As long as we don't eat on the floor, it doesn't really matters... Some people care about it, others don't.

But it is generally not nice to keep on dirty shoes inside a house.

I don't think there's a common rule for Europeans. For example:

Dutch people normally don't care; they may take their shoes off if they're really dirty, or if they have no plans to leave the house, but otherwise they may leave them on. Visitors normally keep their shoes on.

Russians take off their shoes and wear slippers in the house. Visitors are expected to do the same. They won't wear shoes in the house, but they also don't wear just socks or walk around on bare feet. 

However, most Europeans really won't mind taking their shoes off if they visit someone else's house. Just ask, they won't be offended. 

Shoes not allowed in my house and visitors have to remove. just make sure you have no holes in your socks.  I remove my shoes when I visit without waiting to be asked

@Paul E, what would happen to a visitor to your house if they did have holes in their socks?  Do you have a particular punishment you use, or maybe you levy a fine?

"Dutch people normally don't care; they may take their shoes off if they're really dirty, or if they have no plans to leave the house, but otherwise they may leave them on. Visitors normally keep their shoes on."

In Italy is typically the same.. of course visitors are supposed to clean their shoes on the door mat before entering the house.

I personally don't require visitors to remove their shoes, but I'm ready to remove mines when I visit if I have the impression the host appreciates this. Looks like this is quite common in CH.

If the apartment is rented in your name, then I feel you can set the rules.  If not, then you need to negotiate.

Personally, I change my shoes for “slip-ons” when I get home and very much appreciate it if visitors ask if they should remove their shoes when they enter, especially in winter, but I don’t fuss if they’re only stepping inside for a few minutes. However, clumping across the hall and into the sitting-room in heavy boots is not on.

I also dislike house-guests who walk around the apartment in their bare feet, but again don’t say anything if if they’re staying only a night or two, in case they don’t have slippers with them.   

When I’m the visitor, I do my best to respect the practice in the host household.

So, overall, I would say it is largely a matter of give and take, although I do also feel that in the case of flat-sharing, the guests should know – and respect – the house rules.

Ritchie

I leave mine on all the time. Dont really care. If i go to another house i usually do what the host does. And i wont get offended if someone asks me to take my shoes off. Big deal.

I wear shoes all the time in the house, and take them only off when i really do not have any plans to go outside anymore.

If i visit friends i never take them off, and I do not even ask if I should.

Asking me to take off my shoes is like asking me to get undressed.

If you think my shoes are 'dirty', i do not have a problem to clean them just to wear in your house.

If it's such a big deal for you, I would meet you next time some place else.

I hear people clip-clopping around upstairs all hours of the day and night.  Bella, is that you on the 7th floor?

I think Ping’s main concern was in the context of flat-sharing rather than simply visiting.

R.

I can see a new reason for breaking up with someone being born "It's not you, it's your shoes".

There is no European standard, sometimes not even a common rule for one country.

In Eastern Germany, it's common use to take off your shoes - also for visitors. In Western Germany, most people wear house shoes when at home, but leave their shoes on when visiting other people.

As far as I'm concerned, I prefer my visitors to take off their shoes (I also provide them with house shoes if they didn't bring their own). However, if they don't, I accept that as they're my guests and I personally would consider it impolite to insist (unless the shoes are obviously dirty).

I don't think it really matters what the European custom is as in your case not wearing shoes inside the house constitutes part of the house rules. It may be that your flatmate is so accustomed to wearing shoes inside the house that it slips her mind sometimes and so a gentle reminder and an explanation of why it is important to you may be all that is need to resolve the situation.

I have shared with people before and also asked for this rule to be respected, and generally this has been the case. Whether the flat is in your name or not, if the house rules have been mutually agreed on then I think it is up to both parties to respect their agreement so that both may feel comfortable with the situation. However if someone goes out of their way to be a nuisance then maybe it is time to re-evaluate the flatshare. 

This thread is called 'wearing shoes in the house' .
Ping asked : 'May I know if it is normal for Europeans to wear shoes from outside into the house?'
So, i dont think my answer was out of context.

no, i live on the first floor, and luckely i have no neighbours downstairs...!

Thank you very much, all of you, for your helpful feedback and posts.  

I have gain a lot of insight to this situation so I will know what is fair expectations in a mixed cultural environment.  Appreciate all the useful suggestions as well and realise there are really a lot of nice people who are glad to give their time and effort to help out voluntarily.

