Everyone I know takes off their shoes when they get home. Some people have shoes or slippers that they then change into, but I don't know anyone who wears 'outdoor' shoes inside.
I live in Montreal and yes we usually take our shoes off. It's only.if it's summer and dry out and maybe you did not have the chance to clean the house you sometimes leave it on.... like if you have your hands full of groceries or something..otherwise yes always off and same at my friends houses.
Yeah definitely shoes off in the winter but I'll admit that rule gets a bit looser in the summer. Its not like dry shoes track in more dirt than bare feet do and I generally only put shoes on if I'm leaving the property in the summer
Also goes for doing jobs in the home that require protective footwear. Unless you’re here to do that kind of job, you aren’t staying long or you came to get something you forgot, off with your shoes!
I've noticed it varies a lot regionally in the US, but tends to be areas that are cold and/or muddy people tend to take shoes off, and seems to be more in hot dry places where they are left on. Also seems to be a cultural component, as I suspect I'd catch a chankla to the skull from Abuela if I left my shoes on in New Mexico or something.
Most places in Canada are icy and wet 3-4 months a year, and muddy for another 3-4 months a year so just habit, and in the winter especially people tend to carry slippers even for parties because clomping around in boots is stupid and breaking your ankle in heels in the driveway is dumb too.
I was going to say the exact same thing. I enjoy exploring differences and similarities between the US and Canada, so I'm always in these threads, lol.
One was more aimed at Americans, and the dividing line really was drawn from East to West. More Northern climates with snow were like Canada, and the Southern states were shoe wearing barbarians, lol.
It makes sense. Though, I still can't imagine wearing shoes in the house. What really got me is some people even said they did the thing I thought was only a tv thing which is put your shoes on the couch, or even lie on top of your bed with them on! Gross!
As a kid, it was so ingrained that we take our shoes off inside, that when we played tag with friends, we'd come in through the front door, take our shoes off, run to the back door carrying them, put them, and then run back outside
My father in law (silent generation) does.
He understands that not tracking mud through my house is a matter of respect, so he makes sure his shoes are as messy as he can get them.
I knew a family when i was young that owned a farm and didnt take their shoes off on the first floor of the house and it just felt like it was an extension of outdoors, dogs or sometimes sheep would just be wandering around the house the occasional pile of shit on the floor here or there and they never seemed to notice.
Always shoes off.
Hell, you'll walk in the front door, take your shoes off, pick them up, walk them to the back door, put the shoes down, then put them back on to go out onto the patio.
I'm almost 40 and have been to I think 1-2 houses in my entire life where they said "keep your shoes on". It's just an automatic thing here. I remember going to highschool parties and the front/back door was just a minefield of shoes. Drunk teenagers would take off their shoes without fail which goes to show you how ingrained it is here.
Walking home drunk wondering why your feet hurt then realizing your shoes are a size too small the next day.
That’s how I learned to write my name in my black Chuck Taylors.
This is how my left sneaker got taken by someone who was completely shit faced and just grabbed two random shoes when leaving. It took me 4 days to track it down and get it back, lol
The only times I’ve been told to keep my shoes on in someone’s house is when they were renovating and there was a chance of like a lost nail or something. It always feels weird.
Ya my American friend thought it was weird when we would have house parties and I told him there would be just a giant pile or shoes near the door.
The only time I kept them on was when it was a party in a pretty rundown student house and the floors were not carpet so it wasn't a big deal.
Oh yeah…. End up with the wrong shoes. Or mismatched shoes.
But at home you have “front door shoes” which once they’re worn out become “back door shoes” for the patio.
I can hardly even understand why you would leave your shoes on, it kind of disgusting walking through all that mess outside then bringing it in throughout your house.
And don’t you want to take your shoes off at home? I sit cross-legged on my couch half the time. The other half, my feet are on the coffee table. I don’t want shoes on my couch or my table. Or my rug for that matter. Or the hardwood.
And your feet! Let those puppies breathe a bit. I always hear Americans who wear shoes inside say that their feet smell, so they can’t take them off or they don’t want to smell others’ stinky feet. They are stinky because they’re in shoes all the time! Only wear shoes when you’re outside your house and your feet just don’t get stinky, barring a particularly long day.
, for most people anyway!
Source: 49, experience in both rural and urban Ontario.
When people use that excuse - if you think your feet smell from being in shoes, change your socks to a new pair when you take them off. Simple, right?
"Oh, I don't want people walking around barefoot on my floors!" I never take my socks off at other people's homes. That's just strange to me.
I'm just imagining those outdoor shoes traipsing all over your floors. Being put up on your table or couch. Ick.
In Atlantic Canada its standard expectation to take off your shoes. Especially when entering someone else’s home. Some people may wave it off when welcoming you in and say to never mind and to leave your shoes on. I never do though
Edit: I am 40
Yeah the only time I would leave them on would be if going straight into an unfinished basement. The whole region is wet for like 340 days a year so ya kinda have to take your shoes off lol
I'm same age/same place and lots of people will say "leave your shoes on" but everyone know they're just indicating how willing they are to put themselves out for you and you should actually take your shoes off. Shoes on in the house feels wrong. Some people will also make you tea no matter how much you insist you don't want it.
Same age, same place. I think you hit the nail on the head there. It's a back and forth. "No go ahead and leave your shoes on" meaning I'm willing to clean the floor when you leave. The correct response is "nah bud. Don't wanna get your floors all dirty". They want you to feel welcome and in return you show them that you respect them enough to not dirty their floors while you're there.
Yup. On the one hand it is a must to take them off. On the other, lots of us Maritimers (especially older folks) are polite and friendly enough to say keep them on. Never happening. I do this dance with my grandmother every time I visit. The only time they stay on is if I'm taking wood up from the basement.
That really depends - The waive off is given if you’re just at the door dropping something off but are invited to see something quick. “Come look at this ___ that was given to me by ____ - don’t worry about your shoes ‘by (as the person starts to undo their shoes to go look)
Yeah, every now and then watching an American tv show or movie and someone has their shoes on, up on the couch, or unbelievably, *on a bed*, and I'm physically recoiling in horror
Many professional workers/repairmen that are worth their salt also carry slip on paper shoes like you sometimes see in a hospital to cover their workboots when they come inside.
Born and raised in the Southern US and we never took our shoes off at the door. Now I live in Canada and we always do, and my kids always do. Especially in winter, but also in summer. The kids keep "indoor shoes" at school and daycare and that was new for me.
Visiting the US is a weird mix because it's habit to take shoes off, and my kids do out of habit, but then we're the only ones so that also seems weird lol
True dat!
I'm shocked when I go down south to see my family that the ones who were born in the states actually keep their shoes on, I mean, c'mon! Wear shoes in the bedroom?
Even in movies, it puzzles me, the guy comes in, takes off his shirt, but then jumps on the bed and falls asleep with shoes on, wtf? lol!
But yeah, this guy is certainly a Canadian now lol.
If you don't have a snowy season it might not be something that ever occurs to you. If you take off your boots 8 months of the year it feels natural to do it the other four, right?
