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[Sooner]

If you feel that your guests need to remove their shoes when they enter your house you need new flooring, some new floor cleaning equipment, or new friends. Unless you live in some country where this is the custom. . . and that isn't the USA.

[Plaid Pants]

On 12/27/2014 Sooner said:

If you feel that your guests need to remove their shoes when they enter your house you need new flooring, some new floor cleaning equipment, or new friends. Unless you live in some country where this is the custom. . . and that isn't the USA.

People come here, to the "Good 'ol U.S.A." from other countries where it is the custom to remove shoes upon entering the home.

Do you want them to abandon their custom and culture just because they moved here?

Asking them to do that would be very un-American.

[Love4cats]

On 12/27/2014 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 12/27/2014 PeterDM said:

On 12/27/2014 RJL-DLL 75 said:

On 12/27/2014 PeterDM said:

On 12/27/2014 RJL-DLL 75 said:

On 12/27/2014 chickenbutt said:

Your house, your rules.

I agree and don't want friends who do not respect my wishes. There are too many bad things that we bring in on our shoes, germs, sp*t, insecticides and more. I have cats and don't want them expose to things like that. I have seen people sp*it and worse in public and don't want it being carried in on someone's shoes.

The individuals who believe that asking guests to remove their shoes upon entering their homes are wrong. Yes, you are the master or mistress of the house and have the authority to dictate how things run once people are in it. You also have the right to serve your guests hot dogs on paper plates while walking around with your finger up your nose. This, too, would show a lack of education and good taste. If I were to attend a party at one of my friend's who lives on the Main Line, and they asked the guests to remove their shoes, that would be there last party. They would be laughed out of society. I have never been asked to remove my shoes at a threshold. Never. If I WERE asked, I would assume that I was at the wrong door in the wrong neighborhood. To put it bluntly, asking guests to remove their shoes upon entering your home is an archaic and embarrassing practice of the lower classes. It is never appropriate, and it shows an unfortunate lack of knowledge and grace on behalf of the hostess. Feel free to argue with me, but you will not find any, proper etiquette manual that will support the enforcement of this practice. If you don't care for etiquette, that's fine. Enjoy being an Oscar Mayer Weiner.

Sounds like your friends need some educating. Some people want clean homes and some don't.

My friends went to Ivy League schools and grew up in million dollar homes. I think we're good in the education department, thanks.

It depends on where you live and your experience. If you were so highly educated, you would understand that. Where I live, people automatically remove their shoes before entering a home. I don't move in such exalted circles as you, but I can assure you we are gracious and hospitable, which is more than I can say for you, judging by the demeaning tone of your post. Eta: some of the rudest, class less people I have known grew up in million dollar homes and attended Ivy league schools. That means nothing.

You are so right. Some people like to throw around that they know people in million dollar homes, people who went to Ivy league schools , thinking they are going to impress someone. I am not the least bit impressed. You can't teach or buy class. Education means nothing when it comes to respecting other people. Even the poorest , most uneducated people can have respect for others.

[Love4cats]

On 12/27/2014 Sooner said:

If you feel that your guests need to remove their shoes when they enter your house you need new flooring, some new floor cleaning equipment, or new friends. Unless you live in some country where this is the custom. . . and that isn't the USA.

My home....my rules. You can't respect that, then you are not a friend. Period.

[PeterDM]

On 12/27/2014 Plaid Pants said:

On 12/27/2014 Sooner said:

If you feel that your guests need to remove their shoes when they enter your house you need new flooring, some new floor cleaning equipment, or new friends. Unless you live in some country where this is the custom. . . and that isn't the USA.

People come here, to the "Good 'ol U.S.A." from other countries where it is the custom to remove shoes upon entering the home.

Do you want them to abandon their custom and culture just because they moved here?

Asking them to do that would be very un-American.

Whenever I have traveled, or lived, in another country, I have always tried to learn and adapt to their customs and culture. It has also been my experience that foreigners traveling or living in this country, who are respectful of our nation's culture and customs, do the same. My neighbors growing up were Japanese, and I have very fond memories of visiting their beautiful home, shoes and all.

[Sooner]

On 12/27/2014 RJL-DLL 75 said:

On 12/27/2014 Sooner said:

If you feel that your guests need to remove their shoes when they enter your house you need new flooring, some new floor cleaning equipment, or new friends. Unless you live in some country where this is the custom. . . and that isn't the USA.

My home....my rules. You can't respect that, then you are not a friend. Period.

Mh point. That's why I said "get new friends." That's how it works. I would not feel comfortable in the home of someone who said "Take your shoes off."

[Plaid Pants]

And what of the native Hawaiians, where it is in the culture, to remove shoes upon entering their home?

Last time I checked, Hawaii was part of the United States.

[Theoriginallacey]

Hawaii has only been a state since 1959. Hawaii was originally settled by Polynesians and goes back about 1500 years.

[PeterDM]

On 12/27/2014 Plaid Pants said:

And what of the native Hawaiians, where it is in the culture, to remove shoes upon entering their home?

Last time I checked, Hawaii was part of the United States.

Yes, this is a god point to bring up. When we talk about culture, we're addressing the customs of a group of indigenous people. Although Hawaii is part of the USA, the people of Hawaii who keep the tradition of removing one's shoes upon entering a home are indigenous to the islands. The only indigenous people to the continental USA are the Native Americans, and people whose families emigrated to the USA will likely not hold to Native American traditions and customs. We "melting pot" folks have our various customs and traditions which are usually based on religious or ethnic traditions from our ancestors. In some areas of the country one may find that people do, indeed, remove their shoes upon entering another's home. However, it is not a cultural norm, amongst the classes of the residents of the continental USA, to remove one's shoes upon entering a home. Moreso, it is not (and this was my original point) appropriate for a host to REQUIRE a guest to remove their shoes upon entering their home. In terms of proper etiquette, it is rude to ask your guests to do this.

[JAS8761]

I would never ask my guests to remove their shoes upon entering my house. That is rude beyond belief, because if they are relatively new acquaintances, chances are they will not feel comfortable engaging in any state of undress in your home outside of possibly removing a coat or jacket. Some people will even keep their outerwear on. A person should not go to a person's house with filthy shoes in the first place, and if it is unavoidable because you have mud outside your house of some sort, there should be a place for a person to wipe their shoes off prior to entering your residence. Walking around barefoot indicates a level of comfort in one's surroundings. When entertaining, not everyone will feel comfortable with leaving their shoes unattended at the door, nor having their feet bare in a new person's home.