iI dont know anyone that has a no shoes policy. i think it’s probably somewhat geographical. i know its’s common in Canada, but not where I live ,( beach , So Cal. ) Almost eveyone I know wears flip flops 90% of the time.

I am kind of snickering to myself. Most of the summer I go barefoot, both in and outside of my home. I have a dog and lots of wildlife and am pretty sure my feet get some poop on them when I walk through the yard. I have a pair of flip flops by the door and put them on when I go out and about. Not sure why you would rather have my bare feet on your floor than my flip flops, but I will gladly comply.

"Toenail fungus (onychomycosis) is an infection of the nail and sometimes surrounding tissue. It is extremely common with 20% of the general population and 75% of people over 60 years old affected."

https://www.footcaremd.org/conditions-treatments/toes/toenail-fungus

I think I might prefer people wear shoes in my house rather than share their foot fungus.

I agree with sushipup. There are many people of Asian origin in my area and shoes off homes are very common. It's a bit of a bother (I always wear lace-up shoes so no such thing as just slipping them off) but I follow house rules.

I've found that the black coatings used on parking lots at stores and other public places often comes off on shoes and the dark color can be transferred to carpeting. I wipe the bottom of my shoes before entering my house if I've been somewhere like that, my wife takes hers off. You don't want to see what comes off on a damp paper towel.

We never ask our guests to remove their shoes.

I don’t typically wear shoes in my own home however I don’t have an expectation for guests. I have a question for those of you that have a no shoes policy - Do you ask your guests to wash their hands before entering too?

@djmbott, no, I don't ask house guests to wash their hands before entering. If, however, I knew (or suspected) that a guest did not wash their hands before leaving the bathroom, they probably wouldn't be invited back. (Just an analogy to what we all probably have on our shoes without realizing it.)

Shushipup how about those that are just more comfortable walking around their house in socks?

We have been a no shoes household since the early 90's. Why is it that if you chose not to wear shoes in your home you are considered a germaphobe? I am not a germaphobe. I don't ask guests to remove their shoes unless it's family. It is not a germ thing. I am much more comfortable walking around my house in socks then in shoes so why would I wear them in the house?

You can take your shoes off in your own house for whatever reason you want. But to have a policy that imposes on other people is another thing.

vinmarks, speaking as somebody who is puzzled by the no-shoes thing, I do not consider all no-shoes peeps to be germaphobes and I do understand the comfort thing. We who are puzzled are not tarring all no-shoes peeps with the same brush. Certainly you should be comfortable in your own home. I am just puzzled by people who think shoes are dirty and germy but people’s bare feet or socks are not dirty and germy. I almost always wear shoes inside and I have not yet died of the plague. What about when people get out of the shower at their own homes and their feet tromp all over their own bathroom floor, including by the toilet or by their own cat’s litter box, then they put on shoes and come to somebody’s house, then are told to remove their shoes so their bare feet can spread around the germs? LOL. But I also don’t understand people who throw away or change their dish sponges every day, a whole nuther discussion…

We don’t wear shoes in our house, for our comfort factor because we like being barefoot, but we would never ask guests to. As someone else upstream said, we’re mostly wearing flip flops down here in Florida. Some people remove them, some do not. It’s all fine by me. I mop my tile floors weekly, and I have no carpeting except for some area rugs that I could care less about people walking on. I do understand that is common in Asian culture, which makes perfect sense. But it would honestly be weird and uncomfortable to ever ask a guest to remove their shoes at the door. If I lived in a snowy place that tracked in mud and snow and water, I might feel differently. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Apparently many people don’t understand how strong immune systems are built. We live on a farm. I haven’t been sick in over 25 years. My husband was sick the first year he moved in, and hasn’t been sick since (10 years). We have laying hens. Want to know about how eggs and feces travel down the same path in chickens? We compost our horses manure and use it in our garden and stand in the garden eating amazing veggies and fruits right off the plants. No hand washing, no produce washing. Toughen up, covid is going to be around a long time and avoiding germs is like avoiding exercise when your life depends on having a strong body.

And we are outside a lot - hot, cold, rain, snow, wind, whatever. Minimum 3 hours a day doing chores (those are rare).

I honestly do not understand the negative and demanding attitude toward WHATEVER someone else decides to do in THEIR OWN home. In my mind, this is completely backwards.

If you are a non drinker, is it ok for a guest to bring their own booze and have at it?

If you don't use profanities, do you let someone who does, take over your gathering with their blue language?

If you have pets, does one of your guests get to lock them in the laundry room because they don't like them?

Of course not! It's called "boundaries"!

If I am a guest at your house, I follow your "rules". If I am somehow so offended by your standards, I am free to leave and never come back. But I am NOT free to tell you how to live in your own house.