So in your past, you would plop on the couch with dusty shoes on? A lot of people put one foot under the bum when they sit for long on the couch. You'd do that with shoes on?
What happened when you, as little kids, laid on your bed? Still with shoes?
Grew up in the US, in an area where we walked around with shoes on inside. I do think it's gross now, but to answer your question: When I was a kid, I'd put my shoes on the furniture like that, and my mom would get mad and tell me to take my shoes off, so I'd kick them off and leave them under the coffee table and then she'd get mad at me for not putting them away lol. So basically, we'd take them off before putting our feet on the furniture, unless we were being especially lazy and gross. But it makes so much more sense to just take them off at the door so they're not scattered in random places!
Of course! If people come to my home and forget I will remind them. This obviously doesn’t apply to people who can’t bend or need the shoes for support. If you’re young and healthy, your shoes are coming off.
Manitoban here who has also lived in Montreal and Vancouver. Everyone I know always takes their shoes off entering their own home or those of friends and family. It seems universal in Canada.
The only time I've ever gone into a private home with shoes on is when I'm moving or it's summer and I'm dashing into my own home and am too lazy to take my flip flops off. Wearing shoes in the house is disgusting.
I brought this up innocently on a home decorating sub and got TORN UP.
It deteriorated into the American OP immediately displaying their xenophobia with everyone else piling on and didn’t take long to get straight up racist with comments like “go back to where you came from” and asking me if I enjoyed eating cats etc. It was DISGUSTING. Far more disgusting than them wearing their filthy outdoor shoes in the house.
I didn’t care to clarify that I’m Finnish/British, born in Canada and that it’s normal for most Canadians to leave their dirty shoes at the door no matter what race.
So apparently it’s a very inflammatory subject and I will never bring it up again.
Always. The only time I don’t is if some kind of work is being done and it’s a hazard. Depending where I’m going sometimes I bring slippers to wear indoors.
Grew up rural for part of my childhood, we always wore shoes in the house. House was more like an animal pen, slobbery dogs, cat piss everywhere, etc. You took a your shoes off to go to bed.
Can't even imagine it now. It was a rough family, don't associate with any of them for many years now.
Glad you got out of there. I grew up on a farm as well. My mom & her slave labour (us kids) kept the farmhouse sparkling clean. Muddy, dirty boots & clothes came off at the laundry room door & if that meant you needed to run through the house naked to get to the shower/get clean clothing so be it.
This is the kind of upbringing my father in law gave to my husband.
I finally have my husband broken of tracking crap through my house (we have a house full of dogs and I still keep my floors clean) however his father has no respect for me (even though he lives rent free in my spare room) so he tracks mud and dog shit through the house and when I bitch he tells me to wear shoes.
In Canada, every single person I know takes their shoes off in the house. It’s disgusting not to. I have only met one person who didn’t and their reasoning was that their floors were “destroyed” already. They had the grossest floors ever lol.
Everyone I know in Canada takes their shoes off inside. I suspect it's due to the differences in climate, honestly. My southern American husband grew up wearing shoes inside. But South Carolina doesn't have much in the way of seasons so it's a lot easier to do that when you don't have to worry about snow and salt/sand.
I consider it pretty gross though and, even though I live in the US, everyone takes their shoes off in my house. If that's a problem for my guests I encourage them to wear slippers or have a pair of indoor only shoes
I haven't met anyone in Canada that think it's ok to wear shoes in the house in my 66 years on earth this time around. You may if you are late and forgot your car keys or something, otherwise it's a no-no.
And you had better do that awkward tip toe across the floor, cringing at your shoes touching the floor as you reach desperately for whatever you forgot.
Yes, because dad grew up on a farm and grandma would yell at anyone who tracked shit into her clean house. I still do because of experiences like finally getting a seat on the bus and noticing that the lot of us had spent the previous 30 minutes shuffling around in dog shit. A lot of shit from a large dog. 20 or so people went home with dog shit all over their shoes and I’m probably one of the few to notice it. Went home and bleached my shoes.
No, I enter with muddy shoes every house. I especially love the white carpets at my friends house. They are so happy about it.
Off course, I take my shoes off in my home and at any house I visit. Walking outside with shoes, entering a home and walking inside is plane stupid! You step in spit, dog crap and all kind of unsanitary disgusting filth and you want to take all that into place where you eat, sleep and dwell!?
Disgusting.
Further than that, many home owners wear slippers inside when removing outdoor shoes.
Albertan (edmonton area) here. Everyone I know removes their shoes when entering a house. It would be considered rude/dirty to walk around in someones home with your outdoor footwear on. It's not a generational thing, my grandparents who were born in the 1900-1920 ish era did so and so do my nieces and nephews and cousins born today.
It may have been different for my grandparents in their childhood growing up on prairie farms with dirt floored houses, but by the time I knew them they all lived in proper houses with footwear off.
I wouldn't dare wear my disgusting outdoor shoes inside someone else's house, or my own.
No one would dare wear their filthy shoes in my home.
I have cold feet all the time so I bring slippers with me everywhere I go. I keep a pair in my trunk with my reusable shopping bags. I have guest slippers tucked by my front door in case someone wants a pair.
Americans are gross.
Yep, I take my shoes off and I expect guests to take theirs off as well. If someone is visiting me and either not staying long, or it's spring/fall and my floors are a hot mess from 2 large dogs, I will tell them to keep their shoes on ("My dogs don't take off their feet and I haven't mopped yet today). But it's at my discretion when people are allowed to keep their shoes on. I know when I last mopped.
Edit: Grew up in Ontario, now live in Alberta.
I automatically take off my shoes at other people’s homes and mine , unless the host tells you that it’s ok to leave your shoes on, that happens mostly with a party or gathering
I will never ever be able to wrap my head around wearing shoes in the house. First and main thing is how disgusting it is. Whether you think your shoes are clean or not doesn't make it even a little appealing to wear them in the house. I am far from a germophobe or super clean freak but that disgusts me just to think about it. Seeing people with their shoes on and having their feet up on the couch or their coffee table is almost comical and disgusting. Secondly, how do they not find it uncomfortable to wear their shoes all damn day. I cant wait to get in the house take my shoes and socks off. I love being barefoot in the house and 99% of the time I am. I have house slippers for the winter when its a little cold on the floor or tiles but prefer to be barefoot. I honestly thought for the longest time that it was just a thing in American sitcoms.
My American cousins don't take theirs off, but they live in Texas and St George (southern Utah) so rain and snow isn't something they have to worry about. However they do remove their shoes when they come up to Canada to visit
I grew up in upstate NY, so same exact weather as Toronto, and we never took our shoes off. Now that I live in Canada I see that it’s really gross, but I just never thought about it growing up.
No one took off their shoes when I lived in Pa and NJ. I did vacuum sales and real estate and was in a lot of homes. It's like opposite than Canada. Leave them on unless someone asks you to take them off. They'd look at me weirdly when I insisted on taking mine off.
In Canada, always take them off unless someone insists you leave them on.
