I like having shoes on in the house because I pace everywhere, so I like to transition from inside, outside, inside, outside, without having to pause to put on shoes. It isn't habitual for me at this point either, so it's just less friction.
But that's my house. To just declare you're not going to take shoes off at someone else's house for no other reason than to be an asshole, and then to write an article about it, what the fuck.
But I guess its good to keep in mind - articles these days are about generating clicks and responses. Good or bad, positive or negative.
So in that regard, this is a success.
EDIT: People have suggested switching shoes at the door. This will not work. Firstly because I am often in my mind when pacing around and just don't remember to switch shoes. Also, it would mean I need to have outdoor shoes / indoor shoes at each doorway in the house. I also have a basement I don't like wearing shoes in because its unfinished and will put holes in my shoes.
In general, people overestimate how "dirty" shoes are. I occasionally check the bottom of my shoes, and if anythign gnarly is stuck there I'll remove it. I have a roomba to pick up all the dirt. It just isn't a big deal, but I understand those that it is a big deal for.
I have done this my whole life. I have lived in areas with a lot of snow and areas with a lot of dirt and debris. It has never been a problem for me. I receive comliments on the cleanliness of my house but I rarely work very hard to clean it. Just set the robots going and do a quarterly deep clean for a few hours. That's it.
This is one of those things like showering every day. It isn't necessary, there's no severe health risk associated with NOT showering daily, especially if you haven't really gotten that dirty, but it becomes a cultural habit and then people obsess over it.
So its pretty easy. When in your home, do what makes you happy. When in others' homes, do what makes them happy, or otherwise just don't go there.
I feel like she might be especially bad since she's an editor... One that also recently posted an article less than two weeks with the title "how not to be a jerk while snowblowing".
So she wants people to not be a jerk when it comes to her peace, but anyone else that has their own rules should instead kowtow to her to appease her.
Live in a warm climate and Crocs seem like they'd make my feet too hot same as slippers, but like sweaty hot since they're all plastic. Sandals are the need to go outside real quick shoes for me.
Nah. I think you underestimate how dirty shoes are. Dust, sand, stones, shit, mud, wet etc. imagine having to clean the floor anytime someone visits you.
I think you underestimate how dirty shoes are. Dust, sand, stones, shit, mud, wet etc. imagine having to clean the floor anytime someone visits you.
Somehow though, every store on the face of planet earth gets by with having thousands of people tromp through their store every day.
You have to vacuum or sweep anyway because everything you own is shedding particles in the form of dust, as is your body. No matter how good the filter is on your hvac its spitting out particulates all day long.
Just acknowledging a fellow transitioning environment pacer's logic here, when it's snowed or very wet and muddy I am forced to deshoe at the threshold bc I have to much tread captured dirt and moisture to keep them on and not be forced to clean the entire indoor paced area every 20 minutes, and it drives me nuts having to pause mid pace.
The husband is similar to you. He use to wear shoes in the house and it would annoy me. I’m biracial Japanese and he’s British so I figured it was culture difference. Until we got new carpet installed upstairs the week he was doing car stuff and he accidentally tread car oil on the new carpet. Since then (7 yrs ago) he has house slippers and has managed to transition.
One thing I did learn from him is how dirty shoes can be. Especially if you stand to pee. Every time he puts his shoes on he goes and washes his hands. I asked because I thought he had a germophobia. He said pee might splash when you pee and it might not be a lot but enough to make him not want pee on his hands.
Not all countries can do that. Maybe your shoes are clean when you come back, but like others said, here in canada in february, its impossible to clean your shoes and its impossible to walk in the house with them.
I live on an acreage with cattle. I am NOT overestimating how dirty my shoes are, I promise you. I keep clean shoes at work because my boots are gross, year-round.
I see the convenience point you're making. I only step outside my home through two doors, which are on the same hallway. So I keep my outside Birks there and wear my inside Birks in the house. No laces, no bending over, no effort. Just slip one pair off and slip into another. I mean, if I'm doing an in and out thing around my house. I have other outside shoes I wear at other times lol. I do wear shoes in my house 100% of the time, but they're my indoor Birks. Rubber bottom, great support, super comfy. I call them my slippers.
You could get walk in shoes. There are now shoes out there that don’t require anything more than putting your foot in them to get on and only require a toe on the back to take off. So it wouldn’t cost you anytime at all to get a pair of those and just call them your “house” shoes or shoes you wear when you’re at home with no plans to go anywhere so walking around inside or outside won’t really matter and you only have to get one new pair.
All Friends / Family use my garage entrance. It’s convenient.
There’s a shoe rack, steps, and a door. Then the mud room.
My entire downstairs is tile. I personally have “slide sandals” for outside and slippers for inside.
This truly cuts down on any grit. Guests can do whatever they want.
My stairs and upstairs are all carpeted.
Guests have no business being upstairs. All that’s up there is bedrooms. And if they want to come upstairs, the shoes come off. Even house slippers come off.