"Of course not! It's called "boundaries"!"

Actually, sometimes those things are allowed by people who set boundaries in different places......We don't all mind if the dog has to stay in the bedroom because a guest doesn't like dogs or is allergic. We don't all mind if someone brings their own booze to my house to drink, even though we might be a non-drinker.

The only place I would set boundaries for guests are for things that will have a lasting impact after they've left, like smoking. I try to have very few rules for guests, because I want them to feel like guests, not conference attendees gathered at the conference social hour. You may set your boundaries somewhere else, but neither are right or wrong.....One of mine is the comfort of my guests, not the appearance of my home, so something like shoes or moving furniture around doesn't bother me that much. If I didn't like a guest's language, I wouldn't make it a rule they can't swear a blue streak, I just wouldn't invite them back. If I was a recovering alcoholic and that was the reason I didn't have or want alcohol in the house, I'd tell the guests who don't know that already. There are no hard and fast rules for "house rules", but you seem to act as if we should all have boundaries in the same places.

Actually, what I'm saying is everyone is allowed to set their own boundaries. I am perfectly fine with your "rules" (or no rules at all) at your house. I expect the same courtesy in return.

It’s the Tyranny of Tiny Risks. Why do you make guests remove shoes? If you think shoes pose a risk wrt dirt and disease, you are a slave to nonsensical thinking because the risk that something on the bottom of a shoe is going to actually cause harm is much smaller than the risk that a germ on the same person’s hand. Do you shake hands with people? Hug friends? How do you greet your guests? Do they use their HANDS to remove their shoes and then store them away? Do you make them disinfect their hands after removing their shoes? Your front doorknob is probably has more contagions on it than a person’s shoes.

"something on the bottom of a shoe is going to actually cause harm is much smaller than the risk that a germ on the same person’s hand."

Not a good analogy, because the first is harm to the flooring/carpeting, while the second is harm to a person's immune system. Totally different.

No, most people are worried about germs and contamination on shoes, not dirt. Mary Elizabeth would refuse to allow guests back to her house if she suspects they did not wash hands after leaving the bathroom. She must not have kids either. Me, I’m pretty much happy if the kid closes the door and most of the pee goes into the toilet.

"No, most people are worried about germs and contamination on shoes, not dirt."

Really? Huh. How bizarre and pointless.

It’s not germs it mainly women’s high heeled shoes that put dents in wood floors. I had a big charity event one year, and put a shoe tray near the front door and a basket with sealed packets of little footies. Everyone liked the concept except one woman who didn’t respect my wishes. Yes, of course she had high heels AND run down tips so the steel rid of her heels put dents all over my solid wood, custom floors. I was not happy!

My house is 4 years short of 100 years old. Oak floors throughout, well not the kitchen any more and there is a solarium with tile, but mostly oak. For the first 35 years of their life the floors were dressed with area rugs, then for 30 years they were carpeted, then the carpet was torn out and they have been bare with a rug or 2 for the past 20 years. There have been many large parties with women with stiletto heels, big parties, 70 to 100 people. There are no dents on my floors, my larger worry has always been what do those heels do to my Sarouk and Hamadan rugs. But they are all over 50 years old and show no harm so.....wear your cute shoes in my house...or not.

@ShadyWillowFarm,

I have made NO comments here that assume why people make the choices they do.

But since you are calling me out -

#1. Apparently many people don’t understand how strong immune systems are built.

I know all about chickens, eggs, manure and the like. Grew up on a farm. And also, not worried about Covid, as I do understand the immune system.

#2. No, most people are worried about germs and contamination on shoes, not dirt.

Wrong again! It is the dirt (or grease) - tar, gum, dog poop.

#3. Mary Elizabeth would refuse to allow guests back to her house if she suspects they did not wash hands after leaving the bathroom.

I stated that this was an analogy. You are purposely twisting my point.

#4.She must not have kids either. Also, wrong - 6 kids, all married and 15 grandchildren. They all do "no shoes" as well.

Flo, you need better floors.

Man I need a new 'no shoes in my home... Or not' BINGO card because I was not anticipating high heeled shoes, germs and immune systems. Kudos to Mary Elizabeth for working in manure and Linda for tossing in brand names. The amount of group haughtiness is admirable.

PNW. We are definitely no shoes people and it seems to be the norm here. Lots of public service announcements about heavy metal contaminants in the soil and suggestions-including no shoes in house-to minimize exposure.

