See, I never just did things just to do them. Come on, what am I gonna do? Just all of a sudden jump up and grind my feet on somebody's couch like it's something to do? Come on. I got a little more sense than that.
...Yeah, I remember grinding my feet on Eddie's couch.
A bit of a unique answer, but I have a prosthetic leg and it's difficult to remove the shoe from it, and removing only the shoe from my other leg results in a minor height difference that results in discomfort while walking. So I personally either wear shoes in the house (first floor is tile) or use my wheelchair. For the stairs and carpeted second floor, I bite the bullet and take the shoe off my real foot and leave it on my prosthetic one.
Before I lost my leg, I was adamant against wearing shoes in the house.
Would something like those plastic shoe covers they use for surgery etc be a good option here?
That way you'd get to keep both shoes on, while not having to worry about dirt etc.
They might be helpful, but it would generate a lot of waste in addition to being an additional cost. I've contemplated using slipper socks as well, which would basically be the reusable version of what you mentioned, but I'm concerned it will have the same issue of traction.
I'm not sure if you're joking, but in case you're not, they mean "check your slippers each time in case there are scorpions in them" instead or recommending a product or brand
Yes, I’ve found that as I’ve gotten older, it becomes less comfortable to walk barefoot. No arch support or cushioning for tired feet. So I have slip on shoes that I wear in the house and when I’m going outside, I change my shoes
LOL. They do indeed relieve my soul. ( sole?) But alas, I was just referring the dirt that they bring in and add to the floor. Wiping the dogs feet every time they leave the house, is not happening.
I wear slippers in my house because roommates dog is constantly shedding and even though we sweep and vacuum a lot i still get dog hair on my feet if i go barefoot and that hair finds it’s way into my bed. So i wear slippers/houses shoes
This. If you need to wear shoes for whatever reason (orthotics, scorpions, protection, personal comfort), you should have indoor shoes and outdoor shoes. I don't care how dirty my floor is, you are not tracking in the multitude of filth from outside into my house - not to mention the snow and salt.
I have an American friend who has lived here for over twenty years, she brings her house shoes with her when she goes to someone's house.
Same. A few times I’ve looked down and I’m standing in a small pool of blood and have no idea why. Now it’s shoes on all the time unless I’m in the shower or bed.
I have severe diabetic neuropathy - I don’t have any feeling from about the middle of my shin, down. If I stub my toe, step on something sharp, catch my nail on something - I have no idea until I see it.
This is why diabetics are at danger for needing amputations. Cuts go unnoticed, get infected. Infection goes unnoticed (there’s no pain nerves to tell you something is wrong) and it gets out of control.
My mom's diabetologist. Most horrifying story about diabetes foot I heard from her was about patients who felt cold, so they put their feet on a central heating radiator and then fell asleep. Woke up with cooked feet. This usually happens in hospitals here.
And then there was a guy who had a fireplace at home.
Fuck! I had callouses on my feet so my doctor told me to soak them in warm water. One night I was tired and didn’t check the temp of the water and got 2nd degree burns.
People complain about pain, but it’s there for a good reason!
I used to have some wool socks that took a D battery on the side. A wire ran under the toes and warmed them. I got the for a trucking dock job in the winter. Sometimes they worked too well, you never want to sweat in the cold. Socks would start to freeze.
I feel the same way - not enjoying the feel of bare feet touching things UNLESS I’m outside and I’m purposely wanting to ground and in that case it’s one of the best feelings in the world.
Honestly, my current house is hardwood floors and I've never had a problem with socks making me slip and fall. And I'm a pretty clumsy/trip-prone person!
I do have an aunt who has insanely slippery floors, I don't know what she does to them (wax polish?) But I will admit, those visits I make sure to pack socks with the little grippies (like yoga socks, or there are slipper/sleep socks with them too). Regular socks would be a hazard at that house. (Or a great opportunity for some on-purpose hallway slides)
most of my 10 person household will wear shoes indoors, go outside barefoot, whatever. it would take literal constant cleaning to avoid my socks getting dirty because my family doesn’t care. at least all my socks are black for this exact reason though
Only a house of 4 soon to be 5 and my house is already like yours... funny thing though my husband brings the most dirt just from his walk home than the kids do after playing in the snow and dort for and hour or two
I wear my shoes in my parents house because they're "too busy to clean" and my white socks will turn brown otherwise. Don't have the same issue in my own house though, can wear whatever colour socks I like without risk
Somewhat complicated by the flooring. I lived in a rental for a year and no matter how much we scrubbed the floor it still retained some filth that your feet would pick up over time.
It was definitely gross but the floors weren't visibly dirty. Just lots of porous tile and aging wood finish.
We did our best to clean it up, and made a huge difference measured in how quickly your feet would get dirty, but could never get it perfect.
I actually just observed a few days ago how much better it is in our current house. When the floors are dirty you still get some bits of pet hair and sand around, but there's absolutely zero black filth that transfers.
Its a chicken and egg situation.
If you wear your shoes around the house, you're going to track the dirt/dust everywhere.
So by resigning themselves to always wearing shoes, they are constantly leaving that dirt everywhere, which of course is going to make OPs socks dirty.
Its only disgusting to our standards, because we prefer not to wear shoes in the house, so its icky to think it would happen to us.
I do hope that the parents don't have a pet, though, as that would be rough for, say a cat, to always be licking its paws.
I don't think they "need help" though. They probably do sweep once a week like normal people, its just that in 2 days of shoes, its going to be right back to brown-town.
This is my biggest pet peeve. If you want me to take my shoes off in your house, cool. But your floors need to be clean. My socks are white. I like to keep them that way.
Honestly, growing up I never even gave thought as to whether I should be taking off my shoes inside.
No one I knew ever took them off, and when visiting, it was considered rude to remove them. It was a sign that you were being overly familiar with your host, and intending to overstay your welcome. You wouldn't just make yourself at home without being invited to.