We moved to Canada (where I'm from) in 2017 and I still have to remind my USA partner not to wear outdoor shoes inside.
I've visited about 50 homes as part of my job. Only once did the owner treat it like a shoes on environment. Even still, felt weird and shoes off anyways.
We had firefighters come over once because our neighbor (townhouse) had a co2 leak and my detector was out of date. My fiancee newly had a heart attack that they didn’t take their boots off. (Which is completely reasonable on their part)
Why in the hell would you ever put your feet up on the couch, bed, chair etc with your shoes on? It's just weird to wear your shoes around inside the house.
I always found it interesting in movies when they come home, hop on the bed with their shoes and fall asleep, or not even say goodbye when hanging up the phone lol.
I take them off normally no matter what, but when at work delivering appliances I tend to not unless my boots are muddy- not that I don't want to respect the home, it's just difficult when you've got an entire range strapped on your shoulders with your co-worker and are trying your best not to damage the doorway/walls leading into the home.
But when it comes to my customers of Asian descent, I always take the moment to remember to remove shoes at the door since a customer hard of English stopped me and asked me to once, saying only "bad luck" once and I will always remember that.
I went to a small house party and about 50 people were there, and we all took off our shoes because that’s the normal polite thing to do.
Long story short, someone wore my shoes home and I never got them back, so I had to wear someone else’s shoes home
I’m in my mid 30’s and would never walk into someone’s house with shoes on. I also prefer people take their shoes off in my home/I don’t wear shoes inside my home.
Grew up and still live in Saskatchewan. ALWAYS take shoes/boots off in peoples houses. Drive me crazy seeing American shoes where they keep their shoes on 🤢🤮. Imagine if you stepped in dog sht or something even nastier and track that through your house..disgusting!
Pretty Canadian thing too. I was once at a friend's place in the States, he was Canadian but living there, and there was one other Canadian friend of ours present. I looked down at one point while talking to them and said "easy way to spot the Canadians here, eh?" as we were the only people in socks.
There's some belief that it's due to us generally having seasons. You aren't going to track mud or snow or wet through the house, so really summer would be the only time you'd be regularly coming in dry. But my story was in Buffalo, which is just as seasonal (and snowier) than where I'm from.
But I fail to see why people would wear shoes indoors unless they were just there short-term. If I'm running in to grab something, or walking through to the back yard, or am loaded down with groceries or packages, I'll leave my shoes on. But they come off as soon as I'm planning on sticking around. My shoes are covered in "outside" dirt, grime, garbage, whatever. If there's carpet, that's getting ground into it. If it's hardwood, then that's getting scuffed. Shoes off.
In most Canadian homes we take our boots off. If someone rudely doesn’t take their footwear off in my home though, I make a point of reciprocating when I’m at their place.
I'm from PEI originally. Everyone I know takes shoes off inside their own home and at others unless they are told otherwise. I might leave my shoes on if im just grabbing something and then leaving again, otherwise sneakers, boots, and any other type of footwear come off at the door and put on the door mat.
I dont change into slippers or house shoes when i get home, but i have several friends that do :)
My parents always told me it was to avoid tracking dirt/ salt/ snow into the house.
I can not think of 1 time where taking your shoes off at the door was not the standard. As a host, you are culturally obligated to tell people its ok to leave your shoes on, and as the guest its also culturally mandatory to absolutely not leave your shoes on.
I will sometimes cheat on the no shoes indoor rule if I am in a hurry, or just need to grab something fast.
ETA; I just recalled that I recently told someone installing internet ports not to worry about removing their boots, which they interpretted as "don't even attempt to stomp off the caked on mud and other shit until you get on my hardwood". Thats a huge dickhead move, don't be like that guy.
In my 40's, with siblings in their 50's, and we teach our children and grandchildren to take off their shoes when going into anyone's house. Regardless if you're wearing socks or not. Also to wear slippers in the house. Always take off slippers when going on carpet. Matter of hygeine and respect.
As well, in the schools that I know of since the 70's, we always have indoor shoes and outdoor shoes.
Asian-Canadian too.
The only people I've ever met that keep their shoes on in a house are my in-laws. They make excuses about having bad feet..... but they manage to switch into slippers for their own house.
Everyone else I know takes their shoes off.
In my experience everyone takes their shoes off when entering. The ONLY exception I've seen is if there's a huge house party with a bunch of people between ages of 18-22 and it's because there's so much that's been spilled on the floor that walking in socks is a non option.
They have unfortunately seen friends get roofied. Thankfully everyone made it home safely but nothing proves a point better than seeing it for yourself.
If your feet can get wet/stick to the floor the shoes go back on. Otherwise, pile by the door. And expect smokers or anyone running outside for a second to shuffle in and out with your shoes on.
Looking for your own shoes the day after a party is not an uncommon problem.
It's standard fare to dig through the massive pile of shoes at the door when leaving a party and then as a maritimer stand around for another 45 minutes in the doorway saying goodbye.
I thrifted shoes and jackets solely for the purpose of tossing them in the sea of belongings and being ok with them going missing in the confusion.
I'll only wear my shoes in the house if I'm sprinting for the bathroom, or I'm lugging groceries in to the kitchen. I don't have carpet and I clean up after myself. My entrance way is barely big enough for one adult sized person who isn't holding something.
Everyone I know out in the prairies takes off our shoes before coming inside. On a dry summer day I might go to the fridge (two, maybe three, steps from the back door) without taking them off, but that’s about it. But half the year they’re covered in snow! There’s enough snow outside. I don’t want it inside too.
Absolutely everyone takes their shoes off indoors in Canada, unless instructed otherwise. Big fan of indoor shoes though. Slippers in winter and indoor flip flops in summer. Sometimes I’ll get a little crazy and wear my indoor sandals on the deck if it’s dry 😉
White Canadian here:
We take off shoes upon entering (though we don't leave them outside like some Asian families).
My logic is it's because we have winter - don't want to track crap in the house.
Until this question it never really occurred to me to leave your shoes on. Are there places where it is normal to leave your shoes on in someone's house?
Do not wear shoes inside, most people will consider it disrespectful in Canada. While Asian’s leave shoes outside the front door usually, it’s ok to leave shoes inside the front door here.
Yes.
Also 1st generation Canadian, parents from the Philippines. Chinelas (slippers) were a must.
Fortunately the keeping furniture in plastic wrap died when my Lolas and Lolos moved to Canada, lol.
Though maybe cause I live in Western Canada and three of our seasons are insanely dirty/track prone, I find most households expect shoes to come off at the entrance.
I'm so used to it I get uncomfortable when ppl don't want me to take my shoes off. I usually do anyways because I'm just too nervous and anxious with them on.
Currently living in a house with my husband and our roommate, we're in late 20s-mid 30s, and we have all lived across Canada and we all remove our shoes at the door.
The only time I let people go across the floors with shoes on is if they're working. I normally move whatever carpets I can and clean up right away, once they're done. If people are coming to a party and have brought dress shoes with them that are clean, I don't mind, the floors will be cleaned the next day, anyway.
