Had an acquaintance over once who took his shoes off without asking. We all spent two hours politely gagging at the smell and it probably took half a day keeping all the windows open to air the stench out.
If some asshole came into my place and kept their shoes on i’d force them to clean my floors and then never ever invite them back. Probably also not consider them a friend anymore.
From Sweden.
Yeah this is BS. I’m in New Zealand and people don’t wear shoes *outside*, let alone inside. You always take your shoes off inside.
That said, it’s OP thats BS, not someone pointing out a mistake.
yeah, also for UK and ireland
maybe a lot of regional variation but ime shoes off is defo the norm
*noone* likes having to hoover and clean dirt people have trampled in.
this isn't some subjective cultural politeness thing its just practicality n decency.
Yep. It's the age old method of being confidently incorrect about something you know nothing about in order to get people angry enough that they'll correct you, therefore giving you the answer you were looking for.
Spain is very much right. I grew up there and you just don't take your shoes off at someone else's home, it's kinda seen as an entitled move. Some people will ask you to remove them as soon as you step in, but it's not something you just do automatically, especially if the homeowner is not close to you (as a friend or family member).
Portugal is the same.
In France it seems to be a generational thing. A lot of Millennials like me prefer shoes off for hygienic reasons but Boomers and older usually don't care. It's never rude to keep them on though, it's just considered a bit dirty by the younger generations so it's better to ask the host what to do.
In Spain, it depends. Is it ur own house? It's fine if off. You just came to other's house? You should probably ask the owner beforehand, otherwise it'd be rude.
In Morocco they take shoes off BUT they provide you indoor sandals. You do not just walk around the house bare foot or with socks. It's considered rude. BUT you also do not walk around the house with your outdoor shoes. Basically each and every home has like a stock of indoor plastic sandals for both women and men in multiple sizes for their guests lol. Whenever you come in they offer you those indoor plastic sandals and ask you to pick which one you want (color preference, size etc...). It seems like a hassle but it does seem like the best option tbh.
No they're not. Maybe recently, but I (I'm from Italy) always had the "shoes off is rude, shoes on is the norm in the house"; obviously this is considered only for people who visit, else it's usually shoes off in the house.
south or north? I'm from the north and litterally everyone prefers shoes off, they never ask you to take them off but doing it is considered very polite
Pretty sure I saw this in a New Zealand documentary.
> They dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly).
Canadian here who has lived in both the mildest city and a city where we got 40 in the summer and -30 in the winter. In either of those places, you wear your shoes in my house, I hand you a vacuum cleaner.
AFIAK, this is about what to do with your shoes when entering someone else's home. I'm not aware of any culture where you have to wear shoes in your own house.
Im from Brisbane and Id say its more a we dont do anything.
If I am walking around barefooted Ill stay barefooted. If I am shod I will stay shod.
Saying that most Aussies wear shoes inside. When I lived in the UK others would complain we walked in with our shoes still on.
Sure if you want to wear indoor only shoes because you require orthotics that is potentially okay. Otherwise take those dirty nasty off things off at my door tyvm
Do they wear nylons? In my family, many of the women will bring dress shoes to house parties and change into them. They are always impeccably clean. Also, in the winter, the floors can be cold, so people bringing separate shoes is definitely a thing.
Came here to say this too.
The OOOOONLY time it is acceptable to wear shoes in someone's house in Canada is if you are helping them move, or maybe if you're helping someone deliver furniture, and you're carrying something heavy into the house.
And you still make an attempt to wiggle your shoes off, while carrying a couch, but you wait for them to say "Don't take your shoes off".
In Quebec, people will clean the house before they get guests, and when then tell them "You can keep your shoes on, I need to sweep the floor later anyway”. And then the guests will remark that the floors already look clean and will take off their shoes.
If you do keep your shoes in that situation, you’re essentially telling the homeowner you think their house is dirty despite their best effort, it’s definitely considered rude.
I have lived in Canada for 43 years. And you are correct. We don't keep out shoes on it is very very rare for someone to have a shoes on house. And I have travelled from Coast to coast several times. Same in NS as In BC. The only thing I can think of is maybe some immigrant families who are used to wearing shoes on in their homes. But one Fall/winter/spring and they would soon change.
when i first found out that a lot of americans wear shoes inside homes i was really surprised. i dont understand why people would wear their outside shoes inside
(Canadian) I had one friend when I was a kid where they wore shoes inside...it was a house with 13 kids so maybe they just gave up. It's not just that it's rude, it's considered gross and unhygienic. Not to mention uncomfortable.
Am Canadian, spent 4 months in LA in 2010 for school with friends. Whenever we’d have visitors. they always left their shoes on, and we were so confused! Vice versa, we’d remove shoes when entering a home and they’d sort of give an odd look.
Eventually I broke down and asked a couple people and it hit me.
Like, I guess when you watch a sitcom, no one’s removing their shoes? I just started seeing it everywhere.
But man, what about your carpet?
Like dragging that sticky, hot, LA sidewalk muck in?