I'm going to close this thread now (although I don't know how to do so technically yet, gonna figure out a way). 

Have a blessed week!!!

I sit there the wholem evening and stare at their feet

Not sure if mrnioned sbove but if I have been wearing a ppair of shoes outside or in an office all day, the last thing I want to do is to wear them when I get home - irrespecive of the cleanliness side. But then I also do not go to bed wearing suit, shirt and tie

When six of us shared a house as  students in Leeds we took it turns to cook massive meals once a week.  I can still remember one guy (Tim) who èprepared a spaghetti bologneighse (sorry Charlie I stole it) and as he was carrying it to the table I watched as theweight of the food caused the handle of the pan to bend and the whole lot fell on the floor.  We scraped it up and ate during the rest of the week.  We wore shoes in the hose and didn't clean very well.

We are all still alive

A case of Hobson’s choice, no doubt.

There’s also an old adage that says you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die.

R.

OF COURSE! It would be a shame to take the shoes off. The whole look would be ruined!!!!!

haha

This was meant to be sarcastic, right...?
That's ok, I didn't expect everybody to understand. ;)
But my outfit is a big deal to ME.

No doubt your podiatrist likes it too.

My feet are perfectly fine,thank you. :)

You're still young.

In My home, first level its ok for shoes, if not muddy from rain or show. As we also have a dog, so first level needs to be cleaned often.

But 2nd and 3rd level its is the bedrooms and no one is allowed to go up with shoes. And the dog is blocked.

To me,, its common etiquette to ask if I should take my shoes off before i come in. For me it seems more hygenic to not wear your shoes from outside to in,, but everyone has a different stance.... so because of that.. i ask...

i kinda feel bad too, if i walk inside with my shoes on in someone elses house (even if they say i dont need to... and see them not wearing shoes)...

Cool reaction Bella - I like your honesty.
Sorry for sarcasm

My ex was very Parisian Bourgoise (forgive spelling) and when discussing this very issue, his comment was (to be said in Inspector Clouseau accent) - "Caroleeen, zat is reediculuzz, eet would implay we 'ave no moaney for zee cleaneer".

Logical to me, so I still balk when people come into my apartment and immediately remove their shoes - primarily because I have very nice parquet flooring and the sweat from their feet is far more offensive (& damaging) than a piece of dirt, which can easily by swept away......

And I'm with Bella Stella on the "removing footware/ruining outfit".  

There's nothing more demeaning than turning up for cocktails and being made to remove your sexy heels from your perfectly matching sexy skirt. Your host obviously has neither sufficient style nor sufficient funds for a cleaner and should be taken off your Christmas Card List tout suite. 

I'll take my shoes off if required... but there have been occasions in my life where it would be better if I had left them on.

In general the Irish dont require guests to take shoes off or disrobe unless youre going into the bedroom ;-)

But then you cannot really expect people to walk on mud floors in just their socks

Paul... I was talking about how we act here in the civilized world... NOT about how we are when back home and sitting around our peat fires in the bog hut whilst wearing only mud and leaves as clothes....

(gosh aren't stereotypes a great thing.)

Glad to see you are proud of your roots. Can also add that if one of my ancestors was a absebntee landlord he did not make ay money from his lands (or certainlsx did not leave me any) So my conscience is clear on at least one thing

ha ha haaaa, you make my day Charlie! As so many times

Please No shoes in my house!!its just a matter of respect....cleaning is not a easy job,its not clean out their,ladies tend to wear high heeld shoes messed wherever she walking in the house....................holes,if it was a party haaaaa finished,its fare to give back the app.back to regie looking good!

Libby has raised a good point.  When you move from an apartment, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the accommodation is in the same condition as when you entered and that includes the parquet flooring.  If high-heeled shoes have pitted it, the Régie will invoice you for the renovationcosts, which do not come cheap.  Be aware too that, if  the pitted area is small and localized by, say, the front door – because, like all law-abiding tenants in CH, you assiduously took off your stilettos as soon as you stepped inside the flat – the Régie will most likely have the entire entrance area revamped and charge you accordingly.  This actually happened to neighbours of ours, but they didn’t attempt to negotiate, which is always worth trying.

So if you don’t have carpets and rugs around,  think twice before you shimmy like your sister Kate  on the landlord’s  parquet every Saturday night.

