Discussions

one of the boards I frequent online had a discussion about shoes.  
 
When people come into your home, do you prefer them to remove their shoes, or not?  
 
I was AMAZED by how many people said they preferred it if company left their shoes on!  
 
It mostly seemed it was people in the Southern States, but many also from New York, etc.  
 
Some of them keep their outside shoes on until they go to bed, at which point they leave their shoes under the bed until morning.  
 
there actually was quite an argument about it - the Non-shoe wearers saying how it would be too dirty to have shoes in the house all the time and it would be disrespectful to your host to wear your shoes and either dirty, or damage sensitive flooring, and the shoe wearers saying that it's rude to expect guests to remove shoes because they want their guests to feel comfortable, and that it's also rude of someone to remove them because it's suggesting too much of a "familiarity" to their home. (which to me is contradictory)  
 
The exception were those who were disabled, or have diabetes/foot problems, etc, which gives them a reason why they need to keep shoes on.  
 
so, Westman, what do you think? Shoes or no shoes?  
 
My opinion: no shoes, thanks! I have a hard enough time keeping my floors clean without the sand, dirt and grit that gets tracked in. Also, I like to walk around my own home barefoot and I want my floors to be clean all the time (hate grit on my feet). Also, I think that there are probably some pretty disgusting things on the bottom of people's shoes. spit, fecal matter, bugs, etc. I know that our dogs, etc will carry some of that stuff in - but there is less of that in my yard than on the streets.