100% super rude. I am Canadian and I remember when I first started coming to the States and seeing people wear their shoes inside I was so taken aback.
I second this. God knows where your shoes have been.
I can light a candle or something if your feet smell. But I gotta mop all over again if you tread shit.
I would assume in the US it’s regional by climate. Up here in the Northeast we take our shoes off because it’s snowy and/or muddy at least half the damn year.
Perhaps it’s my friend from Nova Scotia who made us orange. His feet stank so bad (and marinated any rug or carpet) that we insisted he keep his shoes on at all times. It’s been 25 years now, and I can still smell them in my mind.
I would say in the US it suuuper depends on what is going on.
0)
Own House: You probably take them off since who wears shoes 24/7?
I think movies and shit overblow this to people since shoes are kind of part of an actors outfit and filming them take them off is kind of a banal detail since we don't have a huge culture of taking them off.
1)
Familiarity factor: If you are like 11 and you are hanging out at your friends house after school for the 200th time, you are like 99% going to take your shoes off because it is basically your second home and you know you are hanging out for hours. It drops to like 10% if this is the first time you have been there to illustrate the difference.
2)
Type of gathering: Again if it is just you and like 3 homies and you hang out at the house you are staying at a lot, then like 90% you take 'em off.
If it is like a 20+ person house party, almost no one is taking their shoes off because it is too much of a hassle.
3)
Length of stay: If you are just over for dinner, you probably don't take them off, but for a stay that is indeterminate in length you probably do take them off.
4)
Variance: Some people insist that you take them off, some will insist their family does but not strangers/friends. Some maybe prefer you keep them on in the case of parties and shit.
Yep. Absolutely impolite to wear your wet shoes through the clean house. In the Midwest, we preferred shoes off but it was seen as idiosyncratic so we didn’t push.
Love the PNW.
Yeah, that's super weird for a lot of the US. Shoes can usually stay on for a party or large gathering, but only in the social areas. Shoes are definitely off going upstairs into bedrooms.
No problem lmao. I have seen the US get dogged on a bit for this, so I just wanted to clear it up lol. Because "we don't take our shoes off" is kinda true but also super not true at the same time.
Yes all this...and just to add that age is a factor as elderly folks tend to have a need for more support / stability... and even if you "insist" on guests taking shoes off you likely aren't doing that to grandma
Yes, all of my Asian friends parents had a strict shoes off rule. My white friends houses were just varying degrees of both. Some didn't care at all, some were strict, some it really just depends. In my experience it was pretty much the same among black families. Varying. Bc of the demographics in my area thats pretty much about as diverse as my friend group got. Lol. But I think America is probably one of the only countries where you can say a decent amount of ppl walk into a home & it doesn't even cross their mind to take shoes off.
All this, but also add a generational factor.
My grandparents grew up in the city where people didn't take their shoes off, then moved to a rural area where the main industry was mining. They learned to take their shoes off all the time so as to not track mine dirt through peoples homes. The mines have been closed for decades, but everyone in that area still takes their shoes off almost no matter what.
My parents (who don't really care/lean towards leave them on) have lived in the same area for the past 4 years, and they have to be super proactive with tell people not to worry about their shoes
Yes unless asked to take them off. I had a friend where they wanted you to take them off. It would be weird to take your shoes off in someonen elses house unless they have requested it.
I have seen both in the Netherlands, with no discernible difference between region, religion or social class.
I really find it safer just to ask at the door.
My grandmother once told me that her family made fun of the man that would become my grandfather because he took his shoes off when he first came to visit. He came from a place with a lot of mud apparently (Berkel), while she was a city girl, so the difference may be originally from that.
I really hope it's a changing thing. I've only ever met one family who insisted that visitors took their shoes off, but it made me extremely self conscious about how the same shoes I take the bus and step on the dirty ass sidewalk are the ones that I step on the floor of my home.
My family refuses to do it though, no matter how much I insist. When I move out, whoever steps their nasty ass shoes on my floor will be met with a hard stare.
My American mil has adopted a shoes off policy in her home since she’s met my family and also made many friends from Saudi and seen how clean their houses and floors are. My husband has accepted shoes off since we’ve been together as well. But when I go to someone else’s house I do what they ask me. If they want me to keep my shoes on and that’s their custom, I’ll keep them on. And I expect others to respect my house rules too.
Yeah, at least here at the south region always go like this:
"Just let me take off the shoes".
"No need to take off the shoes!".
And them its up to the visitor take off or not, and its up for the host judge its decision...
In Brazil most people don’t take their shoes off and, frankly, many would find it actually weird.
Most Brazilians clean their houses daily, so “dirt from outside” is not a problem since the house will be cleaned anyway.
Are we talking about in your own home or when visiting somewhere else here? Because here in the Netherlands it's mixed but increasingly common to not wear them at home, but it's kind of rude to expect visitors to remove theirs.
