Removing ones shoes before entering one's or another's home

Novella

I never wear shoes in the house, but it's more of a comfort thing, I think. As a child though, I always had to take my shoes off at the door. My mother is OCD and my house looks like a showhouse, people always say it looks like no one lives in it! It's a bit weird, but whatever makes her happy!

Never wear shoes in my apartment either, but that's pretty much a bad idea 'cause a lot of the floor is sticky from where beer has been spilled at various times! Eeeek!

TanG411

If I go to a house and I notice a carpet then I usually ask if I should remove my shoes. And if I know my shoes are dirty then I'll remove them anyway.

Other than that I just walk in.

Cookie_Monster

c4cat wrote: »

So I would have to wash my mat after each person used it... I am sorry but from an hygenic point of view your method does not compute

Admit it, your just a hygiene freak.

Nothing wrong with a bit of dirt around the place. Good for the aul imune system and all that

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

c4cat wrote: »

Some thing I picked up from living in the Far East Asia for a good part of my life. I was brought up to never walk into any home with ones outdoor footwear on; Its common practice to always remove outdoor footwear at the door. In my home in Ireland my family and I have carried on this practice and when I visit anybody elses home I still always remove my shoes before entering. Personally I think its just common sense not to bring in the sh!te from the outside world into ones home on their outdoor footwear and spread it all over the carpets. Here in Europe it seems its just not the done thing to remove ones shoes before entering ones or anothers home. Can anyone justify from a hygenic point of view why people expect to wonder into any home, ones own or another's home wearing outdoor footwear?

You make this argument on the basis of hygene yet fail to understand that removing your shoes causes a new hygene problem. I rather not catch your feet diseases, thank you very much. If your shoes are filthy, take them off, if they are clean, leave them on.

c4cat

RedXIV wrote: »

you're right, to me that is a little odd. Can I ask you, do you think you're home is free from dirt then? do you believe you've eradicated all possibilities of dirt entering your home?

No and neither am I house proud either, I just need to hoover less often. But common sense and after living in SE Asia for 30+ years tells me that if you one does not control what comes into the house from outside on the soles of dirty footwear then what ever is stuck in the groves on the sole those shoes will get onto the carpets bit by bit. I have paid enough for my carpets and by not allowing outdoor shoes onto those carpets I just extend their use by a good few more years. If you multiply the 1 gram of outdoor grime by the number of people coming into your house then by the number of time per day so 1 gram x 4 people X 4 trips in and out time 365 days equates to almost 6kg of outdoor grime being deposited in your carpets which about half will get sucked up when you hoover leaving the rest sitting in yr carpet

Cookie_Monster

c4cat wrote: »

No and neither am I house proud either, I just need to hoover less often. But common sense and after living in SE Asia for 30+ tells me that if you one does not control what comes into the house from outside on the soles of dirty footwear then what ever is stuck in the groves on the sole those shoes will get onto the carpets bit by bit. I have paid enough for my carpets and by not allowing outdoor shoes onto those carpets I just extend their use by a good few more years. If you multiply the 1 gram of outdoor grime by the number of people coming into your house then by the number of time per day so 1 gram x 4 people X 4 trips in and out time 365 days equates to almost 6kg of outdoor grime being deposited in your carpets which about half will get sucked up when you hoover leaving the rest sitting in yr carpet

:eek: that's the most horrifying thing I've ever read

Kintarō Hattori

I agree with it as it makes sense but it's not common practice. I wouldn't offer to take them off as for most people that would just be weird but if asked certainly it's not a problem.

It is common practice in Poland and with the missus being Polish we do it here in our own home.

c4cat

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

:eek: that's the most horrifying thing I've ever read

So you don't read much then?

Cookie_Monster

c4cat wrote: »

So you don't read much then?