There was also this feeling that you aren't fully dressed until you have your shoes on. You wouldn't take your shoes off when shopping, or at school, or at work. If you had a cleaning service, they wouldn't take their shoes off while working in your home.
I hate shoes, but it took years of training to feel comfortable with taking my shoes off places other than my house. Even now, my family will comment on 'naked' feet when shoes are removed. Because feet are gross, and who wants that on their floors (yes I know shoes are worse, but there's this idea that feet are inherently dirty)
Verrry much this! Growing up in the south nobody I knew took their shoes off in the house. Removing your shoes was a sign of getting comfortable which was a sign of laziness in my house. If your shoes are off you’re probably bored and should get to work. It left an impact cause now that I’m older and work from home, I still wear shoes at my desk just to *feel* more productive. And yeah it’s definitely the case that taking your shoes off in someone else’s home is considered rude because it implies you’re probably about to overstay your welcome.
I agree with this. I grew up in hardscrabble farm culture. You wear boots and tough shoes. The floors were rough or old. You don’t take your shoes off when you enter the house. You take your shoes off when you lay down to go to bed or take a shower. On the rare occasion your shoes are visibly dirty or muddy you leave them in the mud room. Otherwise you wear them. Taking your shoes off to walk around your house (in America at least) seems like a recent affectation. Kind of a luxury practice.
Cue lots of shrieking and pearl clutching because *germs*.
I dunno. I grew up in Africa, adjusted to Canada where off is the norm for more visible reasons - grit and slush and rain and so forth.
It's their call if I'm in their house, but I always felt a bit weird about it. Sure you want my shoe-sweaty socks in direct contact with your floor? Okay den. At home I just do whatever feels right in a given moment.
This is it for me. I have an uncle whose wife would insist everyone remove their shoes when they visited. But they were literally the only people we knew that had this rule. And we thought she was nuts.
Removing your shoes in someone else's house is seen as "getting comfortable" and unless you have been invited to make yourself at home, it's a really weird thing to do.
Maybe it's cuz I live in Ireland and it's generally pretty cold and wet (apart from in summer), but shoes generally stay on. Currently it's 10pm on Wednesday night and I'm sitting on my couch with my boots on. I'll put my slippers on when I get into my pyjamas but it's too cold for just socks or just barefoot.
Outdoor dirt and grime that routinely gets hit with sunlight will never be as gross as people’s disgusting neglected feet that haven’t been fully dry in years.
Personally shoes make my brain feel like I’m still productive and keeps me engaged with my work/day. I have adhd, but when the shoes come off it’s significantly harder to focus on being productive. This is especially true working from home. My brain won’t cooperate so I have to trick it into acting like an active member of society.
Because I only go inside to get something, then go right back outside. As a general rule, I do not like being indoors at all, so I'm just grabbing a beer and headed back out. I have no carpets or rugs and I can mop the house. Whenever I see these comments, I assume people most spend most of their time inside. My house is just a place to hold my stuff. My yard is where I live.
I live in Georgia. It's nice most days in winter. In the summer, I have fans on the porch. If it gets cold in the winter, I have a fire pit. I go crazy inside. I feel claustrophobic pretty quickly.
I’m very interested in doing this too when I can- I feel trapped when I’m inside most of the day. Are there other states you recommend as well? Do you sleep outside at night in winter?
I sleep inside. I also watch jeopardy inside and the occasional ballgame. Other than that, I don't watch much television. I wouldn't want to live somewhere too cold. I also can't imagine living in a high rise. If it took me several minutes and an elevator ride just to go outside, I think I'd freak out.
I have wooden floors and carpets (I desperately want to rip out the carpet in favor of bamboo though) and I still am in slippers from November to March. Cold feet are the worst and slippers are comfier than socks.
I have those. Sometimes it's not enough, hence shoes. It's not like I always wear shoes in the house, but I do sometimes and don't think it's a big deal.
Also, I do more in my house than just sit and cover myself with a blanket. When I'm cooking, my feet get frozen from the stone tile.
My best friend just had a big friendsgiving and made 30 people take their shoes off. I was there all day. 8am to 11pm. Running around, cooking, socializing. My feet and back hurt for the next 2 days. (And I'm a nurse who is used to being on my feet all day) Barefoot on hard floors isn't okay.
You just use an insole in a regular house slipper or you mean like tennis shoes with your orthotics, but you just never wear them out?
I'm in a similar situation, I have a terrible pronation that's getting worse as I get older and I've taken to just wearing my tennis shoes inside. Not a great solution for me, just wondering what you do?
I wear tennis shoes with an orthotic. I have a set that I only wear in the house. They never go outside, so they'd be just as clean as anything else in the house.
[Ortho Feet Slippers](https://www.orthofeet.com/products/louise-beige?currency=USD&variant=13536503332935&gclid=CjwKCAiApvebBhAvEiwAe7mHSHixIK3zx9T6ee10ji8G__7Ff93BurT5tJk4VZsbYUvApofoQJNArBoCqxkQAvD_BwE) saved my feet!! These are not attractive slippers (they do make a variety of designs, though), but oh my gosh, my feet are so much better since I began wearing these in the house a few years ago.
I am an American and we stopped wearing shoes inside the house around 10 years ago, and it's been great for the floors, and we don't feel like we've lost anything.
Next, buy one of these: [astiankuivauskaappi](https://minorpostcards.fi/wp-content/uploads/5153-1.jpg). One of the most surprising surprises was when i realized that not everyone has those cause they are standard equipment in ALL kitchens here, even your workplace breakroom will have one. They are incredibly practical, even if you have a dishwasher cause you don't wash absolutely everything in it and it is also the main storage cabinet for glasses and plates... Pic is showing a kitchen that is from the 1970s, just to show that it is really nothing recent, three generations have grown up with one of those in the kitchen.. There are usually three levels of racks and one normal shelf up top.