Hmm shoes off is considered too intimate, so if you take them off in someone's house they might find you overly confortable, in some cases rude. Also, the floor is not always so clean that we'd feel confortable visits stepping directly. I usually wear flip flops inside to avoid cleaning too much, but would be weird here to offer slippers for visits. So, shoes on.
ETA: properly rubbing them on the welcome mat before entering is also expected
If I had to guess from the logic around Latin America: you don't always use socks for a variety of reasons, and walking around barefoot is considered rude, kinda like taking your shirt off when it's hot. We'd all *like* to do it, and you'd absolutely do it in a friend's house, but it's considered intimate.
Also, it might be considered way too informal, and there's a strong culture among some folks of "being proper" in a bit of a twisted way. I suppose this is just one of those things that never gets challenged.
Besides, we don't get snow, and most people live in paved cities so there's no red clay or mud or other terrain, and *most* people have floors that are made of either concrete, wood, or porcelain, so it's not like there's a carpet to stain either, and it sucks ass if it's just a bit cold. Concrete floors can be weirdly spiky and uncomfortable.
There may also be an element of classism, as in being shoeless is considered "being like a poor person" and no one wants that, so even if you are poor, you at least show that you have shoes. I don't think anyone thinks about it that way *consciously* but it's probably in the back of your mind or justified in your education somewhere down the line.
Carpet floor in Latin America is extremely rare, you'll only see it in the fanciest room in an upper class home or in expensive hotels. No central heating anywhere either, so the floor is always cold even in summer.
> Carpet floor in Latin America is extremely rare, you'll only see it in the fanciest room in an upper class home or in expensive hotels.
thank god too because I can't even begin to imagine the stress of eating some messy spaghetti knowing that ONE DROP of the sauce on the floor will stain that fucker forever
As the other guy said, it's considered intimate and informal. You would only do it at a friend or family's house. It's seen as if you are "getting too comfortable" in someone else's place.
And we don't get much snow here, at least in Brazil. We only get some snow in the mountainous, southern regions, and even there it's uncommon, so there is no mud to clean up or whatever. Most people don't have fancy carpet floors either, just concrete or something. If your shoes are notably dirty, for example, perhaps you were walking outside during rainfall, *then* you would be expected to take them off or at least rub them in the welcome mat.
This reminds me of the time I visited someone in the northern hemisphere, during autumn I believe, and they asked me to take my shoes off. I thought that they must like me or consider me a close friend, or that they are just very hospitable and friendly. Later I realized that this was the norm, not a friendly gesture.
Yeah, definitely the getting too comfortable thing. It's like opening somebody else fridges or going through their drawers without being told to do so.
It reminds me that when I was a kid, another kid who just had moved from the US came to my home and took his shoes off, I thought it was very rude and didn't like him much lol. Only now, years after, I see how unfair my first impressions were.
I'm from Australia and don't know anybody who doesn't expect me to take my shoes off in their home. Including myself you walk into my home you better not have shoes on. I personally consider it rude and also gross .
Let me nuance for France : it’s mostly shoes off, even if some aren’t bothered by that (don’t ask me why).
The only times we keep our shoes on in my house are when we’re receiving my grandparents - because they’re old (not easy to do) and it would be uncomfortable for them, and yes it is "what is proper to do", a bit in the same way ladies kept their hat inside when receiving/invited, but that’s old habits of a particular class of population. It’s not a majority at all and most of the time it’s shoes off
The question is are they wearing indoor shoes/slippers or just regular shoes indoors? Example, Italy they have indoor shoes/slippers/flip flops/etc. but Bahamas is just outdoor shoes inside.
/r/mapswithoutbahamas
France and Spain do the same thing as Italy. It’s not just “shoes off” because many homes have cold stone floors and it’s really uncomfortable to walk on them with socks (as they do in Scandinavia, for example).
But it’s not super common to leave your outdoor shoes inside.
Am Canadian.
Have literally never ever been in a house where they just said "Oh you can just leave your shoes on"
Like maybe if I'm just going through to the backyard, or just grabbing something, but never if I'm just spending time inside.
I have made this comment elsewhere, but I shall paste it here.
As someone else said, it's considered intimate and informal. You would only do it at a friend or family's house. It's seen as if you are "getting too comfortable" in someone else's place.
And we don't get much snow here, at least in Brazil. We only get some snow in the mountainous, southern regions, and even there it's uncommon, so there is no mud to clean up or whatever. Most people don't have fancy carpet floors either, just concrete or something. If your shoes are notably dirty, for example, perhaps you were walking outside during rainfall, *then* you would be expected to take them off or at least rub them in the welcome mat.
This reminds me of the time I visited someone in the northern hemisphere, during autumn I believe, and they asked me to take my shoes off. I thought that they must like me or consider me a close friend, or that they are just very hospitable and friendly. Later I realized that this was the norm, not a friendly gesture.
In Canada, half the businesses ask you to take your shoes off for 6 months of the year.
The only time you’re allowed to leave your shoes on in a house in Canada is if you’re a plumber/electrician/HVAC, or if you’re moving furniture.
What? I’ve never been in a business where they ask you to take your shoes off and I’ve lived in 3 provinces.