No shoes allowed = stinky house

"I was not anticipating high heeled shoes"

No? I would have thought it would have had a spot - I've heard that complaint before, though now that I'm not longer in an office I know and hear of so few people who wear high heels. And it is true -- the engineered hardwood floors in my new home look like they've been lashed with a cat-o-nine-tails repeatedly, because - in the right angle of light - there are multitudes of inch long scratches

I answered in the other post; here's the cut-and-paste:

I am married to a person from a country in which shoes are never worn in the house. Once the habit is ingrained in you, it's not a big deal. We have hard-soled shoes for ourselves (mine are Birkenstock) that are our "inside" shoes; we kick off the outside shoes and slip on the inside shoes in the mudroom, it's automatic, don't even think about it.

His friends ALWAYS kick off their shoes at the door, don't even have to ask, they wouldn't dream of walking around in someone's house with outside shoes. We do have a basket of slippers of all sizes that we put out when people are coming over. My family is another story -- for some of them they just do it, either use our slippers or bring their own, others don't and I don't push it. But, I do go around the house mopping like a mad woman as soon as they leave. Who knows what they've cr*p (figurative and literally) they've tracked in.

I never ask contractors to take their footwear off. It is part of their work attire, how would you feel if someone asked you to take off part of your uniform? It's not only for their safety but mine -- I don't want to get sued because they stepped on a nail or banged and broke their toe or whatever because I asked them to remove their shoes. But yea I go around with the mop again ASAP LOL!

Shoes track: gravels, mud, spit, fecal bacteria, gum, tar, etc.

“For the study, 10 people wore brand-new shoes for two weeks before their kicks were sampled for bacteria. The outside of the shoes averaged 421,000 units of bacteria, compared with 2,887 on the inside. And fecal bacteria appeared on 96% of the shoes.

The transfer rate bacteria from shoes to clean tiles was 90% to 99%. Bacteria found on the footwear included E. coli, a source of urinary tract infections and diarrhea, as well as other bacteria causing pneumonia (Klebsiella pneumonia) and respiratory tract infections (Serratia ficaria).”

I grew up in Paris and we always removed our shoes upon entering the carpeted apartment. I now run a small animal sanctuaries with equines, cats and birds in the PNW. Have no issue picking up manure bare handed when necessary and doing all other “farm” duties and still have a no shoe policy in my home. My extended family is Asian and also has a no shoe policy. It shows we respect someone’s else home in addition to cleanliness or health issues. But, would I lock our dogs or cats in a bedroom because someone is afraid of dogs or allergic to cats. Hell no. We can meet in a restaurant or not. It is their home. Do you lock your kids in their bedroom because someone doesn’t like kids…. That’s assuming of course that the dogs, cats and kids know how to behave properly.

Your house. Your rules.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/07/03/my-shoes-dirty-studies-suggest-theyre-covered-fecal-bacteria/1637780001/

Ahhh I need to add, 'I grew up in another country' and 'My partner/spouse is from another country' to my 'Shoes in the house or not... ' Bingo card. I've never seen so much fecal in home design forum. Kudos!

There are germs, including fecal germs, around us all the time and everywhere. Mostly in small quantities that do not cause any problems. The question is, would a pair of shoes bring in enough germs to actually make anybody ill? More so than the fecal germs and many other germs we all have all around our houses already?

Please be aware that some people may need to keep their shoes on for reasons they may or may not want to share with you and your other guests. For example - diabetics are at risk for disabling foot injuries caused by stubbing a toe on unfamiliar furniture or from even a minor scratch that most of us might not even notice. Others need to use orthotics in their shoe(s) at all times after foot surgery. Perhaps a supply of shoe covers (like Operating Room people use) would be an option to include with a basket of slippers.

We are shoes on. I’ve been to shoes off homes and hopped on one foot or flamingo-legged it to get mine off/on. Midwest, so have tsken them off and put my socks on the snow/rain wet floor-so that’s also fun/comfortable. Had to sit on the floor at times to remove/put on..wet snow butt is lovely, if you’ve never experienced it. But it’s whatever when it’s not my house. Roll with it. Might not stay as long or move around as much bc my feet will be screaming with no support, and I don’t keep extra inside-specific footwear in all our vehicles nor on my person.

At the end of the day it’s a skinny rabbit and not something I worry about, either way.

I avoid houses with no shoes policies - that is my own policy.

I'm in southern California, and I do not know of anyone who has a no shoes house.

I'm fine with wearing protective booties over my shoes, but the finicky home owner must provide these. I wore such booties when I visited the Wave House in Palm Desert.

I will take my shoes off to enter a Buddhist temple, but if your house is not a temple and you require no shoes, then I will not bother visiting you. If you were born in Japan, I might make an exception.

You can visit me, but you had better keep your shoes on when you do, except when you go in the pool.

This is some of you with your shoes off life: https://youtube.com/shorts/KdgFnfHtnf8?feature=share

^^ 😂😂😂

We have been no shoes for years. But then, when you have been out on the farm, no, you don't walk around the home in muddy workboots! That's why people have (had) mudrooms. I don't have a farm anymore but no shoes is a habit. It's also easier when i visit friends in foreign countries, many of them have no shor cultures and i am already used to it.