Enough to understand when someone is being sarcastic anyway

RedXIV

c4cat wrote: »

No and neither am I house proud either, I just need to hoover less often. But common sense and after living in SE Asia for 30+ tells me that if you one does not control what comes into the house from outside on the soles of dirty footwear then what ever is stuck in the groves on the sole those shoes will get onto the carpets bit by bit. I have paid enough for my carpets and by not allowing outdoor shoes onto those carpets I just extend their use by a good few more years. If you multiply the 1 gram of outdoor grime by the number of people coming into your house then by the number of time per day so 1 gram x 4 people X 4 trips in and out time 365 days equates to almost 6kg of outdoor grime being deposited in your carpets which about half will get sucked up when you hoover leaving the rest sitting in yr carpet

ah but here's where it gets interesting

By hoovering less often you are giving what ever may reside in your carpets longer times to multiply and evolve into more potentially more dangerous contaminants. This is also helped by the fact that you don't change your carpets as often as most and therefore leave the breeding ground of all sorts of nasty little things there longer in your house.

Of course this is all sheer hypothethical thought BUT there are other implications here to think of. As someone already, jokingly i presume, pointed out, having a spotless household can actually be bad for the immune system, leaving children open to more serious health risks later in life, asthma for example is thought to be caused by this.

Believe me when I say that i'm not trying to scare you or anything like that, I'm merely defending the way i choose to live, in response to your original statement challenging the way people opposed your ideals

Milky Moo

I generally take off my shoes when I come in but it is more of a comfort issue for myself.
As a result I have the softest feet going and am probably single handedly keeping the plaster industry afloat.

Anyway, whenever I have been in someones house and they demand just as you walk in the door that you need to take your shoes off it kind of gets my defenses up.Like you can't really relax.

It is like those friends you had when you were younger whose parents had a special sitting room that no one was ever aloud in because it was just a room used for having guests.

Houses are for living in and on a side note kids are suppose to get dirty and muddy and germy so they can get the odd cold and have resistance!

Let your kids play in the muck people its clean dirt!(as my mom used to say)

c4cat

Terrance Round Sinusitis wrote: »

You make this argument on the basis of hygene yet fail to understand that removing your shoes causes a new hygene problem. I rather not catch your feet diseases, thank you very much. If your shoes are filthy, take them off, if they are clean, leave them on.

Now that would only happen if unhygenic stuff was brought in from outside or you walk around outside in your bare feet

RedXIV

c4cat wrote: »

Now that would only happen if unhygenic stuff was brought in from outside or you walk around outside in your bare feet

or if you go swimming, or sweat, or do martial arts or plenty of other things

c4cat

Milky Moo wrote: »

I generally take off my shoes when I come in but it is more of a comfort issue for myself.
As a result I have the softest feet going and am probably single handedly keeping the plaster industry afloat.

Anyway, whenever I have been in someones house and they demand just as you walk in the door that you need to take your shoes off it kind of gets my defenses up.Like you can't really relax.

It is like those friends you had when you were younger whose parents had a special sitting room that no one was ever aloud in because it was just a room used for having guests.

Houses are for living in and on a side note kids are suppose to get dirty and muddy and germy so they can get the odd cold and have resistance!

Let your kids play in the muck people its clean dirt!(as my mom used to say)

Yes but why should the kids bring it into the house, they can leave the dirt outside

WillieCocker

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Good for the aul imune system and all that

Shyte stained carpets, Good for the aul immune system.

Our new slogan

Cookie_Monster

WillieCocker wrote: »

Shyte stained carpets, Good for the aul immune system.

only if you lick them

c4cat

RedXIV wrote: »

or if you go swimming, or sweat, or do martial arts or plenty of other things

Normally I do take a shower after doing any of those things, is that odd?

RedXIV

c4cat wrote: »

Normally I do take a shower after doing any of those things, is that odd?

will do nothing to stop a verruca from swimming, i know, i had one years ago when i was in school.

If you train an awful lot, regardless if you shower, you're at risk to stuff like athletes foot

and sometimes you just get unlucky and get a disease.

once again, i'm not attacking you, merely defending myself

c4cat

RedXIV wrote: »

ah but here's where it gets interesting

By hoovering less often you are giving what ever may reside in your carpets longer times to multiply and evolve into more potentially more dangerous contaminants. This is also helped by the fact that you don't change your carpets as often as most and therefore leave the breeding ground of all sorts of nasty little things there longer in your house.

In the first place by stopping the grime at the front door I have'nt allowed whatever to get into my carpets to start a new form of life, so no worries there.

c4cat

RedXIV wrote: »

will do nothing to stop a verruca from swimming, i know, i had one years ago when i was in school.