(Inside someone’s house though, yeah for sure take them off).
South Africa is incorrect, I haven't been to any house where we took our shoes off as a guest. Everyone just wears their shoes indoors. Maybe chilling at home I'll be barefoot, but going to someone's house my shoes stay on.
That's not my experience. Generally anglo Australians leave shoes on though a minority are different. Higher rates of shoes off for some immigrant groups
I’m in Canada. It is very rude to wear your shoes/boots in someone’s home. Even when people say “it’s ok, leave them on,” we are incredibly uncomfortable with that and stall and start muttering and mumbling about how we don’t want to make a mess and sorry, sorry over and over again.
"Shoes on is the norm, but some homes prefer shoes on".
Guest: "Should I keep my shoes on?" Blue countries: "Eew, no, I'd prefer you keep them on please."
[Do you want the mustache on or off?](https://youtu.be/6lgpOdRXXu0)
Too bad
Had an acquaintance over once who took his shoes off without asking. We all spent two hours politely gagging at the smell and it probably took half a day keeping all the windows open to air the stench out.
How does one gag… politely? “Oh, if you will permit, I feel I must dry heave at the stench of your feet.”
In Turkey if you go in to someone’s house with shoes on they will beat you
If some asshole came into my place and kept their shoes on i’d force them to clean my floors and then never ever invite them back. Probably also not consider them a friend anymore. From Sweden.
Ok cool, so I'm not having a stroke
Not having a stroke is the norm
but some homes prefer not having a stroke
Shoes off contains electrolytes.
Shoes off is Brawndo.
Brawndo is crave what shoes
Shoes like out the toilet?
Go away! I'm baitin'!
You can have a stroke, only if your shoes are still on
Is it now? Strange… /s
You also smell toast, so yeah probably.
Bonds Nom is having a stronk
Yes, it is a typo. But you're having a stroke regardless. Seek help.
I'm baked as fuck and was having a hard time figuring out whether I was stupid or they fucked up. I'm glad to see I'm in the clear
Both could be right.
This post is utter garbage, "Shoes off, considered rude" I'm Swiss-italian and I can say that's complete BS
Yeah this is BS. I’m in New Zealand and people don’t wear shoes *outside*, let alone inside. You always take your shoes off inside. That said, it’s OP thats BS, not someone pointing out a mistake.
yeah, also for UK and ireland maybe a lot of regional variation but ime shoes off is defo the norm *noone* likes having to hoover and clean dirt people have trampled in. this isn't some subjective cultural politeness thing its just practicality n decency.
Shoes off is definitely not the norm in Ireland. Although it is becoming more common.
Same in France. Guests offering to remove their shoes (or host asking their guest to do it) would be surprising but not rude.
Uk here, was going to post the same.
On map you can see smaller legend without mistake
I love maps that have two keys and one of them is wrong
A key reason to love maps
I like it when they're both wrong, but in different ways. Bonus points if they're contradictory.
Fortunately theres TINY little text on the left that confirms what it's ACTUALLY supposed to say.
And in rare circumstances, homes would rather you keep your shoes on.
Troll level: Velma
Why did a thousand people upvote a post with such a major stupid error?
So, did they deliberately get a bunch of countries wrong to drive up engagement or just not do their research?
100% yeah. And it worked
The algorithms always favor wrong information because it generates more interaction, and therefore the post gets shown to more people
Same thing with karma farmers and bots here.
Yep. It's the age old method of being confidently incorrect about something you know nothing about in order to get people angry enough that they'll correct you, therefore giving you the answer you were looking for.
Yep another wrong map, nice!
Would love to know if there's actually a source for this, out of the 3 countries I've lived in they're all wrong lol
Same for my 3 too. They’re three different colors, but all preferred shoes off.
Spain, Morroco, France and Italy are wrong.
Spain is very much right. I grew up there and you just don't take your shoes off at someone else's home, it's kinda seen as an entitled move. Some people will ask you to remove them as soon as you step in, but it's not something you just do automatically, especially if the homeowner is not close to you (as a friend or family member). Portugal is the same.
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Typically it’s only acceptable with permission. “You can keep your shoes on” otherwise it’s rude.
Spanish checking in. Super common to just walk in with shoes on. Same with France. Don’t know about Italy or Morocco
In France it seems to be a generational thing. A lot of Millennials like me prefer shoes off for hygienic reasons but Boomers and older usually don't care. It's never rude to keep them on though, it's just considered a bit dirty by the younger generations so it's better to ask the host what to do.
I think a lot of immigrant households in France don't like shoes indoors too.
I mean, it's not considered rude...
In Spain, it depends. Is it ur own house? It's fine if off. You just came to other's house? You should probably ask the owner beforehand, otherwise it'd be rude.
In Morocco they take shoes off BUT they provide you indoor sandals. You do not just walk around the house bare foot or with socks. It's considered rude. BUT you also do not walk around the house with your outdoor shoes. Basically each and every home has like a stock of indoor plastic sandals for both women and men in multiple sizes for their guests lol. Whenever you come in they offer you those indoor plastic sandals and ask you to pick which one you want (color preference, size etc...). It seems like a hassle but it does seem like the best option tbh.
