Shoes in the house

[CordMcNally]

Take a paper towel and moisten it with some water. Wipe it on the hard surface floor you are walking on.

You will stop wearing shoes in the house.

You ever go barefoot outside? Nothing can ever stay perfectly clean. We've already come a long ways from houses with dirt floors.

[Larry Ragman]

OK, I am in the minority of responders here, but we only take off shoes in the house that have been used for working in the yard or have been specifically soiled (walking in rain, slush, mud). Certainly no rule about it and no need for slippers or booties at the door. I get that there is a certain cultural aspect in play for many here, but I am highly skeptical that there is any particular hygienic value to removing shoes just because they have been exposed to outdoor germs. All that said, if I track in dirt, I am told in no uncertain terms to clean it up.

[wideopenspaces]

Shoes in the house grosses me out. But I will say I've gotten less rigid over time and I don't get like internally agitated anymore if someone walks inside with shoes on. It used to make me very anxious and I couldn't relax until I had cleaned up after them. But we generally ask others to take them off and my kids are so well trained that I always know whose house in the neighborhood my 13yo is at because his shoes are sitting outside. And he immediately tells his friends "shoes off" when they come over. My dad took real offense the only time he stayed over but once we got him some nice slippers with grippy bottoms he grumbled less. But he's notorious for tracking in dirt and snow and leaves.

[zlandar]

You ever go barefoot outside? Nothing can ever stay perfectly clean. We've already come a long ways from houses with dirt floors.

Neg. The world is ripe with strongyloides.

It’s a culture and cleanliness thing for me. It’s gross when you wear white socks, walk through a house, and then they are brown/black afterwards. Big believer in steam mops.

[CordMcNally]

Neg. The world is ripe with strongyloides.

It’s a culture and cleanliness thing for me. It’s gross when you wear white socks, walk through a house, and then they are brown/black afterwards. Big believer in steam mops.

I’ve got some bad news about the world around you and germs…

[MPMD]

3 thoughts

1. i really don't get this, if my shoes are dirty i take them off, if they are clean i don't worry about it

2. the hygiene/sanitation angle to this is ludicrous, you might like cleaner floors or have a convention that people take off shoes, but don't act like it's a health concern for people to wear shoes in your house. if nothing else there will be many times when someone will take off perfectly clean shoes w/o a speck of dirty or mud on them and walk around with sweaty unwashed socks or bare feet. i will guarantee you there are more bacteria on the soles of someone's feet than on my sneakers with no visible soil. it's so silly.

3. (minor) as someone with very high arches who needs lots of support, it is quite uncomfortable for me to walk on hardwood w/o shoes, this is compounded with some elderly people who need orthotic support. shoes can often prevent slipping as well in a way that socks cannot. i wouldn't be super dogmatic about asking older people to remove their shoes in your home if you don't know them well.

[CalMD]

I should also clarify. No outside shoes inside the house. Especially during the winter, we do wear slippers.

As for cleanliness, it is akin to having different cutting board in the kitchen. I would never cut fish or vegetable for raw consumption on the red cutting board.

[bovie]

Shoes off or get out.

[CordMcNally]

2. the hygiene/sanitation angle to this is ludicrous, you might like cleaner floors or have a convention that people take off shoes, but don't act like it's a health concern for people to wear shoes in your house. if nothing else there will be many times when someone will take off perfectly clean shoes w/o a speck of dirty or mud on them and walk around with sweaty unwashed socks or bare feet. i will guarantee you there are more bacteria on the soles of someone's feet than on my sneakers with no visible soil. it's so silly.

I think we can probably agree that after seeing some of the feet we see in the ED, I would much rather have these people wear shoes in my house.

[MPMD]

I think we can probably agree that after seeing some of the feet we see in the ED, I would much rather have these people wear shoes in my house.

exactly

it's a weird hill to die on if you ask me

also for those who are fans there is a great episode about this on S1 of Curb "Porno Gil" starring a young Bob Odenkirk as the titular character.

[burritos]

Hard no. Cultural thing. We have slippers, but don't use them and they just collect dust.

[Tim]

OK, I am in the minority of responders here, but we only take off shoes in the house that have been used for working in the yard or have been specifically soiled (walking in rain, slush, mud). Certainly no rule about it and no need for slippers or booties at the door. I get that there is a certain cultural aspect in play for many here, but I am highly skeptical that there is any particular hygienic value to removing shoes just because they have been exposed to outdoor germs. All that said, if I track in dirt, I am told in no uncertain terms to clean it up.

This seems to be a cultural thing. I remember when everyone was washing down floors and counters with bleach at the beginning of the pandemic.
My wife is a germaphobe. But it is limited to hand contact. Uses her shirt to open a pantry door.
If I track in dirt, I am told in no uncertain terms to clean it up and to clean the shoes and then wash my hands. Shoes are always allowed.

[Hatton]

What a strange thread. I have never been asked to remove my shoes. I would think how strange. I walk around with shoes all the time. I remove my shoes in the garage if I step in mud or dog poop. I have a sink in my garage which comes in handy for shoe cleaning. I visit other friends and relatives and they generally wear shoes also. I live in the South so there is no snow problem. I think your feet have lots of bacteria also. If you are not immunocompromised why worry about shoe and floor bacteria. I used to go barefoot a lot when I was younger but now I do not like it.

[pit.alumni]

Surprised to see such a large no shoe camp. I guess none of you are dog lovers.

[Tim]

What a strange thread. I have never been asked to remove my shoes. I would think how strange. I walk around with shoes all the time. I remove my shoes in the garage if I step in mud or dog poop. I have a sink in my garage which comes in handy for shoe cleaning. I visit other friends and relatives and they generally wear shoes also. I live in the South so there is no snow problem. I think your feet have lots of bacteria also. If you are not immunocompromised why worry about shoe and floor bacteria. I used to go barefoot a lot when I was younger but now I do not like it.

Kind of ironic, a shoe keeps crap off of your feet. They are protective coverings. Just an alternate point of view.