If you train an awful lot, regardless if you shower, you're at risk to stuff like athletes foot

and sometimes you just get unlucky and get a disease.

once again, i'm not attacking you, merely defending myself

Well as I said, I lived in Asia for 30yrs taking my shoes off in other peoples homes and never suffered any complications

RedXIV

c4cat wrote: »

Well as I said, I lived in Asia for 30yrs taking my shoes off in other peoples homes and never suffered any complications

I've lived in ireland never taking my shoes off for 20 odd years and never had any trouble with that either

c4cat

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Enough to understand when someone is being sarcastic anyway

Touché!!!

c4cat

RedXIV wrote: »

I've lived in ireland never taking my shoes off for 20 odd years and never had any trouble with that either

What in all that time you have left Kgs14.600 of grime on yr poor mothers carpets and it never troubled you?

irelandrover

I leave my shoes on in the house. I'd think it was more hygienic. No matter what you do you cannot preventy all dirt getting into your house. this way all dirt stays on the sole of my shoe. I don't crawl around on the floor, i don't eat off the floor. If someone walks in shíte outside then it is clear straight away when they walk it through my house as it is obviously visible. It is cleaned straight away. I see very little hygiene problems that could be caused by people wearing shoes in the house.

RedXIV

c4cat wrote: »

What in all that time you have left Kgs14.600 of grime on yr poor mothers carpets and it never troubled you?

nope. nevered troubled her, or anyone else i ever knew, it'd be pretty pointless of me to start worrying about it now wouldn't it?

c4cat

RedXIV wrote: »

nope. nevered troubled her, or anyone else i ever knew, it'd be pretty pointless of me to start worrying about it now wouldn't it?

Rather you then me!!

Dont be at yourself

I normally take off my shoes.


And socks.





And trousers.

Milky Moo

c4cat wrote: »

Yes but why should the kids bring it into the house, they can leave the dirt outside

Because you will be undoubtedly hoveering and cleaning as a matter of maintanence anyway so clean up the dirt then.

Kids will have dirty clothes and their hands will get filthy it's the best bit of being a kid.
They have to come inside to actually get clean with some manner of dirt upon their person anyway,unless you start hosing them down in the yard.

I would prefer a kid to be a kid and messy mud tracks through my house any day than continually running after them with the dettol wipes.

c4cat

Milky Moo wrote: »

Because you will be undoubtedly hoveering and cleaning as a matter of maintanence anyway so clean up the dirt then.

Kids will have dirty clothes and their hands will get filthy it's the best bit of being a kid.
They have to come inside to actually get clean with some manner of dirt upon their person anyway,unless you start hosing them down in the yard.

I would prefer a kid to be a kid and messy mud tracks through my house any day than continually running after them with the dettol wipes.

Well I taught my kids to remove their shoes when they come into the house, thats 2nd nature to them, just like putting them on when they go out is, Washing their hands when coming home is 2nd nature too, and the simple act of taking their dirty clothes off in the utility room which is by the door anyway is easy enough too

c4cat

Milky Moo wrote: »

Because you will be undoubtedly hoveering and cleaning as a matter of maintanence anyway so clean up the dirt then.

Kids will have dirty clothes and their hands will get filthy it's the best bit of being a kid.
They have to come inside to actually get clean with some manner of dirt upon their person anyway,unless you start hosing them down in the yard.

I would prefer a kid to be a kid and messy mud tracks through my house any day than continually running after them with the dettol wipes.

My kids can get as messy as they want outside but they know to keep their outside mess outside, just one simple rule in our household

c4cat

Milky Moo wrote: »

Because you will be undoubtedly hoveering and cleaning as a matter of maintanence anyway so clean up the dirt then.

Find it easier keeping the dirt outside and hoover less often

WIZE

Lollipops23 wrote: »

i'd be really offended if someone asked me to remove my shoes!!people who ask are usually so ridiculously houseproud their home doesn't looked lived in.