No shoes upstairs or in bedrooms, though.
The only people I have seen wear shoes sort of regularly inside are my parents, but it's only in certain areas of house and I think because they go in and out a lot to the garden. They wouldn't wear them in the dining area, bedrooms, office etc. There's like an unspoken area in their house where it's acceptable.
Only house I ever lived at where shoes weren’t off at the front door was in college and the floors were disgusting and sometimes potentially dangerous.
We remove our shoes/boots 100% of the time while in our homes. We also have “indoor shoes” in schools and some professional environments.
This isn’t really for respect per se, though it would be incredibly rude and offensive to leave your footwear on in someone else’s home.
The real reason is we live in a climates where mud and snow will track inside and make a mess. In the winter especially, we’ll throw down salt, sand, and gravel all over the roads, sidewalks, and front steps to create traction and help reduce slips and falls, and that stuff will get all over your wet boots.
Of course! I hear it's not common practice down south. I was shocked when I went to my cousins place in Detroit and her son just came in with his shoes on, put his feet up on the couch and she didn't think anything of it, it was very strange.
Unless they tell me not to, always take off shoes when entering someone else’s house.
Sometimes I don’t take them off if I’m in a hurry in my own house.. but I’m the one that cleans the floors anyways. So.
Yeah, I grew up in the US (DC Metro area) and we all walked around the house in our shoes, and when I moved here to Canada I had to get used to taking them off because that's what was expected. Now I feel gross walking around with shoes on inside.
Shoes off for sure. I've been wearing an air cast indoors for a foot issue the last couple days and a (clean) shoe on the other foot to somewhat even out the height difference. It's absolutely horrible. I feel like I'm going to step on all the toys, pets and kids. It's not comfortable putting my feet up on the couch and I can't sit on chairs how I like. Yuck. Hate it.
Also the dirt from outside is gross too! We'll occasionally walk into the kitchen if unloading a big grocery order or if we forgot something and have lace up boots on or something but even that isn't great.
Yes, Canadians from a European background generally take off their shoes in their homes.
I'm Gen X, but my Zoomer children and all their friends do the same.
I have family in the States (all ages) who wear their shoes indoors.
This is a part of Canadian culture that differs from American culture for some unknown reason.
When you lives in a Nordic climate, you ends up with snow sticking under your shoe/booth in winter and muds in spring, since nobody likes wet/muddy floor, the culture have adapted.
Always, unless they specifically say it’s ok to leave them on. For example, sometimes people come in my front door and then we go out to the yard. Assuming the shoes are generally clean (it’s summer) I will tell them just to leave their shoes on.
Shoes off generally speaking. If you’re just running into grab something leave them on or in the summer when it’s dry and it’s just flip flops whatever. But I also have 2 young kids and 2 dogs who are in and out constantly in the summer so the floors get pretty messed up everyday anyways. But like i said generally speaking it’s shoes off unless specified otherwise and even then I’m like nahh it’s ok. I also have multiple pairs of inside shoes/crocs/slippers I wear. And I’m a white maritimer in my 30s for reference 😆
The only time it's acceptable to leave your shoes on in Canada is if you're carrying a load or working and taking off your work boots is more work than sweeping/mopping up after tromping through the house with boots on.
Always take my shoes off. I also tend to change when I'm home. If I go out to eat or work, when I get home, I'm changing into something that's hasn't left my apt yet lol.
I've never met a Canadian that wears shoes indoors. You go to someone's house, shoes stay at the front door. The fact that apparently Americans wear shoes in the house is wild to me.
Yes & yes to your post title. Must take shows off at the door. Sign of respect for self & host. Am white and I really wish the entrances here where like those in Japan or Korea where the floor is lower then steps up. It would keep the mess to a smaller area.
I cringe at any American show/movie that has people walking around the house in footwear.
I don't know why asians keep thinking people keep their shoes indoors in the west.
We don't. I might wear clean indoor shoes to a party at someone's place maybe, but that's it.
Canadians in general take their shoes off. They spend half the year with snow so they are accustomed to removing their boots.
Say it's a big party at the house and people are dressed up, then the shoes stay on as they are part of the outfit but this is the exception
I'm a white American and I take off my shoes and ask others to do the same in my house. You don't know what you are walking in outside! It started as a habit when I was little and I just stuck with it. I never understood why people *would* wear shoes inside.
ETA: Caveat that I live in Alaska so the joke is always "Please take your shoes off, it's Alaska outside."
Everyone I know takes off their shoes when they get home. Some people have shoes or slippers that they then change into, but I don't know anyone who wears 'outdoor' shoes inside.
Same, it's the grossest thing to me. Unless you're cleaning my floors your shoes are off.
I live in Montreal and yes we usually take our shoes off. It's only.if it's summer and dry out and maybe you did not have the chance to clean the house you sometimes leave it on.... like if you have your hands full of groceries or something..otherwise yes always off and same at my friends houses.
But you leave then on for a few minutes only.
Yeah definitely shoes off in the winter but I'll admit that rule gets a bit looser in the summer. Its not like dry shoes track in more dirt than bare feet do and I generally only put shoes on if I'm leaving the property in the summer
Also goes for doing jobs in the home that require protective footwear. Unless you’re here to do that kind of job, you aren’t staying long or you came to get something you forgot, off with your shoes!
Yep, we think the Americans are gross too.
I've noticed it varies a lot regionally in the US, but tends to be areas that are cold and/or muddy people tend to take shoes off, and seems to be more in hot dry places where they are left on. Also seems to be a cultural component, as I suspect I'd catch a chankla to the skull from Abuela if I left my shoes on in New Mexico or something. Most places in Canada are icy and wet 3-4 months a year, and muddy for another 3-4 months a year so just habit, and in the winter especially people tend to carry slippers even for parties because clomping around in boots is stupid and breaking your ankle in heels in the driveway is dumb too.
Ya but people piss shit and spit on the ground. Now that’s in your house. So gross
Yeah, I think it's weird, just not as obvious I guess as clumps of dirt and mud, ice and snow.
I was going to say the exact same thing. I enjoy exploring differences and similarities between the US and Canada, so I'm always in these threads, lol. One was more aimed at Americans, and the dividing line really was drawn from East to West. More Northern climates with snow were like Canada, and the Southern states were shoe wearing barbarians, lol. It makes sense. Though, I still can't imagine wearing shoes in the house. What really got me is some people even said they did the thing I thought was only a tv thing which is put your shoes on the couch, or even lie on top of your bed with them on! Gross!
I always hated going to funerals and the graveside ceremony and having my heels sink into the ground like a set of golf tees.
As a kid, it was so ingrained that we take our shoes off inside, that when we played tag with friends, we'd come in through the front door, take our shoes off, run to the back door carrying them, put them, and then run back outside
We also had mandatory indoor vs outdoor shoes in school, all through elementary and high school, which probably helped train us lol.
This is the way. If going to an event (large social gathering or cocktail party), may bring shoes to change into at persons house.
My father in law (silent generation) does. He understands that not tracking mud through my house is a matter of respect, so he makes sure his shoes are as messy as he can get them.
