I've just finished reading a humorous piece in todays paper written by a woman who attended a recital at someones home with her husband and daughter. Once everything was underway they noticed that they were the only people in the living room still wearing their shoes. Everyone else had left theirs in the front foyer. The writer made the claim that it seems in Canada it's expected that guests remove their shoes upon entering someones home while not so much in Europe and the US. Who measures these things I dunno LOL. Anyways, growing up we never took our shoes off in the house though I remember going to my friends houses where they did, I thought that was odd. However somehow I must have converted over the years and so has my mother and everyone else in the family where now everyone removes shoes upon entering. I guess it depends on the weather outside and what the event is.. I know if I was having people over for a sort of formal dinner and they were "dressed" I wouldn't expect them to remove their best shoes. So what does everyone else think or do?

I love to go barefoot in the house. Mostly because I have yet to meet a pair of shoes that were truly comfortable. Also, when you really think about it, who wants to traipse through one's nest wearing shoes that have just been marinating in God-knows-what in the outside world.

However, as far as invited guests are concerned, I subscribe to the religion that it is the host's duty to make the guests feel welcomed and "at home" and not to plague them with endless house rules. Then again, nothing says "glad to see 'ya" like a decontamination shower and a personalized Tyvek haz-mat suit.

Marty Kaplan

Here's a hilarious article about JUST THIS!

thats one thing ive never understood. if you can afford to have posh floorings you should be able to afford to maintain them. consider the cleaning cost as part of the overall expense. however, if it was muddy or snowing perhaps the guests should take off the shoes without asking. martha stewart is NOT like everyone else.

i DO notice that many people lack adequate mats/rugs at the entrances to their homes. thats soo important.

Here in Hawai'i, you never wear shoes in the house. During the cooler winter months it is nice to have a pair of "house slippa's" to wear inside. My friend Martha forgot one day and ended up at Safeway in her pink house slippers.

My parents have white carpet througout their house, my family has always removed shoes upon entering, this is something my grandmother instilled into ALL of us..

My parents still have places in thier living room where their are dark spots... mainly in front of all of the furniture used for sitting. They were told by a flooring professional that these dark spots stem from going barefoot. The oils from the skin on your feet leave the most residue in the places where you brace your feet before you sit and stand the most. They said you should at least always wear socks if not slippers to protect your carpet.

Thunderhexed, that's interesting to learn about going barefoot! I do it all the time, I had no idea.

We were always to remove our shoes in the house growing up. I don't worry as much about it here in California as I did in Minnesota, since there's not all that snow and wet and mud and so forth. My friends generally can do what's comfortable for them when they come over.

We had to remove our shoes/boots as soon as we entered the front door....and all guests did the same. If it was winter time, then the women usually brought a bag containing their shoes (you could actually buy a bag that was made purposely to carry shoes for just the occassion) or slippers. Men at that time wore their shoes but with the rubber boots that slipped over top so they just removed the boots. I think we had the shiniest kitchen floor (tile) in the town. It was red and you could see your reflection in it. Even in the summer when it was dry outside, if we left the house, forgot something and had to run into the house we had to remove our shoes. My mother had the neatest and cleanest house in the town.

One of my best friends growing up had a mother like that. It was rare that any kids were ever invited to even step into the back door landing. If you were so lucky you shoes came off immediately and were to be turned over, this applied to her car as well. One day all the stars must have been in proper alignment and I was invited in for a sandwich lunch where we were seated at their diner style booth in the kitchen.Fearing the worst as a crumb from you peanut butter sandwich might fall on the table and not on the plate as she hovered over us with wet dishtowel in hand. Then returing to the kitchen sink to continue washing dishes on her towel lined countertops and towel lined floor upon which she stood, lest a droplet of water should mar them. I am not exagerating. The most embarassing moment was the one time I was invited into their living room to watch tv, the room of Royal Blue wall to wall carpeting. She literally lept across the room upon spotting an errant dog hair that must have let loose from my sock. LOL. We laugh about it now but I know my mother always said she felt so sorry for those kids and many others in the neighborhood who would always come over to our house to use the bathroom because their mothers wouldn't let them in their own house until supper or lunchtime.

Through all childhood, we ALWAYS had to wear some sort of shoe in our house. Even to this day, all my guests are expected to wear shoes in the house. Floors were made to be walked on for cryin' out loud!!
I can still hear my Mom say "PUT ON YOUR SHOES!... You never know when you're going to step on a piece of glass!!"
To this day I still must wear shoes at all times, except sometimes in the shower LOL

Being a transplanted country boy, I love going barefoot. However, that's a hazardous proposition in my apartment with old, old hardwood floors that have a lot of splinters. I at least wear socks around the house and usually "step-ins" (flip-flops) as Filipinos call them.

About wearing shoes or not. Housekeeping wasn't one of her forte's - she had many others-cooking, crafts and keeping the family together and well-behaved. I don't know where I picked up liking to walk around the house bare-footed, but my shoes come off immediately when I enter the house and it causes me to keep the floors exceptionally clean. That's good because I have many machines to help me. It takes some work 'cuz my old dog (16) likes to spread her food around and I HATE walking on various bits of dog food. Regular vacuuming and cleaning of the floors is mandatory.

On another note, walking bare-footed (as opposed to wearing some type of foot covering) is hard on the feet. Causes callouses. I started getting pedicures in California and now it is a constant battle, but still prefer bare feet (my own) in the house. I really don't have any preferences with respect to guests. Whatever makes them comfortable. I will clean the floors as necessary.

OH BOY! Speaking of picky, my parents were the extreme. No shoes on in the house ever. Even our garage was vacuumed and mopped regularly. Mom insisted on the floors being done in linoleum and she maintained it as if it were a part of the living quarters. My father had all his tools hung up and there was an outline of each tool on the pegboard to ensure it was replaced in the correct spot. The entire garage was painted white with everything behind cabinet doors. Pop would run the cars to the mechanic at the slightest sign of an oil drip and to this day, Mom's 1968 Cougar does not leak a bit of oil (we still own the car). Yes, we are Italian, and before anyone asks or comments, mom did not wrap all the furniture and lamp shades in plastic covers (LOL). Nevertheless, I still like to go barefoot in the house (NEVER outside) but do not require guests to remove shoes. Fred, once again we have something in common. I too go for regular mani's and pedi's and have ever since living in CA.

Robb Castaldo