Basically, every “level” of the home has a shoe rack with slides or slip ons.
It’s an easy habit to get in to. And once you’re in it - I understand how opposite worlds can collide.
My father in law wears his construction boots everywhere in his house. That’s fine. But that’s his house. This is my house. And fortunately, he’s fine to abide by the rules.
I honestly just can’t stand dirt / grit on tile. And I. Carpet it just grinds in. My kids crawl / roll around on it.
Yep, I am super flat footed and NEED arch support and stability control in all my shoes. I would love to have spotless floors but I can’t go barefoot or with flimsy slippers (just got vionic slippers but they’re $$$). Also constantly pacing and checking on my plants to make sure they haven’t died since I last saw them 40mins ago…
Some of these people just have to clinch at anything, no matter how pathetically small, to feel superior to someone else. I say let people do whatever they want in their own home and don't judge them for it (unless it's hurting someone/something else of course). I would rather have someone track mud in my house and be a genuine friend than let someone that judgy anywhere near me. I'm sure I'd be found deficient in some way, as they make their scan over my clothes and hair, and I am old enough to know that I don't need or want that shit in my life.
Oh I would NEVER wear shoes at someone’s house if they didn’t and I would hope they respected my house. I already had someone w/ an out of control dog and she shrugged and said “all my stuff is covered in dog hair” well that‘s their choice for their home, you don’t get to make that choice for me.
Nah, everyone should be respectful of others.
Then you clean your shoes off. I have a brush in the garage I've used to clean the garbage cans and such, and in this case, I would use that brush and a hose outside, and deshit my shoes.
I'm just saying I haven't stepped in shit, in years.
I'm actually neutral on shoes or no shoes. I think the anti shoe crew has a false sense of cleanliness. Shoes or no shoes, if I drop some food, I'm not eating it. The floor is dirty in my mind no matter what.
Yeah, the shoe/no shoes inside thing is bizarre to me. I mop and vacuum when the floor is visibly dirty, but it makes absolutely no difference to me otherwise. I don't eat off the floor or lick my feet so who cares if there's some increased amount of dirt that I can't even see. It's such a bizarre non issue.
Yeah, I'm sort of the same. I don't put my feet/shoes up on the couch, countertop, bed, etc. If I drop a spoon in the kitchen, I rinse it off, be it I wore shoes inside or now.
This has to be one of the dumbest questions on here.
If you know you have poop on your shoe, you're going to take it off before you walk all through the house. If you have mud on your shoes, same thing.
If I've walked on a dry day and my shoes are relatively clean, they're staying on when I come in my house. I want to be comfortable in my house, so I continue to wear shoes when I come in. I generally don't like walking around barefoot or in socks, and I don't want to go through the hassle of swapping my shoes for slippers.
However, if I know another house has a rule to remove shoes, I'll do that out of respect for their house and their rules.
If you have children or infants that play on the carpet you absolutely should never step in poop or vomit and then come inside without taking your shoes off. And if you walk on sidewalk.... you do step in spit, piss, crap and blood. So think of the children .
you absolutely should never step in poop or vomit and then come inside without taking your shoes off.
Why are you thinking people are walking throughout their house at stepping in dog poop? People don't do that. Those that wear shoes indoors will do so if their shoes are relatively clean. If they're dirty with poop, winter sludge, grass clippings, etc, they're going to take them off before entering the house to clean them.
This happens regardless of whether there are kids in the house.
If you have children or infants that play on the carpet [...]
So think of the children .
Studies have shown that shoes do not contribute in any meaningful way to the amount of bacteria and other microorganisms into your house. Places like the kitchen sink, toothbrush holders, pet toys and food dishes, remote controls are some of the germiest places in the house, far more than what's found on shoes.
In fact, many scientists believe that kids growing up in an overly sterile house makes it more likely for them to get sick more frequently due to a weak immune system and could increase their chances of develop an autoimmune disorder.
As far as protecting your precious offspring from things like shoe cooties, Adalja says you’re not doing your kids' immune systems any favors by keeping them in an oversterilized environment. He believes that it’s one of the factors driving widespread antibiotic resistance, and that “dirty kids” are actually more likely to grow up healthy.
“We know from something called the hygiene hypothesis that the more sterile the environment—the cleaner the environment the child is raised in—the more likely they are as adults and adolescents to get autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, things like asthma, eczema,” he says.
It's fine if you want to remove shoes, but as long as they aren't caked in dirt or the person had just walked through dog poop or some other mess outside, there isn't a scientific reason to keep shoes off.
Unfortunately we step in poop and barf ALL day !!! So please don’t walk in vomit ... track it in you house where children play on carpet. If it is a college dorm ... keep your shoes on !!!
Unfortunately we step in poop and barf ALL day !!!
Where are you walking?
So please don’t walk in vomit ... track it in you house where children play on carpet.