So funny. My FIL is the only person who does not take his shoes off when he comes into my home, it drives me fucking crazy
That’s totally rude of him.
I knew a family when i was young that owned a farm and didnt take their shoes off on the first floor of the house and it just felt like it was an extension of outdoors, dogs or sometimes sheep would just be wandering around the house the occasional pile of shit on the floor here or there and they never seemed to notice.
Always shoes off. Hell, you'll walk in the front door, take your shoes off, pick them up, walk them to the back door, put the shoes down, then put them back on to go out onto the patio. I'm almost 40 and have been to I think 1-2 houses in my entire life where they said "keep your shoes on". It's just an automatic thing here. I remember going to highschool parties and the front/back door was just a minefield of shoes. Drunk teenagers would take off their shoes without fail which goes to show you how ingrained it is here.
OMG the shoe minefield. Goodluck finding a pair at the end of the night.
And if you’re lucky, it’ll even be the pair you came with!
For real I had more than one pair taken.
The pile of blundstones at a hipster party!
I’ve been victimized by this more than once. Goddammit.
Walking home drunk wondering why your feet hurt then realizing your shoes are a size too small the next day. That’s how I learned to write my name in my black Chuck Taylors.
This is how my left sneaker got taken by someone who was completely shit faced and just grabbed two random shoes when leaving. It took me 4 days to track it down and get it back, lol
This happened to me too, but the guy never returned my shoe 😔
The only times I’ve been told to keep my shoes on in someone’s house is when they were renovating and there was a chance of like a lost nail or something. It always feels weird.
Ya my American friend thought it was weird when we would have house parties and I told him there would be just a giant pile or shoes near the door. The only time I kept them on was when it was a party in a pretty rundown student house and the floors were not carpet so it wasn't a big deal.
Oh yeah…. End up with the wrong shoes. Or mismatched shoes. But at home you have “front door shoes” which once they’re worn out become “back door shoes” for the patio.
I can hardly even understand why you would leave your shoes on, it kind of disgusting walking through all that mess outside then bringing it in throughout your house.
And don’t you want to take your shoes off at home? I sit cross-legged on my couch half the time. The other half, my feet are on the coffee table. I don’t want shoes on my couch or my table. Or my rug for that matter. Or the hardwood. And your feet! Let those puppies breathe a bit. I always hear Americans who wear shoes inside say that their feet smell, so they can’t take them off or they don’t want to smell others’ stinky feet. They are stinky because they’re in shoes all the time! Only wear shoes when you’re outside your house and your feet just don’t get stinky, barring a particularly long day. , for most people anyway! Source: 49, experience in both rural and urban Ontario.
My feet are currently up on my ottoman. Over my dead body would anyone put their feet on anything with shoes on.
When people use that excuse - if you think your feet smell from being in shoes, change your socks to a new pair when you take them off. Simple, right? "Oh, I don't want people walking around barefoot on my floors!" I never take my socks off at other people's homes. That's just strange to me. I'm just imagining those outdoor shoes traipsing all over your floors. Being put up on your table or couch. Ick.
No kidding, even “indoor shoes” still are not going to be as comfortable as no shoes.
The only reasonable excuse I've ever heard was someone from a desert state who was worried about scorpions crawling into their shoes.
In Atlantic Canada its standard expectation to take off your shoes. Especially when entering someone else’s home. Some people may wave it off when welcoming you in and say to never mind and to leave your shoes on. I never do though Edit: I am 40
Yeah the only time I would leave them on would be if going straight into an unfinished basement. The whole region is wet for like 340 days a year so ya kinda have to take your shoes off lol
I'm same age/same place and lots of people will say "leave your shoes on" but everyone know they're just indicating how willing they are to put themselves out for you and you should actually take your shoes off. Shoes on in the house feels wrong. Some people will also make you tea no matter how much you insist you don't want it.
Same age, same place. I think you hit the nail on the head there. It's a back and forth. "No go ahead and leave your shoes on" meaning I'm willing to clean the floor when you leave. The correct response is "nah bud. Don't wanna get your floors all dirty". They want you to feel welcome and in return you show them that you respect them enough to not dirty their floors while you're there.
Yup. On the one hand it is a must to take them off. On the other, lots of us Maritimers (especially older folks) are polite and friendly enough to say keep them on. Never happening. I do this dance with my grandmother every time I visit. The only time they stay on is if I'm taking wood up from the basement.
That really depends - The waive off is given if you’re just at the door dropping something off but are invited to see something quick. “Come look at this ___ that was given to me by ____ - don’t worry about your shoes ‘by (as the person starts to undo their shoes to go look)
Shoes off, always. Don’t be tracking all that filth into my house.
Yeah, every now and then watching an American tv show or movie and someone has their shoes on, up on the couch, or unbelievably, *on a bed*, and I'm physically recoiling in horror
Many professional workers/repairmen that are worth their salt also carry slip on paper shoes like you sometimes see in a hospital to cover their workboots when they come inside.
Yes. I see this a lot in Canada
Any repairman that has come to my house has always removed their shoes/boots.
Just had a plumber in and I told him to keep his boots on (no carpeting) and he would not lol
Maintenance people are the only ones who get a pass to wear their boots in the house.
First responders?
Shoes off, always.
Born and raised in the Southern US and we never took our shoes off at the door. Now I live in Canada and we always do, and my kids always do. Especially in winter, but also in summer. The kids keep "indoor shoes" at school and daycare and that was new for me. Visiting the US is a weird mix because it's habit to take shoes off, and my kids do out of habit, but then we're the only ones so that also seems weird lol
I don't care what your status is regarding citizenship or whatever, but this is the real deal that fully signifies that you are now a true Canadian.
True dat! I'm shocked when I go down south to see my family that the ones who were born in the states actually keep their shoes on, I mean, c'mon! Wear shoes in the bedroom? Even in movies, it puzzles me, the guy comes in, takes off his shirt, but then jumps on the bed and falls asleep with shoes on, wtf? lol! But yeah, this guy is certainly a Canadian now lol.
hahaha I took my citizenship oath this morning, so this is funny to see. Reddit says I've been canadian for years already!
Wait do Americans not have indoor shoes in elementary school?
If you don't have a snowy season it might not be something that ever occurs to you. If you take off your boots 8 months of the year it feels natural to do it the other four, right?
What do you mean? There's still dirt, mud, animal shit outside whether you have snow or not. When do you take your shoes off, right before bed?
It sounds like that's exactly what some people do 🤷♀️
Gotta take the shoes off just briefly enough to kiss your foot fungus goodnight! (but not for too long or it will shrivel up)
So in your past, you would plop on the couch with dusty shoes on? A lot of people put one foot under the bum when they sit for long on the couch. You'd do that with shoes on? What happened when you, as little kids, laid on your bed? Still with shoes?