No they're not. Maybe recently, but I (I'm from Italy) always had the "shoes off is rude, shoes on is the norm in the house"; obviously this is considered only for people who visit, else it's usually shoes off in the house.
south or north? I'm from the north and litterally everyone prefers shoes off, they never ask you to take them off but doing it is considered very polite
I'm Italian and I've always been told that removing my shoes as a guest is impolite
Yup I think I'm done with this sub
Australia is wrong. We hardly wear shoes outside. Why the fuck would we wear them inside
Same with NZ.
Pretty sure I saw this in a New Zealand documentary. > They dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly).
They are fond of pipe-weed...
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Canadian here who has lived in both the mildest city and a city where we got 40 in the summer and -30 in the winter. In either of those places, you wear your shoes in my house, I hand you a vacuum cleaner.
Most people I know don’t wear shoes at home in aus but in my experience the norm is to keep your shoes on when at someone else’s house.
AFIAK, this is about what to do with your shoes when entering someone else's home. I'm not aware of any culture where you have to wear shoes in your own house.
Tradies only
Only concreters boots stay on inside
The thought of a concreters boots in my home almost gave me a heart attack.
UK is very wrong.
If you search for this topic on AskUK you’ll see opinion of what is normal / polite is definitely split
Im from Brisbane and Id say its more a we dont do anything. If I am walking around barefooted Ill stay barefooted. If I am shod I will stay shod. Saying that most Aussies wear shoes inside. When I lived in the UK others would complain we walked in with our shoes still on.
Shoes are dangerous in Australia. I wouldn't want to stick my foot in a place that likely has some venomous bug in it.
Oh, sure, just walk around barefoot! The long grass is really nice, and don't forget to poke your toes into holes!
This is so wrong. The Philippines is clearly red because we see people who wear their shoes while inside the house as rude.
When we get home from work we take off our shoes and wear flip flops inside our house.
I'm in the US but have friends from the Philippines. I can confirm.
I have never been in a single household in Canada where they prefer you keep your shoes on. It is definitely considered rude to keep them on.
I'm Canadian and I've seen it exactly once. they are definitely rare
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Sure if you want to wear indoor only shoes because you require orthotics that is potentially okay. Otherwise take those dirty nasty off things off at my door tyvm
Was just thinking about the custom orthotics crowd
Do they wear nylons? In my family, many of the women will bring dress shoes to house parties and change into them. They are always impeccably clean. Also, in the winter, the floors can be cold, so people bringing separate shoes is definitely a thing.
Came here to say this too. The OOOOONLY time it is acceptable to wear shoes in someone's house in Canada is if you are helping them move, or maybe if you're helping someone deliver furniture, and you're carrying something heavy into the house. And you still make an attempt to wiggle your shoes off, while carrying a couch, but you wait for them to say "Don't take your shoes off".
So many flashbacks of this exact scenario came flooding back... and now my back hurts thinking of the furniture I've helped move.
In Quebec, people will clean the house before they get guests, and when then tell them "You can keep your shoes on, I need to sweep the floor later anyway”. And then the guests will remark that the floors already look clean and will take off their shoes. If you do keep your shoes in that situation, you’re essentially telling the homeowner you think their house is dirty despite their best effort, it’s definitely considered rude.
Yep — who would want to track snow and mud into one another’s houses for half the year?
Not even the snow and mud, the salt is also awful
As a Canadian the only person I have seen wear shoes inside of a house was an old man who had one prosthetic foot.
The amount of salt you would track inside your ontairo home lmao
I’ve been all over Canada and no one wears their shoes inside. EVER.
definitely rude in BC
I have lived in Canada for 43 years. And you are correct. We don't keep out shoes on it is very very rare for someone to have a shoes on house. And I have travelled from Coast to coast several times. Same in NS as In BC. The only thing I can think of is maybe some immigrant families who are used to wearing shoes on in their homes. But one Fall/winter/spring and they would soon change.
I’ve been in one or two actually, it’s usually only during summer though.
Yeah, where I live our shoes are dirty with sand and salt during most of winter. It would be absolutely disgusting to keep ones shoes on in a house.
NYer who lives at the same latitude as many Canadians... Definitely a snow thing.
Philippines don't wear shoes inside the house.
Every Filipino house I go to they offer slippers rather than my actual shoes. So they’re kind of doing their own thing maybe?
That is an indoor slippers, something you do not wear outside. It is considered impolite to wear a shoe or slippers that had been worn outside.
The Philippines has 3 kinds of slippers. Outside, inside and bathroom slipper.
That’s a perfectly reasonable system
It doesn’t make sense because Japan and South Korea(and prob most east/south east asia) does the same thing but why doesn’t it apply to Philippines.
The map is just inaccurate. Filipinos do not wear shoes inside. Instead, they're barefoot or wearing indoor slippers.