I don't do it for germ control, it just reduces tracking in so much dirt and makes cleaning easier.

All that said, I don't enforce it with guests though 90% see our shoe pile and ask. I just tell them it is up to them. I don't think their visit is going to make my house filthy and i would rather them be comfortable.

If you do shoes, try no shoes for a month. You'll be surprised how much cleaner your floors stay!

I think the idea of a no shoes home is gaining popularity. I too once only knew very few people who had this rule myself included. Now I would say the majority of people I visit regularly have the same rule. In my circle of friends I know of a few people that implemented a no shoes rule after visiting my best friend and myself regularly and seeing the difference it makes to helping keep your floors cleaner longer. I’m glad to see more and more people adopting this policy in there home as it makes it more acceptable practice. I really appreciate when people come over and automatically remove their shoes. I always make a point to thank everyone after they have their shoes off in my home. Since I know this isn’t necessarily the expectation in many homes I say “thank you so much for leaving shoes at the door.” Many times this sparks a conversation about how they do this in their own homes too.

The view when I remove my shoes in your home. Fell down a water slide in July and the nail fell off last week. Hey, you asked.

Socks are an option.

We already don’t wear shoes in our home but either socks or house slippers once entering the house. There are other reasons though for not wearing shoes indoors these days and number

1. Would be that I think shoes these days would be the a major cause of carrying viruses from place to place.
2. Like one previous poster mentioned, high heels can damage floors.

Another option would be perhaps we should in general have those surgical plastic shoe covers for shoes if no one wants to remove them- just an idea 🤗

"Would be that I think shoes these days would be the a major cause of carrying viruses from place to place."

No more these days than any other days --- the current virus does not last long on surfaces, and isn't contagious from surfaces. I try to never say never, but I can say it's never been nor will be a major cause of transmission of any virus. There are viruses that can be spread by things that might be on people's shoes, like hepatitis or HIV, if someone has blood on their shoes. Rota or Parvovirus could be spread if someone has feces on their shoes.

I know no one who has a no shoes policy. I did know one family I visited once, but they moved.

My husband was raised on a farm and his parents lived there for many years after. If you had been wading in manure or tilling the fields on a rainy day, likely you might hve dirty shoes of boots. But if you were milking, and came in for supper you came in the back door, removed your botts and put on your shoes that were right there. The house was carpeted, there was pavement between the barns and the house. I think some farm people I know simply leave their boots in the barn.

Keep your shoes on in my house please....but please don't put hour purse on the table in a restaurant nor certainly lay it on my kitchen counter!

I went to a winter party at a no shoes house and my stocking feet were cold the whole time i was there. It made the party much less enjoyable. They needed to offer slippers.

@Toronto Veterinarian - I was just thinking back to my days when I worked for a busy humane society (400+intakes a week).

I had a bunch of pets and often had some fosters. I had a station in the garage where I removed my shoes - washed them off and sprayed them with parvosol - striped off my clothes and put them in the wash machine. Put on a robe and went into the house and got a shower.

I never asked my guests to do the same. Did ask friends from the shelter to clean their shoes before coming in or to leave shoes in the garage, but they already knew the protocol. I also had a couple of chairs in the garage that we could sit and talk if they were on call or weren't staying long enough to warrant taking off their shoes.

This was to protect the animals, not my house, and was only implemented because we worked in such a high risk environment.

We leave our shoes at a shoe rack at the door and wear slippers inside. It has more to do with comfort than clean. I rarely have anyone visit except for family and they all usually take their shoes off to be more comfortable. However, I live in a dusty place with dark floors and when you wear shoes in, you can immediately see the footprints and I have to mop. So, I guess it's comfort and dusty footprints that are my reasons for no outside shoes in the house. I do not insist that anyone remove their shoes though, I will just mop when they leave. I like the way the dark floors look when they are freshly cleaned but wish I had not chosen them. It's going to be a big pain to replace them but I think that's what I'm going to eventually do.

I have a no shoes house and so does everyone else I know (in Canada). Shoes track all kinds of dirt and gravel which scratch hardwood floors. We also have light coloured wood floors, which we vacuum regularly. I can’t imagine our floors looking this clean while wearing outdoor shoes, inside. In Canada it’s snow most of the year, you take two steps in the house with outdoor shoes and the floors look filthy.

"In Canada it’s snow most of the year,"

Not in most cities in Canada, at least not in the last 50 years. It's snow for a third of the year, at most, in most major cities. It's a common myth.

I would think that in snowy weather, people would enter via the back door, or garage (unless guests) where messy footwear could be left to thaw and dry.

Yes and you leave the shoes there, not wear them inside on your wood floors and rugs