All the best, R.

All the best, R.

Hey Ping.. looks like it's not so easy to close this thread... ;o)

Have a nice day everyone, with or without shoes!

-m

"because, like all law-abiding tenants in CH, you assiduously took off your stilettos as soon as you stepped inside the flat"

Hold your horses, Robbie .......sorry, that's another thread.........

We've got enough laws in Switzerland without needing another one dictating whether we wear shoes, or not, in our own homes!! 

Everyone in support of "no-shoes" keeps emphasising the hygiene aspects, so here's you options of shoes-on/shoes-off.   I know my preference! (And please don't give me your grotty "guest slippers" - who know's who on earth wore them last!).

At home I don't wear shoes basically, in my country at all if you go to someone's house and walk inside with shoes, it is very rude....

Thank you everyone, for your kind sharing of your thoughts and opnions.

I don't know how to close the thread technically, but just to let you know, I do have a good idea now, and thank you for the overwhelming responses.

Have a blessed week!

Underneath the last post there is a button unsubcribe from thread . click on it

It suddenly dawned on me that is why continental european men like to wear slip on shoes alot whilst in the UK and Eire its often frowned upon (or used to be) to wear slip ons...esp with a suit..

Once upon a time, as a foolish young woman, I went into a Japanese student's room with my shoes on and she was so horrified about this that she seemed on the verge of a stroke. It was actually very rude of me to walk on her floor - although tatamiless - with my shoes on. Japanese people are very strict about this basic rule: shoes are a no-no in the house and what's more, for special areas in the house, such as bathrooms, other slippers apply. I'm not Japanese but now I abide by these rules in my home - and go barefoot in the bathroom, but I must say we have heated floors. 

I let guests do as they want at my place, because they are guests. I've noted all Westerners keep their shoes on and all Easterners take them off. 

For Feng shui purposes shoes must not be worn inside (bad vibes, and all that).

I didn’t say that another law was needed, only that Swiss citizens are law-abiding, which most of them are.

When we sign the lease of an apartment or house, we are expected to take due care of the fixtures and fittings, a commitment I have personally known as a tenant in London, Geneva, Zurich, Cairo, Montreal, and Colombo plus, as a child, in my father’s family home in Greenock.

Best wishes, R.

In my opinion it depends: if shoes are really dirty, I take them off, and I ask visitors to do the same. If not, I keep them.

If I plan to stay in the house for only 15-30 minutes, I keep them on. If more, I take them off. Same for visitors.

If it's a dinner party, or a party in general, I wouldn't like people to take their shoes off, it spoils the atmosphere and it will look more like a pyjama party!

I don't mind to take off my shoes, if they don't mind my shoe-perfume to fill their living room ;-)

Dirt is also invisible, considering people spit on the paths, dogs also do their business, if we wear our shoes inside we bring that dirt in to our homes . I never wear shoes at home and nicely ask guests to remove them but most of them do anyway. Also i don't want to disturb my neighbors downstairs with my footsteps.

I believe at home in Canada it is customary to remove your shoes when you enter the home. Of course, we typically use carpets and not parquet, and trudging through snow and mud is pretty common 6 months of the year. It's an interesting thread because I do remember that this difference struck me when I first arrived in Italy, that people would just keep their shoes on inside the house. My Canadian education means I ALWAYS ask first and well, I'm much more comfortable without shoes inside anyways.

Plus I don't (usually) wear high-heels to match my cocktail dress so I'm at no risk of being unfashionable without them. That being said, if I ever have parquet again, I will impose a strict rule against stiletto heels even if that means losing attractive guests.  I'm not anti-fashion, but once I had a party which ended with about 5 Spanish girls doing a typical Spanish dance which involves a lot of foot-stamping... the next day I awoke to find my floor looking like the surface of the moon. ;-0 It took about 3 solid weeks of sanding to fix the damage, not something I ever wish to repeat. But well, it was one hell of a party!

Me as an Estonian, wearing shoes in my house is not allowed! Why do I clean my floors? So people can come in and make it dirty? Well there was this one time where I wished I would have let him to keep the shoes, he.... well it smelled worst then the worst smelling cheese :(   Anyway, I always take my shoes off unless it is do dirty or I been asked not to.

If asking a lady to take off her shoes is like asking her to get undressed, well then every guy in the world would happily impose a NO SHOES rule in their home!