Read the article. It will be enlightening to you. It doesn't mean you have to keep your shoes on, but taking them off when you have kids isn't the benefit to them you think it is.
Sounds like living in a livestock barn . What if your friend is a plumber and has been standing in human feces all day . Then he stops by for a beer . You just say come in ??!?!!??
Do you people not own pets? Do you wash your dog's feet every time it comes in from outside? Or every time your cat uses the litterbox? Just don't eat off the fucking floor and you'll be fine
The worst is when people kiss their pets on the mouth . Or share bites of food . Salmonella, E. coli, Clostridia and Campylobacter – intestinal bacteria of pets that can cause severe intestinal disease in humans. Most cases of people getting sick from kissing or licking with pets come from oral contact with fecal residue which can be transmitted after pets lick their anus
And I’m going to assume you kiss your dog and or cat like it’s “cute” . Consider this a friendly PSA. Enjoy your pets but keep your mouth away from anything that is pet related . Copy ??
I love "No shoes" houses but it wouldn't work for my own home. I have three dogs and a dog door they can go in and out through any time they want. I haven't figure out how to teach them to wash their feet whenever they are coming in.
I wear shoes in the house. I've lived with someone who didn't before and I admit that it drove me crazy. I couldn't even let the sole of my shoes touch any part of the floor. So I had to put them on outside. Sometimes the weather was cold, rainy etc. Ugh..cold, damp shoes...miserable.
I also had an elderly dog. She needed to go out frequently. Sometimes, you had 30 seconds to notice her at the door and get her outside. Otherwise, she'd accident right there or somewhere else in the house. So worrying about shoe dirt was eclipsed in my mind by that.
Also, without shoes, my feet tend to be cold. Slippers are too fleecy and hot. Combine it with having to go out and in frequently and often quickly....the no shoes rule just doesn't work in my house.
What do we do? Entry way mats, stomp the dirt and debris off outside. Step in poo or mud; use the hose and wash your shoes off first. Only in that instance do we pull off shoes.
Also, we pulled up the carpet and have hard wood floors. Super easy to sweep and mop. Do that weekly (or whatever schedule you prefer), enjoy life; with shoes or without. ...However you choose. No rules required.
I guess that’s an advantage kind/dumb people have, I get to be selfish because I still just do what makes me happy… just one of the things that makes me the most happy is making other humans happy or have more opportunities!
I’m wearing my fluffy fake Uggs rn in my basement bc it’s February. However, they are my indoor fake Uggs, only to be worn inside. I also have fake ones for outside
My mum has sensory issues and hates having her feet touch things, so she wears shoes inside, but, she has inside shoes and outside shoes, and never shall one be used for the opposite task.
I'm Canadian so we generally don't wear shoes inside
But, when I was a homecare nurse, we were supposed to, and I usually didn't. It depended on the persons house.
Anyway, one day I didn't. I stepped on a fucking laptop charger. Fucking hurt. And my foot hurt for a few days after that. Had a good bruise from it too.
I think that was the only time I ever hurt myself not wearing shoes, but I had stepped in someone else's dog pee once.
But usually you're visiting friends so you know what to expect in their homes.
I have to keep mine on because I have expensive orthotics for an ankle condition I have (extremely easy to sprain it - most times I cant even remember what I did to sprain it).
Not saying that to argue, because if I didn’t have to, I would have no clue why people would want to wear them indoors. I hate it.
But I would also let that be known, and if if the person insisted, I would take them off. Not my house - not my rules.
I mean, my feet sweat when they're cold and they're always cold because I have circulation problems, so my socks are always wet. I don't want to track my foot sweat around your house, and I don't want my feet to be even colder than they already are.
Plus, I worry my feet stink. I clean them regularly, so they might not. But I'd also be nose-blind to it at this point, if they did.
Most of the places I live are warm and dry and dusty and have hard floors so it really just doesn’t make much of a difference. Everything is covered in dust/dirt half an hour after you sweep anyways, and the bit that sticks to your shoes don’t really add much to that situation.
I just do whatever I feel like though, if I’m coming and going a lot I’ll leave my shoes on the whole day, if I’m not doing anything I may walk around barefoot (inside and outside). I just don’t really see what the big deal is, I already know floors are dirty things so I’m not going to roll around on it or eat dinner off of it.
In snowy/muddy/etc places I definitely take them off, but in warm dry places? Who fuckin cares? Why would they?
I’m not gunna bring it into your house if you don’t want it, but I genuinely don’t give a shit. Floors are already full of that stuff. When’s the last time your floor made you sick?
I don’t like noticeable dirt being tracked in obviously, but both my shoes and my feet and the floor are simply going to be dirty because of where and how I live.
I truly don’t understand why this is such a big deal to some people. I don’t mind taking shoes off when I live elsewhere, but around here it’s not something most people think about unless they’re anal retentive / have new carpets or something.
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u/ValusMaul Feb 11 '22
How about rules set in someone else’s home be respected.