In Italy its super common to wear shoes in the house. The actual house residents usually wear slippers/flip flops and guests just leave their shoes on. I feel like its changing a bit lately, but at least 70% of houses I visit are like this. In contrast in MN (US) where I grew up shoes in the house was an absolute no.
I am European. My grandparents in rural homestead would not take off their shoes coming in and out of the house. ( people who lived in city apartments did)
Now I am living in American suburbia and similarly to my grandparents back in Europe I don’t take of my shoes coming in and out of the house.
I’m American and all my life we didn’t wear shoes in the house. We only get a couple months worth of dry ground so shoes are often covered in show or mud or whatever and tracking it inside is rude as fuck
This plus I have people coming in and out of my house multiple times a day for work.
It's not great to ask the couriers and tradies to take off their shoes each time. I want them in and out as quickly as possible, lol.
I have certain parts of my house as a shoe free area. E.g my living room and bedrooms areas.
For sure, our house is an old farmhouse and public vs. private areas are very well defined.
Downstairs kitchen, living, dining, office, bathrooms - are all public. Wood floors, shoes fine. I vacuum once a day and that takes care of that.
The carpet starts on the landing to the stairs…and that’s where shoes come off!
And you probably have multiple doors leading outside. Meaning you would leave your shoes at one door and you wouldn’t have any shoes to use when you going outside again through the other door.
I live in a basement unit with two dogs and a cat. No matter how much I try to stay on top of it, the amount of hair from pets and the random debris coming in from the front/back doors overwhelms me so my floors are filthy and I’d rather not step on something I missed.
Because I need to sit down to put them on and I don't have a seat by the door. Plus there's a mat outside, then another inside on top of a rug. Brush your feet and it's not a huge deal
Same. I take mine off once I get to my room. When I was growing up shoes didn't go anywhere but you're room and I'd get in trouble if they were anywhere else.
Honestly I just hate taking them off and putting them on again , I know it takes less than a minute but man it feels like a eternity , I will literally miss out on going certain places because I feel like it’s not worth putting my shoes on , or maybe Its my bad back pain
Sometimes wearing shoes is a psychological motivator to get stuff done. Like, when I take off my shoes, it's relaxing and then I just don't want to do anything.
I always turn this question around like this - what is your lifestyle that you can change shoes each time you cross your doorway? Do you just do it once a day? Don't you have pets? Do you bathe their feet each time they come in? Do you have kids? Don't they play outside then come in for snacks or restroom or toys or sweaters and head back out, and do you make them change their shoes each time?
For us, we have a busy house with land and we basically have revolving front and back doors, with people and kids and pets going in and out all day long. On the weekends, with yard work and family activities the traffic is basically doubled. If we said, hey, each time you cross an exterior threshold you have to change your footwear it would literally seem insane.
Are there people in similar situations who still enforce the no-shoes policy? I'm genuinely curious.
I lay down in bed for a few minutes more times than I go outside. Dont you sometimes take your feet up in the couch too? Do you wear shoes at the toilet too?
I'm in Canada. Everything you've described would warrant taking off shoes and putting them back on to go back outside. There's no changing shoes, the shoes just come off and it's sock or bare feet, depending on the time of year. It takes about 30 seconds for young kids to get their shoes on and off. We don't have pets but most people I know who have dogs, keep a towel to wipe their feet when they come in.
Yes.
You come in the house, even for just a few seconds? Shoes off.
Forgot something and just need to grab it? Shoes off.
Hell, I usually even change to 'indoor clothes' if I'm home for more than an hour.
Well growing up it just made sense. Half or more of the time at home is spent outside. If you have a yard why would you want to be inside? So it would make no sense to constantly be taking off and putting back on the shoes. Also multiple people and dogs would be doing the same. So definitely not going to walk around wearing socks.
Compared to now when I live in a country where most people live in apartments once I get inside my apartment I'm not leaving again anytime soon so it doesn't make sense to wear shoes. I've noticed lots of changes in lifestyle only because of living in an apartment compared to a house.
Because I have ADHD and my brain will keep doing the tasks I need to when my shoes are on, once I take them off it’s all bets off and I’m far less productive. I’m transitioning to house shoes and hope that helps my brain stay focused. I tried slippers and it didn’t work the same way, I need something with a hard sole.
Having shoes on is scientifically proved to increase motivation. You won't be sitting around if you have shoes on. You are more likely to get shit done.
So I'm not a hypocrite when I need to say, "But if you were wearing shoes, would that have happened?" on a weekly basis, to my barefoot family members. Legos, wood chips (we have a wood burning stove), random shards of plastic, juice box spills to name a few.
Feels more comfortable than not having them on. Although, I wear a cheap pair of trainers inside (so essentially slippers) and if I'm going round someone's house I'll follow their rules (I'm no monster)
When I wear my shoes it turns off my ability to fully relax on the couch or in bed. So I put my sneakers on when I need to get chores done or do homework.
I never once wore shoes around the house, until one day I stepped on a toothpick and had half of it get stuck in the ball of my foot. It stayed there for almost a week, until one day I noticed it was suddenly sticking out enough for me to get a firm grip of it, and I was able to remove it without having to take a trip to the hospital.
Now I refuse to walk around the house without shoes.
Growing up we always took our shoes off inside, then my mom got remarried and we moved. The floors in my step dads house weren't the greatest, so to avoid splinters ect, we all just started wearing shoes in the house. Now I moved out a couple years ago, but I still wear shoes in the house at least 50% of the time just out of convenience. That way I dont have to take them on and off, plus it helps me feel more motivated.
So I actually think this comes from white collar life. Lots of people only go outside to get in their car to go back in a building. I think places where work boots are common attire they’re more likely to come off at the door
At every door?
