To me this is a cultural debate since I’m Asian and I grew up in a no-shoes-in-the-house environment. My husband who is white cannot stand taking off his shoes. He finds it extremely irksome.
I’ll admit to being a germaphobe, but who wouldn’t want to keep their home clean and free of (gasp!) feces. If your own phone can be one of the most bacteria-infested things in your possession, can you imagine what’s on the bottom of your shoes?! I shudder. Hence I’m the first to remove my shoes when I enter someone’s home and I expect the same.
One kid (white kid…I make the distinction because this seems to be an issue with the white American race in particular) came running into our home with his boots on, stomping on the carpet in my toddler son’s room. Franco insisted, “No shoes!”
The boy ignored Franco, at which point I reiterated, “Please take your shoes off.”
The boy retorted, “I don’t take my shoes off in my house.”
I smiled, “That’s your house. This is mine. Go take your shoes off.”
If someone is a guest of your home, then they should follow the house rules. AMIRIGHT?
What do you think? Do you make house guests remove their shoes? Also, do you think this is a cultural debate?
Patrick Weseman
March 12, 2018 at 3:23 pmI don’t but I will in someone else’s house if I need to out of respect of them.
Diana
March 12, 2018 at 5:06 pmI am white, and my husband is also white. However, I grew up in the US, and he grew up in Russia. We both grew up in homes where people are expected to take off their shoes. This is not a cultural debate.
Cece
March 13, 2018 at 1:47 pmFranco was like-uh uh!! LOL. When I think of all the nasty places my shoes have been…let’s just say I don’t want that in my house. It’s a much harder rule for my husband to follow…but he does go along with it. When I am in a home that does not have a no shoe rule, It’s unnerving because I feel like I am rubbing my dirty shoes all over their house, but there is no point taking them off if they don’t. I didn’t grow up with that rule. For me, it’s not about culture, it’s just about keeping the floors clean.
Dana
March 13, 2018 at 2:58 pmWe don’t have a no shoes in the house rule, although I respect the wishes of the homeowner when I am a guest. It’s one reason I never keep socks that get holes in them!
Tamara
March 13, 2018 at 5:32 pmI never thought of it as a cultural debate, to be honest. We always did as kids because my parents had the whole house with white carpeting. Seriously.
Now we just had our floors refinished and it’s winter so people have been doing it without us asking!
Mo
March 13, 2018 at 5:52 pmMy daughter-in-law is Asian and has a “no shoes” policy at their house. She attributes it to a cultural thing. I’ve never had a problem with it because, most importantly, I respect her and their house rules. Besides, I always remove my shoes at my own home because I find it to be much more comfortable!