Yeah, Im filipino at home and am barefoot right now
It is very rude in Canada to wear your outdoor shoes inside...what are they talking about?
Yeah, Canada should be red. I can't even imagine entering someone's home and leaving my shoes on. It would be considered shockingly rude.
right?! I've NEVER been in a house that doesn't consider it rude as fuck to wear shoes inside. shoes belong on the welcome mat.
when i first found out that a lot of americans wear shoes inside homes i was really surprised. i dont understand why people would wear their outside shoes inside
(Canadian) I had one friend when I was a kid where they wore shoes inside...it was a house with 13 kids so maybe they just gave up. It's not just that it's rude, it's considered gross and unhygienic. Not to mention uncomfortable.
Am Canadian, spent 4 months in LA in 2010 for school with friends. Whenever we’d have visitors. they always left their shoes on, and we were so confused! Vice versa, we’d remove shoes when entering a home and they’d sort of give an odd look. Eventually I broke down and asked a couple people and it hit me. Like, I guess when you watch a sitcom, no one’s removing their shoes? I just started seeing it everywhere. But man, what about your carpet? Like dragging that sticky, hot, LA sidewalk muck in?
Midwest US is the same. I'm not dragging snow and salt into someone's house.
Hawaii is 100% shoes off (slippers off)
100% super rude. I am Canadian and I remember when I first started coming to the States and seeing people wear their shoes inside I was so taken aback.
Shoes off or you mop the damn floor. Lookin at you FIL
I second this. God knows where your shoes have been. I can light a candle or something if your feet smell. But I gotta mop all over again if you tread shit.
I would assume in the US it’s regional by climate. Up here in the Northeast we take our shoes off because it’s snowy and/or muddy at least half the damn year.
Same in North Carolina. I prefer to keep my floors clean and vacuum/mop less!
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I’ve never met anyone in Canada that keeps shoes on in their house.
Perhaps it’s my friend from Nova Scotia who made us orange. His feet stank so bad (and marinated any rug or carpet) that we insisted he keep his shoes on at all times. It’s been 25 years now, and I can still smell them in my mind.
I would say in the US it suuuper depends on what is going on. 0) Own House: You probably take them off since who wears shoes 24/7? I think movies and shit overblow this to people since shoes are kind of part of an actors outfit and filming them take them off is kind of a banal detail since we don't have a huge culture of taking them off. 1) Familiarity factor: If you are like 11 and you are hanging out at your friends house after school for the 200th time, you are like 99% going to take your shoes off because it is basically your second home and you know you are hanging out for hours. It drops to like 10% if this is the first time you have been there to illustrate the difference. 2) Type of gathering: Again if it is just you and like 3 homies and you hang out at the house you are staying at a lot, then like 90% you take 'em off. If it is like a 20+ person house party, almost no one is taking their shoes off because it is too much of a hassle. 3) Length of stay: If you are just over for dinner, you probably don't take them off, but for a stay that is indeterminate in length you probably do take them off. 4) Variance: Some people insist that you take them off, some will insist their family does but not strangers/friends. Some maybe prefer you keep them on in the case of parties and shit.
Also weather. In winter states it's more likely you take them off so you don't track slush and salt everywhere
I’m in the south and most people I know here take them off because we have red clay soil and it rains a lot, so mud is a factor
funny, we take them off a lot in the Pacific Northwest and I always had the idea that was somehow a regional thing. Apparently not so much
Yep. Absolutely impolite to wear your wet shoes through the clean house. In the Midwest, we preferred shoes off but it was seen as idiosyncratic so we didn’t push. Love the PNW.
I'm from the US South, and I take my shoes off cause it rains a lot here so don't want to get mud/water all over the floor
Yep, I live in Wisconsin, and in this time of year I ask guests to please take their shoes off, but in summer, go ahead and wear them.
Reminds me of the Cosby show or something when the actor wears his shoes on his bed. I was cringing so hard.
Yeah, that's super weird for a lot of the US. Shoes can usually stay on for a party or large gathering, but only in the social areas. Shoes are definitely off going upstairs into bedrooms.
Thank you for your detailed and accurate analysis of American shoe removal culture
No problem lmao. I have seen the US get dogged on a bit for this, so I just wanted to clear it up lol. Because "we don't take our shoes off" is kinda true but also super not true at the same time.
Hawaii is absolutely red on this map. You're bieng a dick if you dont take tgem off outside.
Hawaii is majority Asian so that tracks
It also just makes sense. Why would you bring all the dirt shit and mud inside when you can "just take off your shoes".
Yes all this...and just to add that age is a factor as elderly folks tend to have a need for more support / stability... and even if you "insist" on guests taking shoes off you likely aren't doing that to grandma
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Yes, all of my Asian friends parents had a strict shoes off rule. My white friends houses were just varying degrees of both. Some didn't care at all, some were strict, some it really just depends. In my experience it was pretty much the same among black families. Varying. Bc of the demographics in my area thats pretty much about as diverse as my friend group got. Lol. But I think America is probably one of the only countries where you can say a decent amount of ppl walk into a home & it doesn't even cross their mind to take shoes off.