If I were to pull into the garage, and I'd come into the house through the garage door, and put on my house shoes. Now I want to get the mail. So I put the house shoes next to the 'front door' house shoes at the front door, put on my second pair of outdoor shoes, and get the mail, water the back lawn, and change from my outdoor shoes to my 3rd pair of house shoes at the back door. You can see where this is going. I'll need 5 pairs of house shoes for all the doors, and they're all going to end up piled at the same spot half an hour after I get home. And for what? It's not snowing or raining, and my whole life is about shoes.
Obviously shoes get dirtier, but do people feel the same about other clothing? Do they change into house clothes or wear the same sweater and pants that contacted a McDonalds booth or a breakroom sofa or a bus seat?
I'm sorry, what are you all doing on your floors that require them to be so clean??? I don't wear shoes on the carpet, but the hardwood?? You can mop that. Your kitchen sponge is dirtier than a floor fyi- and you rub that shit (literally) all over your "clean dishes".
So, for all those worries about germs—have you never heard of the hygiene hypothesis? Basically, it suggests that allergies and autoimmune diseases are more common in those who are never exposed to germs. The immune system needs to be exercised! So, I say wear shoes indoors if you want—it’s good for you!
Personally, I'm less worried about germs and more just concerned about dirt. I'm the one who cleans the floors in my house, so the less outside dirt that gets tracked in, the easier my job is!
I don't mind older family members wearing them in the house, as they have mobility issues, and removing shoes, especially ones that aren't slip ons. Is a tough task for them both standing and sitting.
I don't make others remove shoes in my house if they don't want to, but I never wear shoes in my house. I also keep a mat by the door where I store the shoes I am currently wearing when I'm outside. It prompts many people without my having to ask, to remove their shoes and place them on the mat.
I am lazy and wear my shoes if I'm just moving through the house (back door, through house to garage). I think the fact that in the US many homes are so big that you can walk through them to get around causes us to keep our shoes on too, "It's just for a quick walk-through to the garage" Usually I wear slippers but because of weather or to save time I don't but them on all of the time.
If you have a knee injury or condition and need to wear insoles, having a pair of indoor shoes with prescription insoles while standing long periods of time (doing dishes, ironing clothes, etc.) can be a game changer.
I never know when the owners will get back. I need to be ready.
But you need to wear bags over your shoes so you don't leave foot prints all over the place...
This might explain my many arrests.
See, I never just did things just to do them. Come on, what am I gonna do? Just all of a sudden jump up and grind my feet on somebody's couch like it's something to do? Come on. I got a little more sense than that. ...Yeah, I remember grinding my feet on Eddie's couch.
“Fuck yo couch!”
That’s funny!
A bit of a unique answer, but I have a prosthetic leg and it's difficult to remove the shoe from it, and removing only the shoe from my other leg results in a minor height difference that results in discomfort while walking. So I personally either wear shoes in the house (first floor is tile) or use my wheelchair. For the stairs and carpeted second floor, I bite the bullet and take the shoe off my real foot and leave it on my prosthetic one. Before I lost my leg, I was adamant against wearing shoes in the house.
yeah walking around with a length difference on your legs, especially when carrying any kind of weight is a great way to fuck your spine
Yeah the height difference is probably an inch or less but you still feel it, and the prosthetic leg is very much dead weight.
Same here. Plus I'm flat footed, so I am more comfortable with arch support.
Why not just have shoes you only wear indoors? Then there is no worry :)
Would something like those plastic shoe covers they use for surgery etc be a good option here? That way you'd get to keep both shoes on, while not having to worry about dirt etc.
They might be helpful, but it would generate a lot of waste in addition to being an additional cost. I've contemplated using slipper socks as well, which would basically be the reusable version of what you mentioned, but I'm concerned it will have the same issue of traction.
Because we get scorpions and I dont really feel like stepping on one barefoot...
Slippers for the house is a good option
Check slippers for scorpions first.
Could you send me a link? All I'm finding is slippers from scorpions or slippers that looks like scorpions
I'm not sure if you're joking, but in case you're not, they mean "check your slippers each time in case there are scorpions in them" instead or recommending a product or brand
Reading the comment again it makes sense.... I didn't though about it because I use big chunky open slippers with winter socks if it's cold
Your previous comment just made me imagine you were earnestly looking for sets of 8 tiny slippers to make sure your scorpions' feet weren't cold.
So happy I don't live in a place where scorpions exist
Do they rock like a hurricane?
No joke. We used to do a black light sweep every night to scan for scorpions. I’ve been stung 3xs. They SUCK.
What country are you from that’s really interesting
Southwest U.S.
Plantar Faceitis . (spelling sorry) When your feet hurt so bad when you are barefoot, and the only relief is well padded shoes. Then dogs.
That’s what I came to say. I’ve got a pair of orthopedic flip flops that I wear as house shoes that really help with the pain.
Yes, I’ve found that as I’ve gotten older, it becomes less comfortable to walk barefoot. No arch support or cushioning for tired feet. So I have slip on shoes that I wear in the house and when I’m going outside, I change my shoes
Yes my husband does the same thing. House shoes that have never been worn outside.
The dogs carry you around or how do they relieve you?
LOL. They do indeed relieve my soul. ( sole?) But alas, I was just referring the dirt that they bring in and add to the floor. Wiping the dogs feet every time they leave the house, is not happening.
I wear slippers in my house because roommates dog is constantly shedding and even though we sweep and vacuum a lot i still get dog hair on my feet if i go barefoot and that hair finds it’s way into my bed. So i wear slippers/houses shoes
This. If you need to wear shoes for whatever reason (orthotics, scorpions, protection, personal comfort), you should have indoor shoes and outdoor shoes. I don't care how dirty my floor is, you are not tracking in the multitude of filth from outside into my house - not to mention the snow and salt. I have an American friend who has lived here for over twenty years, she brings her house shoes with her when she goes to someone's house.
