Shoes indoors, what gives?

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Let's have a discussion about shoes. Why do some countries (USA is the only one I can think of right now) wear shoes indoors? What is the purpose and what do you gain by wearing shoes?

I hope you got one set of shoes for outdoor and one special set for indoors, or you'd get to clean alot... especially with wall-to-wall carpeting. Must be a pain in the rear end, right?

Not to mention the chore of actually switing shoes every time you go in and out. Your feet must hate you as well, since you never give them any fresh air.

I'm trying to see the positive in this, but im failing pretty bad... so please, enlighten me!
 
People are lazy and keep their shoes on when they walk through the door. I think that's pretty much it.
 
Everyone who steps in my house has to take off their shoes.

I don't know too many people who actually wear their shoes in the house unless they just got home from somewhere or are planning to go out again soon.
 
I almost always take them off whenever I walk into my apartment.

Unless I'm going to be going back out within the next hour.
 
I never take off my shoes. I have a dog. He lokes to leave stuff around he takes from the bin
I also like to have warm feet. I have slept in my shoes before now. Why take them off? Its just a carpet. An old carpet. It does not matter.

Also I live in the UK. However, many people like you to take off your shoes, as if the ouside world is a bad bad place. The people might be, the floor is just as clean as anywhere else.
 
I wear my shoes until they get uncomfortable. I live in a place where I pretty much never have to walk in dirt or grass, so theres never really any cleanup, and there are two floor mats right at my door which clean anything off my shoes before I enter. Plus there is only carpeting in my room, the rest of my apartment is tile, so its easy as shit to clean up if it does ever get dirty.

And I buy comfortable shoes. The end.
 
I mostly wear them if my feet are cold and socks aren't doing the trick.
 
I have no idea why people would wear them in the house, unless it's wooden floors. Carpets + shoes = gtfo.
 
But what if they want to keep their shoes clean and dont care about the carpet! Carpet + shoes = clean shoes!
 
and if their priorities = shoes > carpet then only resolution is bat + head
 
My shoes and socks come off as soon as I get home... then i do the toes on carpet thing from Die Hard to help me relax :>
 
Really in the U.S. it's all about who owns the house. Like my house, I don't care if I have my shoes on. Do I gain anything if I take them off? No! I don't. Do I gain anything if I leave them on? No, but if I already have them on..why take them off?

Unless your shoes are muddy or something they wont make a mess. Some peoples houses that I go to you have to take them off.
 
I always wear slippers or sandals indoors. I'm so used to it now I can't really do without. But they are not my outdoor shoes, I don't like trailing dirt through the house, whether visible or not.
 
Or maybe you're scared of all the nasties in your floor now :P
 
My family has always had a policy of shoes off at the front door. When I lived in Alaska, and when I lived in Texas.
 
It's shoes and socks if I know I'm going out again. Or else nothing on my feet. I hate just wearing socks. Unless it's uber-cold. At which point I am in a dilemma because socks are ick.

I'd also like to point out that I have the least smelly feet of anyone I know. I don't even know what it's like to have smelly feet.
 
Ever stubber your toe? Ever want to do it again? Shoes indoors ftw.
 
Why should I not wear shoes indoors? It's a pain in the ass to put them on or take them off every time I walk through the door, especially because I have to unlace mine to get them off. And unless you're step dancing in a puddle of dog crap and then shuffling across the carpet wall to wall, it's not that dirty at all :|
 
I don't even wear socks in my house (barefoot), I wear socks when I wear my shoes, I wear shoes only outside, and I only wear my socks in other peoples houses. Shoes inside are stupid.. I'll wear shoes inside when I'm doing something outside, and need to do something really quick inside (like pee), but I don't permanently wear shoes inside.
 
Where are you getting your facts from that most (or some, whatever) people from the US wear shoes indoors?

Is it from American sitcoms? If so...they're not at home, they're on a TV set :|
 
I wear shoes in doors because I cant be arsed to clean the floor.

'nuff said.
 
If the shoes are clean and the stay indoors is short, shoes can stay on.
 
Unless my I'm going right back outside, no I won't take them off. Seems logical enough, yes?
 
I wear shoes in doors because I cant be arsed to clean the floor.

'nuff said.

Wait...

You wear shoes inside your home because you can't be bothered to clean the floor?...

Hrm... :rolling:
 
This thread reminds me of Azumanga Daioh.

"Do Americans really keep their shoes on in their houses?
"That's what I heard."
"But what if... They step in some dog poo? And then walk inside? What then!?"
 
Wait...

You wear shoes inside your home because you can't be bothered to clean the floor?...

Hrm... :rolling:

No you dont see it, If I take my shoes off inside I gotta make sure the floor is cleaned regularly so I dont get shit on my socks/feet.
 
So your shoes protect you from the dirt and debris tracked in by your shoes.

... Interesting. :P
 
Fine, I dont clean the floor because Im lazy.
This gives me an excuse to leave my shoes on, incidentally, also because I am lazy.

Its a double win situation.
 
My family don't have a rule either way. IF you wanna keep your shoes on, keep them on, if you wanna take them off then do that.

Obviously if it's been pouring down outside and your shoes are soaked in mud then you aren't gonna keep them on though... It's just common sense

It's kinda hard to keep the house free from dirt when you have 2 big dogs though :P
 
if my feet are cold i wear my shoes or if i am going to be leaving the house again soon.
that and my shoes are very comfy
 
I have hardwood/ceramic floor. Thus, my feet would get rather cold quickly!
 
I always feel really uncomfortable coming into a house and people asking me to take my shoes off. I always wear shoes in the house, and everyone in my family has since as far back as I can remember. My shoes only come off right before I need to go to bed or take a shower.
 
Isn't that more of a hassle than just taking them off upon entering?
 
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