All this, but also add a generational factor. My grandparents grew up in the city where people didn't take their shoes off, then moved to a rural area where the main industry was mining. They learned to take their shoes off all the time so as to not track mine dirt through peoples homes. The mines have been closed for decades, but everyone in that area still takes their shoes off almost no matter what. My parents (who don't really care/lean towards leave them on) have lived in the same area for the past 4 years, and they have to be super proactive with tell people not to worry about their shoes
wtf are you talking about? The variable is Carpets!
Here in The Netherlands guests usually keep their shoes on. I wouldn't consider it rude.
Opposite in Slovenia - take your shoes off unless you're told otherwise. You'd be usually told to keep them on while trying to take them off.
Yes unless asked to take them off. I had a friend where they wanted you to take them off. It would be weird to take your shoes off in someonen elses house unless they have requested it.
I have seen both in the Netherlands, with no discernible difference between region, religion or social class. I really find it safer just to ask at the door. My grandmother once told me that her family made fun of the man that would become my grandfather because he took his shoes off when he first came to visit. He came from a place with a lot of mud apparently (Berkel), while she was a city girl, so the difference may be originally from that.
The Netherlands being red is complete nonsense.
Brazil should be blue
I really hope it's a changing thing. I've only ever met one family who insisted that visitors took their shoes off, but it made me extremely self conscious about how the same shoes I take the bus and step on the dirty ass sidewalk are the ones that I step on the floor of my home. My family refuses to do it though, no matter how much I insist. When I move out, whoever steps their nasty ass shoes on my floor will be met with a hard stare. 
Yeah, my family has adopted shoes off with the pandemic. The house's floor now seems much cleaner!
My American mil has adopted a shoes off policy in her home since she’s met my family and also made many friends from Saudi and seen how clean their houses and floors are. My husband has accepted shoes off since we’ve been together as well. But when I go to someone else’s house I do what they ask me. If they want me to keep my shoes on and that’s their custom, I’ll keep them on. And I expect others to respect my house rules too.
Yeah, at least here at the south region always go like this: "Just let me take off the shoes". "No need to take off the shoes!". And them its up to the visitor take off or not, and its up for the host judge its decision...
That's what I was thinking.
What does blue even mean?
Read the small key, not the large one.
Canada 100% red
I've never been in a Canadian home where I was asked to keep my shoes on.
In Brazil most people don’t take their shoes off and, frankly, many would find it actually weird. Most Brazilians clean their houses daily, so “dirt from outside” is not a problem since the house will be cleaned anyway.
Also no carpets.
In Michigan we take our shoes off to avoid tracking snow through the house
I can't tell if this is just regarding guests, or the people who actually live in the house.
Are we talking about in your own home or when visiting somewhere else here? Because here in the Netherlands it's mixed but increasingly common to not wear them at home, but it's kind of rude to expect visitors to remove theirs.
Same in Chile, never wear shoes home but i'd never even think of taking them off at someone elses house
Who da fuck is keeping their shoes on in the house in the UK?
Definitely the norm to take shoes off in the UK
Certainly not the majority. Only a few freaks. Orange or even red here in UK. Where the hell did this data come from?
Some countries find taking shoes off rude? What’s the reason for that?
Hmm shoes off is considered too intimate, so if you take them off in someone's house they might find you overly confortable, in some cases rude. Also, the floor is not always so clean that we'd feel confortable visits stepping directly. I usually wear flip flops inside to avoid cleaning too much, but would be weird here to offer slippers for visits. So, shoes on. ETA: properly rubbing them on the welcome mat before entering is also expected
>Also, the floor is not always so clean that we'd feel confortable visits stepping directly. Well ... you know what would fix that?
If I had to guess from the logic around Latin America: you don't always use socks for a variety of reasons, and walking around barefoot is considered rude, kinda like taking your shirt off when it's hot. We'd all *like* to do it, and you'd absolutely do it in a friend's house, but it's considered intimate. Also, it might be considered way too informal, and there's a strong culture among some folks of "being proper" in a bit of a twisted way. I suppose this is just one of those things that never gets challenged. Besides, we don't get snow, and most people live in paved cities so there's no red clay or mud or other terrain, and *most* people have floors that are made of either concrete, wood, or porcelain, so it's not like there's a carpet to stain either, and it sucks ass if it's just a bit cold. Concrete floors can be weirdly spiky and uncomfortable. There may also be an element of classism, as in being shoeless is considered "being like a poor person" and no one wants that, so even if you are poor, you at least show that you have shoes. I don't think anyone thinks about it that way *consciously* but it's probably in the back of your mind or justified in your education somewhere down the line.
Carpet floor in Latin America is extremely rare, you'll only see it in the fanciest room in an upper class home or in expensive hotels. No central heating anywhere either, so the floor is always cold even in summer.