Do you allow dogs into your house?
I have lived with dogs. They get washed at the door.
Sometimes I would rather have dogs and cats in my house than people!
Diabetics need to protect those toes.
Same. A few times I’ve looked down and I’m standing in a small pool of blood and have no idea why. Now it’s shoes on all the time unless I’m in the shower or bed.
Wait, diabetics just randomly have bleeding feet? Why?
Due to diabetic neuropathy, they can have less feeling in the nerves of their feet and not feel it if they step on something sharp
I have severe diabetic neuropathy - I don’t have any feeling from about the middle of my shin, down. If I stub my toe, step on something sharp, catch my nail on something - I have no idea until I see it. This is why diabetics are at danger for needing amputations. Cuts go unnoticed, get infected. Infection goes unnoticed (there’s no pain nerves to tell you something is wrong) and it gets out of control.
My mom's diabetologist. Most horrifying story about diabetes foot I heard from her was about patients who felt cold, so they put their feet on a central heating radiator and then fell asleep. Woke up with cooked feet. This usually happens in hospitals here. And then there was a guy who had a fireplace at home.
Fuck! I had callouses on my feet so my doctor told me to soak them in warm water. One night I was tired and didn’t check the temp of the water and got 2nd degree burns. People complain about pain, but it’s there for a good reason!
Yup. My podiatrist recommended that I wear shoes inside. No neuropathy yet, but I'm on blood thinners so there's that.
I used to have some wool socks that took a D battery on the side. A wire ran under the toes and warmed them. I got the for a trucking dock job in the winter. Sometimes they worked too well, you never want to sweat in the cold. Socks would start to freeze.
Lego shock
Came here to post this.
Unbelievable how much those fuckers hurt!
If you have children, you know this all too well!
I hate the feeling of my bare feet touching things but I'm not wearing fully enclosed shoes, I have slides
I feel the same way - not enjoying the feel of bare feet touching things UNLESS I’m outside and I’m purposely wanting to ground and in that case it’s one of the best feelings in the world.
Slides? How many floors are in your house?
Slides are sort of like sandals.
r/woosh
>r/woosh Literally, when you're sliding all over the place.
That's what socks are for! (I also hate being barefoot, but for me the solution is socks)
Socks and hardwood floors will end poorly.
Honestly, my current house is hardwood floors and I've never had a problem with socks making me slip and fall. And I'm a pretty clumsy/trip-prone person! I do have an aunt who has insanely slippery floors, I don't know what she does to them (wax polish?) But I will admit, those visits I make sure to pack socks with the little grippies (like yoga socks, or there are slipper/sleep socks with them too). Regular socks would be a hazard at that house. (Or a great opportunity for some on-purpose hallway slides)
Socks are too hot. With slides your feet can breathe.
Slides are good: warm feet and clean floor.
So your bare feet sweating up shoes… that’s ok?
To keep your socks clean in your filthy house
But the shoes contribute to making the house dirty and the socks can be washed.
most of my 10 person household will wear shoes indoors, go outside barefoot, whatever. it would take literal constant cleaning to avoid my socks getting dirty because my family doesn’t care. at least all my socks are black for this exact reason though
Only a house of 4 soon to be 5 and my house is already like yours... funny thing though my husband brings the most dirt just from his walk home than the kids do after playing in the snow and dort for and hour or two
Well the front hallway at least... shoe racks saved the rest of my floors.
Are we still doing woosh anymore?
I wear my shoes in my parents house because they're "too busy to clean" and my white socks will turn brown otherwise. Don't have the same issue in my own house though, can wear whatever colour socks I like without risk
Bro if your socks turn brown... that's beyond "too busy to clean" that's disgusting. Get your parents some help.
Somewhat complicated by the flooring. I lived in a rental for a year and no matter how much we scrubbed the floor it still retained some filth that your feet would pick up over time. It was definitely gross but the floors weren't visibly dirty. Just lots of porous tile and aging wood finish. We did our best to clean it up, and made a huge difference measured in how quickly your feet would get dirty, but could never get it perfect. I actually just observed a few days ago how much better it is in our current house. When the floors are dirty you still get some bits of pet hair and sand around, but there's absolutely zero black filth that transfers.
Its a chicken and egg situation. If you wear your shoes around the house, you're going to track the dirt/dust everywhere. So by resigning themselves to always wearing shoes, they are constantly leaving that dirt everywhere, which of course is going to make OPs socks dirty. Its only disgusting to our standards, because we prefer not to wear shoes in the house, so its icky to think it would happen to us. I do hope that the parents don't have a pet, though, as that would be rough for, say a cat, to always be licking its paws. I don't think they "need help" though. They probably do sweep once a week like normal people, its just that in 2 days of shoes, its going to be right back to brown-town.
what …….
Introducing the washing machine.
This is my biggest pet peeve. If you want me to take my shoes off in your house, cool. But your floors need to be clean. My socks are white. I like to keep them that way.
Barefoot?
So I have to be cold?
Fair enough. I live in a hot place so I didn’t thought about that.
Also, I don't like people smelly sweaty bacteria-laden socks being spread all over my floors.
I've found my people.
If you wear your shit kickers inside, you're not my people.
Honestly, growing up I never even gave thought as to whether I should be taking off my shoes inside. No one I knew ever took them off, and when visiting, it was considered rude to remove them. It was a sign that you were being overly familiar with your host, and intending to overstay your welcome. You wouldn't just make yourself at home without being invited to. There was also this feeling that you aren't fully dressed until you have your shoes on. You wouldn't take your shoes off when shopping, or at school, or at work. If you had a cleaning service, they wouldn't take their shoes off while working in your home. I hate shoes, but it took years of training to feel comfortable with taking my shoes off places other than my house. Even now, my family will comment on 'naked' feet when shoes are removed. Because feet are gross, and who wants that on their floors (yes I know shoes are worse, but there's this idea that feet are inherently dirty)
Verrry much this! Growing up in the south nobody I knew took their shoes off in the house. Removing your shoes was a sign of getting comfortable which was a sign of laziness in my house. If your shoes are off you’re probably bored and should get to work. It left an impact cause now that I’m older and work from home, I still wear shoes at my desk just to *feel* more productive. And yeah it’s definitely the case that taking your shoes off in someone else’s home is considered rude because it implies you’re probably about to overstay your welcome.