Dont really care if visitors keep their shoes on or take them off. But if somebody asks me to take my shoes off at their place then thats fine

I do not allow shoes inside the house and I politely ask the guests to take them off. To be honest it has occured to me only with very few people that I had to ask them to take off their shoes (so far only a couple of italians and brits). People just take them off without asking, may be in CH it is common? I myself take off my shoes when i visit other people, if I go to a party and I see everyone has their shoes on then I keep them on as well. It really depends on the situation.

Anyway, I dont think the above comments bashing (taking off and not taking off) are justified! One has to be tolerant and respect other people's cultures. 

I have "DISPOSABLE SHOE COVERS" at home. They are very cheap, you can get a pack of 30 for like 5 francs. They dont look nice and can ruin the look ;). But its the most hygienic thing to do. For high heels they can remove them and use the covers on top of socks.

Where can i buy some? or i suppose i can steal them from airport security as i always put them on when they ask me to remove my shoes :-)

I get them from pharamcy. Last time I got a pack of 100 for 5 francs I think (it was long ago so I dont remember exactly how much). 

For me (!) it is the same if I would have to ask my guests to take off their pants if they want to enter my apt. 

Around here, we call that "Thursday night."

If it's a house rule, then it's a house rule. It doesn't matter where they came from. BUT I grew up in Australia with European parents and you NEVER wore shoes in the house (otherwise lightning would strike you etc).

Oh, how you’ve taken me back to my youth!

R.

Can I just throw something out there..

Something I find worse than wearing shoes in the house.  Leaving ALL of you fuxing shoes in the corridor outside your front door, blocking the entrance to the lift and leaving the place smelling like a tramp's underpants.

In our house we enter with our shoes and usually kick them off once inside, or if we're carrying shopping or something we may, god forbid keep the shoes on until we've put stuff away.

It's more of a comfort thing in our place.

John:

If you have a neighbour who leaves shoes and other stuff outside his door you should ask him to desist or you will report him to the concièrge.  Such behavior is against the rules here, not only for esthetic reasons but also in case of emergency evacuation such as fire, etc.

All the  best, R.  

I know Ritchie.. I'm sure if i did report it they'd need to move the shoe mountain.

But it's one of these things, it's a minor inconvenience, a pain in the bottom and rather pungent and unsightly but in the big scheme of things, it's not the end of the world. If there was a fire we'd be fine :)

I am a litle surprised though that somebody else hasn't reported it yet, the weekly cleaners even who navigate around the shoe island.

It sounds as though you don’t have a resident concièrge because if the cleaners are the employees of an outside contractor they could be hesitant to speak up.

Although this may seem to be a minor issue, it should be brought to the attention of the régie or the owner because it is illegal to impede landings and other communal areas of a residential building.  You’ll find this stated somewhere in the rental contract.

In other words if i want someone to off pants for a free movie on my door!......simply no shoes
libby joseph, Feb 5, 2014 @ 11:36

I feel pretty weird wearing shoes inside a house.  Sometimes people insist I keep my shoes on, especially in the UK, and I do so but it feels odd.   Here in Switzerland, we and all the Swiss I know don't wear shoes in the house.  However many foreigners, especially Brits, think it is normal.  I expect everyone who enters my home to remove their shoes.

@Ping L: Since when do you assume that Europeans wear shoes indoors? For starters you might want to change your profile photo: having a fat chicken as a photo is somewhat strange-but then tastes differ!

Legalkitty, i think that a profile photo has nothing to do with the forum 'wearing shoes in the house', i am not a big fan of chickens but if someone chooses not to have a photo its up to them! Leave the chickens in peace and they may one day come out ;-)

can't you just piss on them?

We have a resident concierge, and they won't say anything to anyone. If we ask them anything they say, "oh you should write to the Regie"

Sorry to hear you have such an uncooperative concièrge – it happens – but what is stopping you from writing to the Régie who has his obligations to fulfil as well as the tenant.

And if you don’t get satisfaction for a legitimate cause for complaint, you can always go to Asloca for advice.

Best, R.

This is really as useless thread. Waste of space and time.

Where are the more important things to be concerned about?

Or fun things to discuss

Well, you can always unsubsribe and start a rivetingly amusing informational thread of your own.

That’s just what everyone’s waiting for.

that was a GREAT contribution. Thanks! Wow!

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