thing with us Georgians. With it being warm, the stinky feet smell take precedence over keeping carpet clean.

 

[Neil Joseph]

Jens, what you see on TV and what happens in reality are 2 different things. This same rule applies to the other post you have about American's not saying goodbye on the phone.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

As a clumsy American I keep my shoes on. I tend to drop and break some kind of glass plate, bowl , or drinking glass every few weeks. Taking your shoes off in my abode is a good way of finding that stray sliver of glass that the vacume cleaner missed.

 

[Mark Lee]

I think it's rude to ask a guest to remove his/her shoes if that is not traditional for the culture (and it is not in the U.S.) Whenever I hear "Please remove your shoes", what I really hear is "Please remove your shoes because I don't believe you're smart enough to have avoided stepping in dog shit on your way here" or "I want my carpet to look brand new forever and that's more important to me than having visitors."

You seriously believe that anyone expressing elements of their own (possibly non-U.S.) culture is being rude? (And as far as being "traditionally American," just what is that? English? Italian? Irish?) As a Korean-American, I've simply grown up always removing my shoes when entering someone else's home. I just consider it a sign of respect to my host. And more importantly, I just feel weird now if I don't do it....
I wouldn't be as concerned about the possibility of a guest traipsing thru my place right after having stomped on a big pile of dogshit -- presumably my guests have some common sense. It's the dirt and other detritus that I can't see right off the bat that I'm worried about. Presumably each of you keeps your own domicile cleaner than a city street or sidewalk; therefore I'd consider what you wear indoors (socks) likely to be more sanitary/clean that what you wear outdoors (shoes).
You're a guest in my home. Why is it so rude to ask you to follow some of my rules?

 

[Henry Carmona]

I dont like taking my shoes off everytime i come inside.
Thats why we Americans have door mats
Also, is it more rude to have someone remove their shoes and stink up the place (not being funny), or use the door mat and keep the shoes on.
One of my wifes friends husbands(lol is that correct), has some seriously stinky ass feet!
Ill remove my shoes when i go to others homes, i have to, my wifes asian
It gets old quick, and so do stinky feet!

 

[Todd Hochard]

You're a guest in my home. Why is it so rude to ask you to follow some of my rules?

Exactly. Anyone so self-important as to get bent over following the house rules wouldn't be my friend, anyway.

 

[Ike]

I don't take my shoes off in someone else's house, bur I do in my own. Not a big deal, really.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Far be it from a Brit to berate everyone else about anal retentive etiquette, but what's the big deal, guys? If someone wants you to take off your shoes, why not comply? Or do you have embarassing holes in your socks? If you have foot odour, wash more regularly, and if it's still a problem, see a doctor.