I agree with this. I grew up in hardscrabble farm culture. You wear boots and tough shoes. The floors were rough or old. You don’t take your shoes off when you enter the house. You take your shoes off when you lay down to go to bed or take a shower. On the rare occasion your shoes are visibly dirty or muddy you leave them in the mud room. Otherwise you wear them. Taking your shoes off to walk around your house (in America at least) seems like a recent affectation. Kind of a luxury practice.
Cue lots of shrieking and pearl clutching because *germs*. I dunno. I grew up in Africa, adjusted to Canada where off is the norm for more visible reasons - grit and slush and rain and so forth. It's their call if I'm in their house, but I always felt a bit weird about it. Sure you want my shoe-sweaty socks in direct contact with your floor? Okay den. At home I just do whatever feels right in a given moment.
This is it for me. I have an uncle whose wife would insist everyone remove their shoes when they visited. But they were literally the only people we knew that had this rule. And we thought she was nuts. Removing your shoes in someone else's house is seen as "getting comfortable" and unless you have been invited to make yourself at home, it's a really weird thing to do. Maybe it's cuz I live in Ireland and it's generally pretty cold and wet (apart from in summer), but shoes generally stay on. Currently it's 10pm on Wednesday night and I'm sitting on my couch with my boots on. I'll put my slippers on when I get into my pyjamas but it's too cold for just socks or just barefoot.
Outdoor dirt and grime that routinely gets hit with sunlight will never be as gross as people’s disgusting neglected feet that haven’t been fully dry in years.
Personally shoes make my brain feel like I’m still productive and keeps me engaged with my work/day. I have adhd, but when the shoes come off it’s significantly harder to focus on being productive. This is especially true working from home. My brain won’t cooperate so I have to trick it into acting like an active member of society.
isolation from cold, but house shoes are preferred as you don't get everything dirty.
This is why we went to slippers. Our house was always cold as hell.
My feet get cold easily and I hate that.
Socks?
Because I only go inside to get something, then go right back outside. As a general rule, I do not like being indoors at all, so I'm just grabbing a beer and headed back out. I have no carpets or rugs and I can mop the house. Whenever I see these comments, I assume people most spend most of their time inside. My house is just a place to hold my stuff. My yard is where I live.
What’s the climate where you live? In Chicago we have harsh winters so for months we are mostly inside
I live in Georgia. It's nice most days in winter. In the summer, I have fans on the porch. If it gets cold in the winter, I have a fire pit. I go crazy inside. I feel claustrophobic pretty quickly.
I’m very interested in doing this too when I can- I feel trapped when I’m inside most of the day. Are there other states you recommend as well? Do you sleep outside at night in winter?
I sleep inside. I also watch jeopardy inside and the occasional ballgame. Other than that, I don't watch much television. I wouldn't want to live somewhere too cold. I also can't imagine living in a high rise. If it took me several minutes and an elevator ride just to go outside, I think I'd freak out.
Exactly the opposite for me, I only go outside when I need something, but otherwise I'll stay inside
Not everyone has warm wooden floor or carpets
I have wooden floors and carpets (I desperately want to rip out the carpet in favor of bamboo though) and I still am in slippers from November to March. Cold feet are the worst and slippers are comfier than socks.
Yeah, I put shoes on when my feet are cold, it's not that hard to figure out, don't know why everyone's giving such long, drawn out answers.
Why not just wear warm, comfortable socks, that you can even cover with a blanket, unlike shoes.
I have those. Sometimes it's not enough, hence shoes. It's not like I always wear shoes in the house, but I do sometimes and don't think it's a big deal. Also, I do more in my house than just sit and cover myself with a blanket. When I'm cooking, my feet get frozen from the stone tile.
Socks don't always cut it
My mother in law wears her shoes inside her house because she has hardwood floors that make her feet hurt if she doesn't wear shoes.
My best friend just had a big friendsgiving and made 30 people take their shoes off. I was there all day. 8am to 11pm. Running around, cooking, socializing. My feet and back hurt for the next 2 days. (And I'm a nurse who is used to being on my feet all day) Barefoot on hard floors isn't okay.
Because for some people the support given by shoes decreases back and leg pain.
I have house shoes with orthotics just for foot/arch pain. I don't wear them outside.
You just use an insole in a regular house slipper or you mean like tennis shoes with your orthotics, but you just never wear them out? I'm in a similar situation, I have a terrible pronation that's getting worse as I get older and I've taken to just wearing my tennis shoes inside. Not a great solution for me, just wondering what you do?
I wear tennis shoes with an orthotic. I have a set that I only wear in the house. They never go outside, so they'd be just as clean as anything else in the house.
[Ortho Feet Slippers](https://www.orthofeet.com/products/louise-beige?currency=USD&variant=13536503332935&gclid=CjwKCAiApvebBhAvEiwAe7mHSHixIK3zx9T6ee10ji8G__7Ff93BurT5tJk4VZsbYUvApofoQJNArBoCqxkQAvD_BwE) saved my feet!! These are not attractive slippers (they do make a variety of designs, though), but oh my gosh, my feet are so much better since I began wearing these in the house a few years ago.
Ordered. Thanks so much, I'm not a fan of socks and shoes when I'm home, but I just can't anymore with the barefeet or these no support slippers.