Wrong. People who ask you are normally from main land europe where it is a normal custom

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

c4cat wrote: »

No and neither am I house proud either, I just need to hoover less often. But common sense and after living in SE Asia for 30+ years tells me that if you one does not control what comes into the house from outside on the soles of dirty footwear then what ever is stuck in the groves on the sole those shoes will get onto the carpets bit by bit. I have paid enough for my carpets and by not allowing outdoor shoes onto those carpets I just extend their use by a good few more years. If you multiply the 1 gram of outdoor grime by the number of people coming into your house then by the number of time per day so 1 gram x 4 people X 4 trips in and out time 365 days equates to almost 6kg of outdoor grime being deposited in your carpets which about half will get sucked up when you hoover leaving the rest sitting in yr carpet

Speculation :rolleyes:

Cookie_Monster

c4cat wrote: »

Find it easier keeping the dirt outside and hoover less often

If it's such a huge issue for you just move back to Asia. It'll be easier in the long run.

Raiser

Why stop at the shoes though? This time next year you'll probably be sitting on a friends white leather couch bóllocks naked absent-mindedly twangling your donglers :eek:

c4cat

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

If it's such a huge issue for you just move back to Asia. It'll be easier in the long run.

Why do you have to retort to such an immature response?,

c4cat

Raiser wrote: »

Why stop at the shoes though? This time next year you'll probably be sitting on a friends white leather couch bóllocks naked absent-mindedly twangling your donglers :eek:

Just another immature response

Long Onion

c4cat wrote: »

Why do you have to retort to such an immature response?,

Because you smell!

Dave147

All shoes in mine are left at the door and we wear slippers around our apartment. Of course, I live with my Slovak girlfriend her sister and boyfriend, and her best friend - I'd rather leave my shoes on!

G_R

if your shoes are visibly covered in muck/sh!te take em off.... otherwise leave em on

relax, you'll live longer

Cookie_Monster

c4cat wrote: »

Why do you have to retort to such an immature response?,

Because

1) It's AH

2) You're clearly taking the piss at this stage with this whole topic anyway.

WesternNight

c4cat wrote: »

Why do you have to retort to such an immature response?,

And "So you don't read much then?" wasn't immature?


Anyway...I've never been asked to remove my shoes in someone else's house. Would never ask anyone else to in mine either.

Different customs in different countries. Doesn't need to be that big an issue. If it works for you, it works for you.

c4cat

WesternNight wrote: »

And "So you don't read much then?" wasn't immature?


Anyway...I've never been asked to remove my shoes in someone else's house. Would never ask anyone else to in mine either.

Different customs in different countries. Doesn't need to be that big an issue. If it works for you, it works for you.

It was more sarcastic rather then immature

c4cat

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Because

1) It's AH

2) You're clearly taking the piss at this stage with this whole topic anyway.

1) Yes it is AH, so I respond in the same vain

2)Yes in response to others taking the pi$$ first, but if you are willing to continue a more mature discussion on this topic, I will be more then willing to

c4cat

Dave147 wrote: »

All shoes in mine are left at the door and we wear slippers around our apartment. Of course, I live with my Slovak girlfriend her sister and boyfriend, and her best friend - I'd rather leave my shoes on!

So don't you see a difference in your household compared to a household that does not leave their shoes at the door

Cookie_Monster

c4cat wrote: »

2)Yes in response to others taking the pi$$ first, but if you are willing to continue a more mature discussion on this topic, I will be more then willing to

No I meant right from the start.

WIZE

I was living in Germany for 9 years and it was custom to leave you shoes in the hallway when entering someones house .
I have been back in Ireland now and I still do it in my own home and others do the same . I don't ask them too . they see me do it and they they do the same .
Its not because of keeping my house clean as I have two dogs who run in and out of my garden every five minutes but to me its more comfort as you can put your feet up on my couches if you want




*Plus your socks are helping me polish my wooden floors

c4cat

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

No I meant right from the start.

Do you mean from my first post on this subject or from when I responded to you first

Six of One

I know somebody who makes everyone take off their shoes in her house. The majority of the house is tiled, the rest wooden floors. My feet are cold at the best of times and in her house, especially in Winter they are frozen almost numb!

MultiUmm

phasers wrote: »

I'd prefer a bit of muck in the house than the smell of sweaty manky feet tbh

+ 1. If someone wasn't wearing socks then I'd much prefer for them to bring in a leaf or a bit of muck instead of leaving flakes of their dead skin and sweat in my house. :pac: