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I have never in my life been in a house where I've been asked to remove my shoes.

ETA: I'd have no qualms doing so if requested. It just isn't a common practice in my area/circle.

We don't wear shoes in the house, but I would never ask my guests to take their shoes off . . . if it's wet/muddy outside, people generally volunteer to do so. And if they're close friends just coming over to hang out, most people take their shoes off anyway. But *requiring* guests to take their shoes off? That's tacky!

We wear shoes inside. If I take them off, it is for comfort, or because it is nasty outside. I will take them off if requested at others' homes,, but I don't ask my guests to take off their shoes if they don't want to. I never saw it as a big deal!

Another who wears shoes inside and it seems to be a reigonal/cultural thing for sure. I am from The South so like others mentioned, maybe the weather has a lot to do with it? I didn't take shoes off growing up, and neither did my DH who grew up in the same area. Our families still practice this (or don't) and whether you're wearing shoes indoors depends on comfort not cleanliness. It's also really common for me to pop outside for a minute in my bare feet to get the mail or let the dog in the yard, and I walk around indoors after that as well.
I never ask people to take off their shoes inside, I don't volunteer to do so at others homes (but I don't mind at all if someone requests it, and I follow suit if I see that it is the practice in their home).
Actually, I feel really weird taking my shoes off and having my bare feet all over someone's home.
All that said, we sweep and mop frequently. And I am not afraid of germs and dirt so I don't mind that my LO crawls around on less-than-impeccable floors.

@Cole: @LovelyPlum: ugh seriously. And my dog tracks in poop crumbs because he is long haired! Nasty!!

I wear shoes or slippers inside, as does everyone in my family and all my guests! I have rarely been in homes where I have to take off my shoes. I totally respect it if it's your way but I have nasty feet, they honestly sometimes stink and so it's super embarrassing for me if I have to take my shoes off, if I'm not prepared to do so.

At a formal event I would be really taken aback if I had to take off my shoes!

Somehow my family and two kids have survived up until now living in a home where people track dirt, pee and spit residue on the bottoms of their shoes

I never wear shoes inside and neither do my in laws or my parents. I think it's bizarre to wear outdoor shoes inside the house...as otehrs have said, you're tracking in all sorts of stuff on the floor, which you then sit on, walk on in bare feet, which your LO crawls on, etc.

I always ask guests to take shoes off, and it's never been an issue. In Russian culture, the host is supposed to offer slippers to guests--we're working on building up our slipper basket!

@mrs. wagon: I agree, if I threw a big party at our apt (would never happen bc it's tiny!) I wouldn't make ppl take shoes off and would just deep clean after.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: We are the same way-- we take off our shoes in the apartment, but not necessarily as we walk in the door, which means we are pretty much slobs who leave shoes all over the place

We are trying to get better about it and moving towards a shoe free house, but wouldn't strictly enforce it with guests. We do have a bench near the door, now, so that helps, but if I'm carrying the diaper bag and the car seat, I need to step all the way in and set those down before removing my shoes.

Once LO is mobile, we will definitely have some areas that are strictly no shoes though.

At other people's houses, I follow the hosts lead-- if they have their shoes off, I take mine off, or in winter if it's wet out, automatically take them off. If they have a baby I always ask even if I don't see them take theirs off.

Eh luckily around here it seems universally excepted that you take your shoes off when you enter someone else's house, no matter the occasion. I think it's polite to, especially if it's winter or raining outside. I've never had to actually ask someone to remove their shoes.

I really don't care if your outfit is ruined without your shoes or your feet aren't "show ready". Maybe you should have taken that in to consideration when you got dressed instead of only thinking about yourself.

How dare someone not want dirt from outside tracked in to their homes!! How rude can people be? </sarcasm> Seriously, who is actually being inconsiderate here?

From the Midwest here and never did I encounter the "no shoes inside" thing until visiting my in-laws in the UK. I don't mind taking my shoes off (okay, actually, I do - but whatever, I can deal), but it weirds me out how people are SO passionate about this. It just... doesn't strike me as that big of a deal? But like I said, I will go along with whatever is asked of me when I'm a guest at someone's house.

@rahlyrah: I live in CA and I'm Asian so no shoes is pretty common. I grew up going to parties with tons of shoes in the foyer areas!

@meredithNYC: I think it's just about respecting another persons house. I can agree with the article though, if you have a party, expect for the house to get a little gross! Growing up, guests at my parents parties always spilled things and wore their shoes around...my mom stopped having parties haha.

@sorrycharlie: yeah... I spent the first year we had her OBSESSED with keeping the floor clean. Honestly, though, eventually, I just resigned myself to the fact that my floors are never going to be squeaky clean. I mean, I vacuum, we wipe our feet at the door, but I can't lose sleep over it. And I grew up in a house where my mom's motto was "a little dirt never hurt anyone", so I guess that is how this LO will be growing up, too! There's just only so much energy to go around, and my floors aren't going to get the best of me

@meredithNYC: I never saw it as a big deal either. If we did wear shoes inside and it was gross out, we were always just told to wipe our feet really well on the door mat and the rug right inside the door. In our house, that is what they are there for!

rahlyrah: I agree, it is so interesting! I do think some is cultural, and some is regional, but some might just also be personal preference.

I"m in Nebraska, and it's very uncommon to be asked to remove shoes, usually only if the person got new carpet! I dont' mind removing my shoes if I have socks on, but I feel so weird walking barefoot in someone else's house. I can understand in the rain/snow seasons, I always be sure to remove, but summer in my flipflops I would prefer to keep on because it's just strange to be barefoot in another home.

this amazes me! I have never heard it be a big deal, I think have run into more people that don't make a big deal of it but occasionally go to homes that do ask which is fine. have lived in the midwest and northeast and same in either place.

weather-related shoes off of course, but not as a strict rule all the time.

we try to wear slippers at home due to the apartment noise issue but I wouldn't ask anyone else to do it, they can do what they are comfortable with. I'm not a very dirt/germ worried person though, I figure it adds to our immunity

We take our shoes off, but don't require it of guests. I kind of wish everyone would, but I can't bring myself to ask.

@pui: agreed, there's no policy - I never have to ask, people just take off their shoes in the foyer/by the door...and so do I.

@meredithNYC: It may be harsh, but that's how I feel. There aren't many things I get that riled up about, but wearing shoes inside (as silly as it may seem) is one of them.

It's definitely cultural. There are a lot of people where I live that would be quite upset if you didn't take your shoes off at the door.

@meredithNYC: @Urchin: I agree that it was a harsh statement. I am neither nasty nor rude. In fact, I'm quite the opposite! In my region, it is not commonplace to remove shoes in someone's home. I am polite, and will remove my shoes in harsh weather (or if I'm staying a while/for cultural reasons) but if I'm at a party or running in for a few minutes I do not remove my shoes.

I find it slightly rude to make such a harsh comment over a cultural/regional difference.

Now, if you ask me to remove my shoes and I refuse, or if I knowingly enter your home with poop or mud on my shoes, then THAT would be nasty and rude.