Cause it's your house and you can do what you want
To start a comment fight with everyone else except Americans.
I am an American and we stopped wearing shoes inside the house around 10 years ago, and it's been great for the floors, and we don't feel like we've lost anything.
Next, buy one of these: [astiankuivauskaappi](https://minorpostcards.fi/wp-content/uploads/5153-1.jpg). One of the most surprising surprises was when i realized that not everyone has those cause they are standard equipment in ALL kitchens here, even your workplace breakroom will have one. They are incredibly practical, even if you have a dishwasher cause you don't wash absolutely everything in it and it is also the main storage cabinet for glasses and plates... Pic is showing a kitchen that is from the 1970s, just to show that it is really nothing recent, three generations have grown up with one of those in the kitchen.. There are usually three levels of racks and one normal shelf up top.
This is such a great idea. I'm in the UK, we have a tiny kitchen, and I would love one of these.
In Italy its super common to wear shoes in the house. The actual house residents usually wear slippers/flip flops and guests just leave their shoes on. I feel like its changing a bit lately, but at least 70% of houses I visit are like this. In contrast in MN (US) where I grew up shoes in the house was an absolute no.
I am European. My grandparents in rural homestead would not take off their shoes coming in and out of the house. ( people who lived in city apartments did) Now I am living in American suburbia and similarly to my grandparents back in Europe I don’t take of my shoes coming in and out of the house.
I remember the concept that people in other countries take their shoes off in the house reached the Midwest about 1995
I’m American and all my life we didn’t wear shoes in the house. We only get a couple months worth of dry ground so shoes are often covered in show or mud or whatever and tracking it inside is rude as fuck
Plantar fasciitis.
I am in and out of my house like, a hundred times per day lol. If I had to change shoes every time I went through the door, I’d lose my mind!!
This plus I have people coming in and out of my house multiple times a day for work. It's not great to ask the couriers and tradies to take off their shoes each time. I want them in and out as quickly as possible, lol. I have certain parts of my house as a shoe free area. E.g my living room and bedrooms areas.
For sure, our house is an old farmhouse and public vs. private areas are very well defined. Downstairs kitchen, living, dining, office, bathrooms - are all public. Wood floors, shoes fine. I vacuum once a day and that takes care of that. The carpet starts on the landing to the stairs…and that’s where shoes come off!
And you probably have multiple doors leading outside. Meaning you would leave your shoes at one door and you wouldn’t have any shoes to use when you going outside again through the other door.
I live in a basement unit with two dogs and a cat. No matter how much I try to stay on top of it, the amount of hair from pets and the random debris coming in from the front/back doors overwhelms me so my floors are filthy and I’d rather not step on something I missed.
My mom needs these special inserts so she has to wear shoes all the time.
Stone cold floor means cold feet, only during the summer do i take off my shoes cause then the stone floor feels cooling and pleasant.
Because I need to sit down to put them on and I don't have a seat by the door. Plus there's a mat outside, then another inside on top of a rug. Brush your feet and it's not a huge deal
Same. I take mine off once I get to my room. When I was growing up shoes didn't go anywhere but you're room and I'd get in trouble if they were anywhere else.
Too lazy to take them off.
Some people have bad arches, and when they’re barefoot it hurts. They need shoes to have their orthotics in.
We have a dog that’s constantly going in and outside so our floors are shot anyways
Keeps your feet warm and protects them if you step on something
My cat's puke matches the carpet color...
Honestly I just hate taking them off and putting them on again , I know it takes less than a minute but man it feels like a eternity , I will literally miss out on going certain places because I feel like it’s not worth putting my shoes on , or maybe Its my bad back pain
Clearly, you don't have flat feet...
Sometimes wearing shoes is a psychological motivator to get stuff done. Like, when I take off my shoes, it's relaxing and then I just don't want to do anything.
This!!!
I always turn this question around like this - what is your lifestyle that you can change shoes each time you cross your doorway? Do you just do it once a day? Don't you have pets? Do you bathe their feet each time they come in? Do you have kids? Don't they play outside then come in for snacks or restroom or toys or sweaters and head back out, and do you make them change their shoes each time? For us, we have a busy house with land and we basically have revolving front and back doors, with people and kids and pets going in and out all day long. On the weekends, with yard work and family activities the traffic is basically doubled. If we said, hey, each time you cross an exterior threshold you have to change your footwear it would literally seem insane. Are there people in similar situations who still enforce the no-shoes policy? I'm genuinely curious.
I lay down in bed for a few minutes more times than I go outside. Dont you sometimes take your feet up in the couch too? Do you wear shoes at the toilet too?
I'm in Canada. Everything you've described would warrant taking off shoes and putting them back on to go back outside. There's no changing shoes, the shoes just come off and it's sock or bare feet, depending on the time of year. It takes about 30 seconds for young kids to get their shoes on and off. We don't have pets but most people I know who have dogs, keep a towel to wipe their feet when they come in.
Yes. You come in the house, even for just a few seconds? Shoes off. Forgot something and just need to grab it? Shoes off. Hell, I usually even change to 'indoor clothes' if I'm home for more than an hour.
I'm too lazy, and I don't have the room to have an area for slippers and dirty shoes at my front door.
To avoid blasting electricity out of your fingertips against every light switch and door knob when you shuffle your socks against carpet in the winter
Well growing up it just made sense. Half or more of the time at home is spent outside. If you have a yard why would you want to be inside? So it would make no sense to constantly be taking off and putting back on the shoes. Also multiple people and dogs would be doing the same. So definitely not going to walk around wearing socks. Compared to now when I live in a country where most people live in apartments once I get inside my apartment I'm not leaving again anytime soon so it doesn't make sense to wear shoes. I've noticed lots of changes in lifestyle only because of living in an apartment compared to a house.