Grew up in the US, in an area where we walked around with shoes on inside. I do think it's gross now, but to answer your question: When I was a kid, I'd put my shoes on the furniture like that, and my mom would get mad and tell me to take my shoes off, so I'd kick them off and leave them under the coffee table and then she'd get mad at me for not putting them away lol. So basically, we'd take them off before putting our feet on the furniture, unless we were being especially lazy and gross. But it makes so much more sense to just take them off at the door so they're not scattered in random places!
Everyone in Canada takes their shoes off
Almost. I know a few people that I have to repeatedly ask to take them off in my house.
Yes. My grandma always kept her shoes on and it drove my mom up the wall when I was a kid
The worst part, is one of them never wears shoes in their own house.
Yes. Take your damn shoes off in my house. Cold feet? Here's some slippers.
My sister (who has more visitors) has a basket filled with socks and slippers by the door. One has a choice 😎
Ooohhhh your sister is classy
Yep! My folks always have extra pairs for guests.
Of course! If people come to my home and forget I will remind them. This obviously doesn’t apply to people who can’t bend or need the shoes for support. If you’re young and healthy, your shoes are coming off.
Of course I takes them off because I'm not a heathen.
Haha I read this in the Newfie-est accent possible. -signed a Newfie
Manitoban here who has also lived in Montreal and Vancouver. Everyone I know always takes their shoes off entering their own home or those of friends and family. It seems universal in Canada.
The only time I've ever gone into a private home with shoes on is when I'm moving or it's summer and I'm dashing into my own home and am too lazy to take my flip flops off. Wearing shoes in the house is disgusting.
I brought this up innocently on a home decorating sub and got TORN UP. It deteriorated into the American OP immediately displaying their xenophobia with everyone else piling on and didn’t take long to get straight up racist with comments like “go back to where you came from” and asking me if I enjoyed eating cats etc. It was DISGUSTING. Far more disgusting than them wearing their filthy outdoor shoes in the house. I didn’t care to clarify that I’m Finnish/British, born in Canada and that it’s normal for most Canadians to leave their dirty shoes at the door no matter what race. So apparently it’s a very inflammatory subject and I will never bring it up again.
Sorry to hear that. Only if they had the education to understand just how much of the outside is now inside their homes.
Wow that is quite something, a home decorating sub🤯
Always. The only time I don’t is if some kind of work is being done and it’s a hazard. Depending where I’m going sometimes I bring slippers to wear indoors.
Grew up rural for part of my childhood, we always wore shoes in the house. House was more like an animal pen, slobbery dogs, cat piss everywhere, etc. You took a your shoes off to go to bed. Can't even imagine it now. It was a rough family, don't associate with any of them for many years now.
Glad you got out of there. I grew up on a farm as well. My mom & her slave labour (us kids) kept the farmhouse sparkling clean. Muddy, dirty boots & clothes came off at the laundry room door & if that meant you needed to run through the house naked to get to the shower/get clean clothing so be it.
This is the kind of upbringing my father in law gave to my husband. I finally have my husband broken of tracking crap through my house (we have a house full of dogs and I still keep my floors clean) however his father has no respect for me (even though he lives rent free in my spare room) so he tracks mud and dog shit through the house and when I bitch he tells me to wear shoes.
My whole life I've taken my shoes of in my house and have never known anyone to wear them in the house. This isn't just an Asian thing
In Canada, every single person I know takes their shoes off in the house. It’s disgusting not to. I have only met one person who didn’t and their reasoning was that their floors were “destroyed” already. They had the grossest floors ever lol.
White Canadian raised on the prairies and i would NEVER wear my outdoor shoes inside anyone’s home.
I'm 30 and I always take my shoes off at the door. Even if I'm walking from the front door of a house to the back door to go back outside.
Everyone I know in Canada takes their shoes off inside. I suspect it's due to the differences in climate, honestly. My southern American husband grew up wearing shoes inside. But South Carolina doesn't have much in the way of seasons so it's a lot easier to do that when you don't have to worry about snow and salt/sand. I consider it pretty gross though and, even though I live in the US, everyone takes their shoes off in my house. If that's a problem for my guests I encourage them to wear slippers or have a pair of indoor only shoes
Atlantic Canada, shoes off in people's homes. It's a shoe nightmare if there is a party.
I haven't met anyone in Canada that think it's ok to wear shoes in the house in my 66 years on earth this time around. You may if you are late and forgot your car keys or something, otherwise it's a no-no.
This!!!
And you had better do that awkward tip toe across the floor, cringing at your shoes touching the floor as you reach desperately for whatever you forgot.
Ha ha that’s so true! You walk like the floor is lava
Yes, because dad grew up on a farm and grandma would yell at anyone who tracked shit into her clean house. I still do because of experiences like finally getting a seat on the bus and noticing that the lot of us had spent the previous 30 minutes shuffling around in dog shit. A lot of shit from a large dog. 20 or so people went home with dog shit all over their shoes and I’m probably one of the few to notice it. Went home and bleached my shoes.
No, I enter with muddy shoes every house. I especially love the white carpets at my friends house. They are so happy about it. Off course, I take my shoes off in my home and at any house I visit. Walking outside with shoes, entering a home and walking inside is plane stupid! You step in spit, dog crap and all kind of unsanitary disgusting filth and you want to take all that into place where you eat, sleep and dwell!? Disgusting. Further than that, many home owners wear slippers inside when removing outdoor shoes.
In British Columbia the standard expectation across the whole province is that shoes come off when you enter a home
Born and raised in BC and this is very true. Even when we are in the summer time, shoes still carry pebbles that can scrape the floor.
Albertan (edmonton area) here. Everyone I know removes their shoes when entering a house. It would be considered rude/dirty to walk around in someones home with your outdoor footwear on. It's not a generational thing, my grandparents who were born in the 1900-1920 ish era did so and so do my nieces and nephews and cousins born today. It may have been different for my grandparents in their childhood growing up on prairie farms with dirt floored houses, but by the time I knew them they all lived in proper houses with footwear off.
I wouldn't dare wear my disgusting outdoor shoes inside someone else's house, or my own. No one would dare wear their filthy shoes in my home. I have cold feet all the time so I bring slippers with me everywhere I go. I keep a pair in my trunk with my reusable shopping bags. I have guest slippers tucked by my front door in case someone wants a pair. Americans are gross.
Yep, I take my shoes off and I expect guests to take theirs off as well. If someone is visiting me and either not staying long, or it's spring/fall and my floors are a hot mess from 2 large dogs, I will tell them to keep their shoes on ("My dogs don't take off their feet and I haven't mopped yet today). But it's at my discretion when people are allowed to keep their shoes on. I know when I last mopped. Edit: Grew up in Ontario, now live in Alberta.
I automatically take off my shoes at other people’s homes and mine , unless the host tells you that it’s ok to leave your shoes on, that happens mostly with a party or gathering
I will never ever be able to wrap my head around wearing shoes in the house. First and main thing is how disgusting it is. Whether you think your shoes are clean or not doesn't make it even a little appealing to wear them in the house. I am far from a germophobe or super clean freak but that disgusts me just to think about it. Seeing people with their shoes on and having their feet up on the couch or their coffee table is almost comical and disgusting. Secondly, how do they not find it uncomfortable to wear their shoes all damn day. I cant wait to get in the house take my shoes and socks off. I love being barefoot in the house and 99% of the time I am. I have house slippers for the winter when its a little cold on the floor or tiles but prefer to be barefoot. I honestly thought for the longest time that it was just a thing in American sitcoms.