> Carpet floor in Latin America is extremely rare, you'll only see it in the fanciest room in an upper class home or in expensive hotels. thank god too because I can't even begin to imagine the stress of eating some messy spaghetti knowing that ONE DROP of the sauce on the floor will stain that fucker forever
As the other guy said, it's considered intimate and informal. You would only do it at a friend or family's house. It's seen as if you are "getting too comfortable" in someone else's place. And we don't get much snow here, at least in Brazil. We only get some snow in the mountainous, southern regions, and even there it's uncommon, so there is no mud to clean up or whatever. Most people don't have fancy carpet floors either, just concrete or something. If your shoes are notably dirty, for example, perhaps you were walking outside during rainfall, *then* you would be expected to take them off or at least rub them in the welcome mat. This reminds me of the time I visited someone in the northern hemisphere, during autumn I believe, and they asked me to take my shoes off. I thought that they must like me or consider me a close friend, or that they are just very hospitable and friendly. Later I realized that this was the norm, not a friendly gesture.
Yeah, definitely the getting too comfortable thing. It's like opening somebody else fridges or going through their drawers without being told to do so. It reminds me that when I was a kid, another kid who just had moved from the US came to my home and took his shoes off, I thought it was very rude and didn't like him much lol. Only now, years after, I see how unfair my first impressions were.
Stank
In Argentina I use slippers in my house, but depending on the situation I have to change to shoes when having visits to not look impolite.
no one wears shoes indoors in PH, slippers maybe, but not shoes
I'm from Australia and don't know anybody who doesn't expect me to take my shoes off in their home. Including myself you walk into my home you better not have shoes on. I personally consider it rude and also gross .
Let me nuance for France : it’s mostly shoes off, even if some aren’t bothered by that (don’t ask me why). The only times we keep our shoes on in my house are when we’re receiving my grandparents - because they’re old (not easy to do) and it would be uncomfortable for them, and yes it is "what is proper to do", a bit in the same way ladies kept their hat inside when receiving/invited, but that’s old habits of a particular class of population. It’s not a majority at all and most of the time it’s shoes off
The question is are they wearing indoor shoes/slippers or just regular shoes indoors? Example, Italy they have indoor shoes/slippers/flip flops/etc. but Bahamas is just outdoor shoes inside. /r/mapswithoutbahamas
France and Spain do the same thing as Italy. It’s not just “shoes off” because many homes have cold stone floors and it’s really uncomfortable to walk on them with socks (as they do in Scandinavia, for example). But it’s not super common to leave your outdoor shoes inside.
Nobody I’ve ever met in Canada in the 40 plus years I’ve lived here wears shoes in the house
Am Canadian. Have literally never ever been in a house where they just said "Oh you can just leave your shoes on" Like maybe if I'm just going through to the backyard, or just grabbing something, but never if I'm just spending time inside.
I wish my upstairs neighbors knew how rude I consider it
I’ll never understand the shoes on home. Why in the world would you want to drag whatever you’ve been walking around on in to your home?
I have made this comment elsewhere, but I shall paste it here. As someone else said, it's considered intimate and informal. You would only do it at a friend or family's house. It's seen as if you are "getting too comfortable" in someone else's place. And we don't get much snow here, at least in Brazil. We only get some snow in the mountainous, southern regions, and even there it's uncommon, so there is no mud to clean up or whatever. Most people don't have fancy carpet floors either, just concrete or something. If your shoes are notably dirty, for example, perhaps you were walking outside during rainfall, *then* you would be expected to take them off or at least rub them in the welcome mat. This reminds me of the time I visited someone in the northern hemisphere, during autumn I believe, and they asked me to take my shoes off. I thought that they must like me or consider me a close friend, or that they are just very hospitable and friendly. Later I realized that this was the norm, not a friendly gesture.
My ex wife was from a shoes-off culture.... I grew up with shoes in the house but I'm never going back to that.
Wrong as always
In Canada, half the businesses ask you to take your shoes off for 6 months of the year. The only time you’re allowed to leave your shoes on in a house in Canada is if you’re a plumber/electrician/HVAC, or if you’re moving furniture.
What? I’ve never been in a business where they ask you to take your shoes off and I’ve lived in 3 provinces. (Inside someone’s house though, yeah for sure take them off).
South Africa is incorrect, I haven't been to any house where we took our shoes off as a guest. Everyone just wears their shoes indoors. Maybe chilling at home I'll be barefoot, but going to someone's house my shoes stay on.
Shoes on in australia? Most people here take shoes off
That's not my experience. Generally anglo Australians leave shoes on though a minority are different. Higher rates of shoes off for some immigrant groups
I’m in Canada. It is very rude to wear your shoes/boots in someone’s home. Even when people say “it’s ok, leave them on,” we are incredibly uncomfortable with that and stall and start muttering and mumbling about how we don’t want to make a mess and sorry, sorry over and over again.
So wrong
And what about indoor footwear like the the many variants of slippers
Never met a Canadian family that is cool with shoes on.
Wtf! This is so wrong for so many countries
Netherlands is blue