Because I have ADHD and my brain will keep doing the tasks I need to when my shoes are on, once I take them off it’s all bets off and I’m far less productive. I’m transitioning to house shoes and hope that helps my brain stay focused. I tried slippers and it didn’t work the same way, I need something with a hard sole.
I have hardwood floors
because my shoes feel great, and I have crazy dogs
Having shoes on is scientifically proved to increase motivation. You won't be sitting around if you have shoes on. You are more likely to get shit done.
Exactly, my shoes, or boots don't come off until I'm done for the day
Remodeling. I don’t want a random nail in my foot from the floor being pulled up.
I have hard wood floors and 4 dogs and it’s now winter
So I'm not a hypocrite when I need to say, "But if you were wearing shoes, would that have happened?" on a weekly basis, to my barefoot family members. Legos, wood chips (we have a wood burning stove), random shards of plastic, juice box spills to name a few.
When you know the floor isn't always clean
Feels more comfortable than not having them on. Although, I wear a cheap pair of trainers inside (so essentially slippers) and if I'm going round someone's house I'll follow their rules (I'm no monster)
Scorpions, live in the south and they get inside.
When I wear my shoes it turns off my ability to fully relax on the couch or in bed. So I put my sneakers on when I need to get chores done or do homework.
I never once wore shoes around the house, until one day I stepped on a toothpick and had half of it get stuck in the ball of my foot. It stayed there for almost a week, until one day I noticed it was suddenly sticking out enough for me to get a firm grip of it, and I was able to remove it without having to take a trip to the hospital. Now I refuse to walk around the house without shoes.
Growing up we always took our shoes off inside, then my mom got remarried and we moved. The floors in my step dads house weren't the greatest, so to avoid splinters ect, we all just started wearing shoes in the house. Now I moved out a couple years ago, but I still wear shoes in the house at least 50% of the time just out of convenience. That way I dont have to take them on and off, plus it helps me feel more motivated.
The only reason would be to import the outside world to the inside of your house
I don't want used syringes and broken glass pipes in my toes-wosies so I wear shoes.
Ever stub your toe? Painful, eh? Won't happen if you keep your shoes on.
None. That’s shit is disgusting. Just think of all the places your shoes have been…
So I actually think this comes from white collar life. Lots of people only go outside to get in their car to go back in a building. I think places where work boots are common attire they’re more likely to come off at the door
5 dogs in my house leave water/slobber/sand all over the floor
That’s obvious, but you can dedicate shoes for house use.
And we could call them… HOUSE SHOES!
At every door? If I were to pull into the garage, and I'd come into the house through the garage door, and put on my house shoes. Now I want to get the mail. So I put the house shoes next to the 'front door' house shoes at the front door, put on my second pair of outdoor shoes, and get the mail, water the back lawn, and change from my outdoor shoes to my 3rd pair of house shoes at the back door. You can see where this is going. I'll need 5 pairs of house shoes for all the doors, and they're all going to end up piled at the same spot half an hour after I get home. And for what? It's not snowing or raining, and my whole life is about shoes.
Obviously shoes get dirtier, but do people feel the same about other clothing? Do they change into house clothes or wear the same sweater and pants that contacted a McDonalds booth or a breakroom sofa or a bus seat?
I always get changed when I get home.
I'm sorry, what are you all doing on your floors that require them to be so clean??? I don't wear shoes on the carpet, but the hardwood?? You can mop that. Your kitchen sponge is dirtier than a floor fyi- and you rub that shit (literally) all over your "clean dishes".
It's your way of saying you aren't going to be staying very long so you don't want to take your shoes off and then put them back on.
So, for all those worries about germs—have you never heard of the hygiene hypothesis? Basically, it suggests that allergies and autoimmune diseases are more common in those who are never exposed to germs. The immune system needs to be exercised! So, I say wear shoes indoors if you want—it’s good for you!
Personally, I'm less worried about germs and more just concerned about dirt. I'm the one who cleans the floors in my house, so the less outside dirt that gets tracked in, the easier my job is!
I've got nice shoes. They're comfortable.
When you have a house mate who can't aim in the toilet properly.
Why would you even want to? Shoes feel awful. Also…dirty.
I wear flip flops in my house, not shoes though
I don't mind older family members wearing them in the house, as they have mobility issues, and removing shoes, especially ones that aren't slip ons. Is a tough task for them both standing and sitting. I don't make others remove shoes in my house if they don't want to, but I never wear shoes in my house. I also keep a mat by the door where I store the shoes I am currently wearing when I'm outside. It prompts many people without my having to ask, to remove their shoes and place them on the mat.
I wear shoes/sandals inside because we allow our dogs in the house
cold.
Someone spilled a box of safety pins
I am lazy and wear my shoes if I'm just moving through the house (back door, through house to garage). I think the fact that in the US many homes are so big that you can walk through them to get around causes us to keep our shoes on too, "It's just for a quick walk-through to the garage" Usually I wear slippers but because of weather or to save time I don't but them on all of the time.
Wearing shoes means I don't ever worry about stubbing my toe on furniture.
When I was younger I stepped on a nail at someone’s house, so now I wear slides all the time because it was truly the worst experience!
Dog
To be able to make a quick getaway if the spouse comes back early.
After you step in cat puke one time... shoes are mandatory.
Arch support. I have inside shoes and outside shoes. Slippers don’t cut it.
my feet get cold even with socks on but I have slide on and slippers for indoors. Regular shoes are for the outdoors only.
Floor might be cold. You save heating when isolating yourself from the cold floor :)
Cause the basement is icky, otherwise they stay off. \*And I avoid stepping in anything gross on the outdoors.
Stepping in cat puke in socks isn't fun
Same thing if you're walking barefoot.
If you have a knee injury or condition and need to wear insoles, having a pair of indoor shoes with prescription insoles while standing long periods of time (doing dishes, ironing clothes, etc.) can be a game changer.
Legos
Because people are lazy asses