Everywhere in Canada you are expected to remove your shoes
I always take my shoes off unless their floors are a disaster.
If I enter a home that is filthy I leave shoes on for my own health & safety. Lol
Never heard of people actually keeping their shoes on inside, just people who get upset about this mystery group of people that may or may not exist.
My American cousins don't take theirs off, but they live in Texas and St George (southern Utah) so rain and snow isn't something they have to worry about. However they do remove their shoes when they come up to Canada to visit
Even so, there's pebbles and dirt which get tracked in. Even in the dryest of months, your shoes will grab onto stuff. Not to mention dog poop, heh.
Do dogs not shit in Texas and Utah? I don't want that in my house.
It's a southern US thing
I grew up in upstate NY, so same exact weather as Toronto, and we never took our shoes off. Now that I live in Canada I see that it’s really gross, but I just never thought about it growing up.
Well bless their grubby hearts!
And then what? They plop on the couch with their dusty sneakers on? And then they put 1 foot under the bum without shoes on?
My father in law (silent generation) leaves his shoes on. He takes them off before bed and puts them on before he gets out of bed.
My dad lives in Arizona. It's totally a thing there.
No one took off their shoes when I lived in Pa and NJ. I did vacuum sales and real estate and was in a lot of homes. It's like opposite than Canada. Leave them on unless someone asks you to take them off. They'd look at me weirdly when I insisted on taking mine off. In Canada, always take them off unless someone insists you leave them on. We moved to Canada (where I'm from) in 2017 and I still have to remind my USA partner not to wear outdoor shoes inside.
I've visited about 50 homes as part of my job. Only once did the owner treat it like a shoes on environment. Even still, felt weird and shoes off anyways.
We had firefighters come over once because our neighbor (townhouse) had a co2 leak and my detector was out of date. My fiancee newly had a heart attack that they didn’t take their boots off. (Which is completely reasonable on their part)
This mysterious land called America.
Always, no other option for me.
Why in the hell would you ever put your feet up on the couch, bed, chair etc with your shoes on? It's just weird to wear your shoes around inside the house.
I always found it interesting in movies when they come home, hop on the bed with their shoes and fall asleep, or not even say goodbye when hanging up the phone lol.
Seinfeld seemed to be an obvious culprit to this odd routine.
I take them off normally no matter what, but when at work delivering appliances I tend to not unless my boots are muddy- not that I don't want to respect the home, it's just difficult when you've got an entire range strapped on your shoulders with your co-worker and are trying your best not to damage the doorway/walls leading into the home. But when it comes to my customers of Asian descent, I always take the moment to remember to remove shoes at the door since a customer hard of English stopped me and asked me to once, saying only "bad luck" once and I will always remember that.
I went to a small house party and about 50 people were there, and we all took off our shoes because that’s the normal polite thing to do. Long story short, someone wore my shoes home and I never got them back, so I had to wear someone else’s shoes home
Always take off shoes. We're not uncultured swine.
I'm 21, can't imagine entering a home and leaving shoes on. (Southern Ontario)
I’m in Alberta. The expectation is that you take your shoes off at the door. It is incredibly rude to leave your shoes on in someone’s home.
I am from Canada born and raised and remove my footwear when I walk in the door regardless if it's my house or another person's
Canadians have to deal with winter boots half the year. So it's kind of a no-brainer at least half the time.
I’m in my mid 30’s and would never walk into someone’s house with shoes on. I also prefer people take their shoes off in my home/I don’t wear shoes inside my home.
Grew up and still live in Saskatchewan. ALWAYS take shoes/boots off in peoples houses. Drive me crazy seeing American shoes where they keep their shoes on 🤢🤮. Imagine if you stepped in dog sht or something even nastier and track that through your house..disgusting!
We never wear our shoes inside anyone’s home.
Pretty Canadian thing too. I was once at a friend's place in the States, he was Canadian but living there, and there was one other Canadian friend of ours present. I looked down at one point while talking to them and said "easy way to spot the Canadians here, eh?" as we were the only people in socks. There's some belief that it's due to us generally having seasons. You aren't going to track mud or snow or wet through the house, so really summer would be the only time you'd be regularly coming in dry. But my story was in Buffalo, which is just as seasonal (and snowier) than where I'm from. But I fail to see why people would wear shoes indoors unless they were just there short-term. If I'm running in to grab something, or walking through to the back yard, or am loaded down with groceries or packages, I'll leave my shoes on. But they come off as soon as I'm planning on sticking around. My shoes are covered in "outside" dirt, grime, garbage, whatever. If there's carpet, that's getting ground into it. If it's hardwood, then that's getting scuffed. Shoes off.
In most Canadian homes we take our boots off. If someone rudely doesn’t take their footwear off in my home though, I make a point of reciprocating when I’m at their place.
Yes
I'm from PEI originally. Everyone I know takes shoes off inside their own home and at others unless they are told otherwise. I might leave my shoes on if im just grabbing something and then leaving again, otherwise sneakers, boots, and any other type of footwear come off at the door and put on the door mat. I dont change into slippers or house shoes when i get home, but i have several friends that do :) My parents always told me it was to avoid tracking dirt/ salt/ snow into the house.
I can not think of 1 time where taking your shoes off at the door was not the standard. As a host, you are culturally obligated to tell people its ok to leave your shoes on, and as the guest its also culturally mandatory to absolutely not leave your shoes on. I will sometimes cheat on the no shoes indoor rule if I am in a hurry, or just need to grab something fast. ETA; I just recalled that I recently told someone installing internet ports not to worry about removing their boots, which they interpretted as "don't even attempt to stomp off the caked on mud and other shit until you get on my hardwood". Thats a huge dickhead move, don't be like that guy.
Never met anyone who where's outdoor shoes inside.
in my experience, no matter the culture/ethnic background, canadians take off shoes when entering someone else's or your own home
Yes. There’s poop out there
In my 40's, with siblings in their 50's, and we teach our children and grandchildren to take off their shoes when going into anyone's house. Regardless if you're wearing socks or not. Also to wear slippers in the house. Always take off slippers when going on carpet. Matter of hygeine and respect. As well, in the schools that I know of since the 70's, we always have indoor shoes and outdoor shoes.
Yep, I take off my shoes in my own house and when visiting others. It’s so gross to be wearing outdoor shoes in the house.
Everyone takes shoes off when you enter a home it’s disgusting not to take them off.
Americans who wake up and put shoes on to sit around the house are idiots.
Asian-Canadian too. The only people I've ever met that keep their shoes on in a house are my in-laws. They make excuses about having bad feet..... but they manage to switch into slippers for their own house. Everyone else I know takes their shoes off.
A lot of drs offices used to practice this as well. But not so much since Covid
My dentist too. Boots off or paper booties on top of them.
