Do you walk in a house with shoes or slippers?

Visitors from Netherland, Sweeden, England and Ireland were surprised when I asked them to take off their shoes while walking around my appartmant. I asked them to wear slippers and they thought I%26#039;m joking. Than they thought it is some kind of religion thing in my country. It%26#039;s not. It%26#039;s just more higienic, specially if it is raining or snowing outside,

Do you walk in a house with shoes or slippers?
I go barefoot around my apartment, and I ask guests to remove their shoes if they are going to enter past the front hallway. But I%26#039;m not strict about it; if someone is wearing hard to remove footwear I don%26#039;t force the issue.





I picked up this custom when I lived in Hawaii in the late %26#039;90s. In most homes in Hawaii, you are expected to remove your shoes and leave them on the front porch (lanai) or just inside the front door. It%26#039;s a very hygienic practice and also cuts down on carpet cleaning bills. So people also tend to wear shoes that are easily removed and put back on.





Probably the Hawaii custom comes from Japanese immigrants. In Japan I think you do not wear shoes in the house. This is because the house floor is considered to be an extension of the bed (you sleep on tatami mats on the floor), and you don%26#039;t wear your shoes to bed, do you?





Whereas, in European custom, the house floor is considered to be more an extension of the front garden or porch, and your bed is a separate piece of furniture raised up off the floor. So it%26#039;s not such a big deal wearing shoes (which have been stepping in who knows what in the street) into the house. And of course there are clever devices to help you clean your shoes before you enter the house (e.g. boot scrapers and welcome mats).
Reply:barefoot
Reply:i know my floor is clean... barefoot!
Reply:in japan its a costume it shows respect,in many cultures
Reply:Barefoot
Reply:In the states, I wore my shoes in the house a lot, but I am temp. living in Japan and we had to sign a part of our lease stating that we would not wear shoes in the house.. I went to the optomotrist off base, and had to take my shoes off and put on slippers before going in. If I am just running in the house to get something , I sometimes keep my shoes on. I usually wear my socks the rest of the time.
Reply:i walk in with legs
Reply:take off shoes ... but guests slippers seem considerate
Reply:slippers. It%26#039;s definately a good hygienic thing. They could have stepped in dog poo for all you know. Who would want their shoes in the house?
Reply:I%26#039;m English; I wear socks about the house. Slippers are silly.
Reply:SLIPPERS
Reply:barefoot is the way to go!!! it is natural and (if they have been wearing shoes) is hygienic... i walk around my house barefoot all the time and i LOVE it!!! it makes me feel that i have nothing to hide and nothing to worry about... you should try it... don%26#039;t spend so much money on slippers for everyone, just let them use what they have to make your house more comfortable



BIRD