I grew up in a culture where it's normal to keep them on in house, certainly downstairs. Then I met my missus who comes from a culture where it's an absolute no-no to wear outdoors shoes in the house. I'm converted.

Wearing outdoor shoes inside the house is dumb, and if it's someone elses house it's inconsiderate. Much of Europe and America should learn from countries that take them off.

And wearing outdoor shoes on beds is worse (and I don't mean kinky stilettos). How dumb can you be.

Personally, I like to go barefoot around the house, though my (Swiss) wife turned me on to these felt things a couple years ago which are even better (plus keep the floors, and my feet, clean)!

Tom

When the visitors arrived, I asked them to remove their shoes. The guy did it right away but I could see the face of the woman not understanding what was going on.

I have enough to clean, I won't clean up everyfreakingtime someone comes to visit the flat.

I cannot imagine in a house with little kids people would visit and leave their outside dirty shoes on, really..I did have some visitors that would head straight away for the kiddo's bedroom with shoes on, straight from the dirty pavement, but it took me saying to their little kid "hey buddie, let's make you more comfy and take your shoes off so you can play better and cleaner" and the entire family took the hint and took the shoes off. I think a few sec of mopping after visit is a must, shoes or no shoes, but the thought of outside dirt, dust, insects, bacteria and animal feces carried into my living space makes my skin crawl, heh.

I think it is more about health stuff, imagining breathing the outside mess while sleeping, prevention kinda thing. They drill this into you there. Makes cleaning up the house way easier, though. When you walk barefoot in a house that have people with shoes on, watch your feet turning into grocery feet.

At home in Summer, always bare foot in and out. Just love the freedom, and the feel of fresh grass under my feet.

In Switzerland is is customary and polite to remove shoes when you go to somebody's house, not like in the UK. Having lived across the water for so many years I sometimes forget. Many people have a box of slippers by the door for guest use. We often go to informal parties with friends in winter, and everyone brings some light slippers to wear.

In my house, people are welcome with shoes on. But as a guest I try to adapt and do what people prefer. One of my sil's cannot stand people wearing shoes int he house (he is always worried about germs, dogs, etc) so i take my shoes off automatically. My other sil lives in a very warm country, but he doesn't like people being barefoot in his house - so I oblige and wear the same pair of indoor sandals, although I'd rather go barefoot.

Nil, what will you do when you move to the HOUSE with a GARDEN, and you and kids will be in and out constantly? Enjoy- it will be wonderful.

we wear our shoes everywhere, I would rather have to sweep the floors or vacuum than look at (or smell) other people's feet all night.

I guess it depends on the situation - but at home we are shoes off, house shoe type people. I think all the Swiss employed workmen who have come into the house take off their shoes as well. But, if it is an adult dinner party, I can see where keeping them on might be the norm. A kiddie playdate, definitely they come off!

I will say that the thought of bacteria being brought in by shoes has never crossed my mind. I just don't like it when the sun shines in just so to see the smudgyness of the floor from when I wore my house shoes outside on the terrace to grab some herbs or water the plants, etc

Actually, since I moved to Switzerland, I ask people to please keep their shoes on when they visit ... getting an even more bewildered look than if I had asked them to take them off The crappy wooden floors of our apartment randomly like to give people splinters... better safe than sorry

You wear them in bed?

I dont take them off. Dont care really. Plus is better to step on something nasty wearing shoes. We have 3 cats and a dog and the place is never as clean as i like. When i go to other houses i still dont take them off. If somebody asks then ok i will. Otherwise no.

Having pee, poo, spit, oil, gas, garbage and everything else the street contain in my house?

I like to have a floor that don't get my feet dirty and bring all the nasty stuff in the bed.

If my home floor is as dirty as the street, better not pay a rent and live outside.

So, how do people go when camping?

sure, why take 'em off???

thats called culture to take your shoes off in the house! And that we see with the Asians and Muslims

Workmans compansation does not allow to take the saftey boots off ,at least in canada .Hope you never have the fire or the police in your house

No, its called habit

same goes today as in 2008

In our "house" we did wear "outdoors shoes" outside and into the "house" but changed into "indoors shoes" inside. Mum even kept ready "indoors shoes" for Walter Pellegrini (black ones) and for Michel Jaquet (brown ones) who were frequently in our apartment, and both had free access to our fridge.

can I make friends with your mom ?I like the idea of having accses to the frige

I visited a Swiss friends apartment this afternoon. He didn't take his shoes off on arrival, so I kept mine on. I could hear my feet softly singing "I want to break free...".