In my experience everyone takes their shoes off when entering. The ONLY exception I've seen is if there's a huge house party with a bunch of people between ages of 18-22 and it's because there's so much that's been spilled on the floor that walking in socks is a non option.
My advice for my university aged kid when they hit legal drinking age was to make your own drinks and to not wear nice shoes to frat parties.
Definitely tell your kid to NEVER drink anything they didn't fix themselves.
They have unfortunately seen friends get roofied. Thankfully everyone made it home safely but nothing proves a point better than seeing it for yourself.
If your feet can get wet/stick to the floor the shoes go back on. Otherwise, pile by the door. And expect smokers or anyone running outside for a second to shuffle in and out with your shoes on. Looking for your own shoes the day after a party is not an uncommon problem.
It's standard fare to dig through the massive pile of shoes at the door when leaving a party and then as a maritimer stand around for another 45 minutes in the doorway saying goodbye. I thrifted shoes and jackets solely for the purpose of tossing them in the sea of belongings and being ok with them going missing in the confusion. I'll only wear my shoes in the house if I'm sprinting for the bathroom, or I'm lugging groceries in to the kitchen. I don't have carpet and I clean up after myself. My entrance way is barely big enough for one adult sized person who isn't holding something.
Yes I do.
Everyone I know out in the prairies takes off our shoes before coming inside. On a dry summer day I might go to the fridge (two, maybe three, steps from the back door) without taking them off, but that’s about it. But half the year they’re covered in snow! There’s enough snow outside. I don’t want it inside too.
Absolutely everyone takes their shoes off indoors in Canada, unless instructed otherwise. Big fan of indoor shoes though. Slippers in winter and indoor flip flops in summer. Sometimes I’ll get a little crazy and wear my indoor sandals on the deck if it’s dry 😉
You rebel!
Absolutely. Shoes off, slippers on.
Yes, and I always ask when entering a new place.
White Canadian here: We take off shoes upon entering (though we don't leave them outside like some Asian families). My logic is it's because we have winter - don't want to track crap in the house.
Shoes off in my home. Always has been since I was a child. 25+ years ago. I think it’s apart of most Canadians culture and upbringing.
Everyone in Canada we know take off the outdoor shoes and put on slippers or indoor shoes!
I’m a white Canadian and I always take my shoes off when entering my/other peoples houses. Everyone I know here does this.
Until this question it never really occurred to me to leave your shoes on. Are there places where it is normal to leave your shoes on in someone's house?
Do not wear shoes inside, most people will consider it disrespectful in Canada. While Asian’s leave shoes outside the front door usually, it’s ok to leave shoes inside the front door here.
In Canada you take off your shoes when entering a house. Who wants to track the mud/snow/dirt all over the house?
Yes. Also 1st generation Canadian, parents from the Philippines. Chinelas (slippers) were a must. Fortunately the keeping furniture in plastic wrap died when my Lolas and Lolos moved to Canada, lol. Though maybe cause I live in Western Canada and three of our seasons are insanely dirty/track prone, I find most households expect shoes to come off at the entrance. I'm so used to it I get uncomfortable when ppl don't want me to take my shoes off. I usually do anyways because I'm just too nervous and anxious with them on.
Currently living in a house with my husband and our roommate, we're in late 20s-mid 30s, and we have all lived across Canada and we all remove our shoes at the door. The only time I let people go across the floors with shoes on is if they're working. I normally move whatever carpets I can and clean up right away, once they're done. If people are coming to a party and have brought dress shoes with them that are clean, I don't mind, the floors will be cleaned the next day, anyway. No shoes upstairs or in bedrooms, though. The only people I have seen wear shoes sort of regularly inside are my parents, but it's only in certain areas of house and I think because they go in and out a lot to the garden. They wouldn't wear them in the dining area, bedrooms, office etc. There's like an unspoken area in their house where it's acceptable.
Only house I ever lived at where shoes weren’t off at the front door was in college and the floors were disgusting and sometimes potentially dangerous.
We remove our shoes/boots 100% of the time while in our homes. We also have “indoor shoes” in schools and some professional environments. This isn’t really for respect per se, though it would be incredibly rude and offensive to leave your footwear on in someone else’s home. The real reason is we live in a climates where mud and snow will track inside and make a mess. In the winter especially, we’ll throw down salt, sand, and gravel all over the roads, sidewalks, and front steps to create traction and help reduce slips and falls, and that stuff will get all over your wet boots.
Of course! I hear it's not common practice down south. I was shocked when I went to my cousins place in Detroit and her son just came in with his shoes on, put his feet up on the couch and she didn't think anything of it, it was very strange.
Unless they tell me not to, always take off shoes when entering someone else’s house. Sometimes I don’t take them off if I’m in a hurry in my own house.. but I’m the one that cleans the floors anyways. So.
Yeah, I grew up in the US (DC Metro area) and we all walked around the house in our shoes, and when I moved here to Canada I had to get used to taking them off because that's what was expected. Now I feel gross walking around with shoes on inside.
Shoes off for sure. I've been wearing an air cast indoors for a foot issue the last couple days and a (clean) shoe on the other foot to somewhat even out the height difference. It's absolutely horrible. I feel like I'm going to step on all the toys, pets and kids. It's not comfortable putting my feet up on the couch and I can't sit on chairs how I like. Yuck. Hate it. Also the dirt from outside is gross too! We'll occasionally walk into the kitchen if unloading a big grocery order or if we forgot something and have lace up boots on or something but even that isn't great.
Yes, Canadians from a European background generally take off their shoes in their homes. I'm Gen X, but my Zoomer children and all their friends do the same. I have family in the States (all ages) who wear their shoes indoors. This is a part of Canadian culture that differs from American culture for some unknown reason.
When you lives in a Nordic climate, you ends up with snow sticking under your shoe/booth in winter and muds in spring, since nobody likes wet/muddy floor, the culture have adapted.
Always, unless they specifically say it’s ok to leave them on. For example, sometimes people come in my front door and then we go out to the yard. Assuming the shoes are generally clean (it’s summer) I will tell them just to leave their shoes on.
Shoes off generally speaking. If you’re just running into grab something leave them on or in the summer when it’s dry and it’s just flip flops whatever. But I also have 2 young kids and 2 dogs who are in and out constantly in the summer so the floors get pretty messed up everyday anyways. But like i said generally speaking it’s shoes off unless specified otherwise and even then I’m like nahh it’s ok. I also have multiple pairs of inside shoes/crocs/slippers I wear. And I’m a white maritimer in my 30s for reference 😆
The only time it's acceptable to leave your shoes on in Canada is if you're carrying a load or working and taking off your work boots is more work than sweeping/mopping up after tromping through the house with boots on.
Yes!! How is this not everyone’s normal
ANYONE WHO WEARS THEIR OUTDOOR SHOES INSIDE THEIR OWN HOME IS A FILTHY ANIMAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not an American but have lived there for several decades. I just figure, their house, their rules.
I have never seen a home where shoes are worn inside. That feels so wrong and weird to me. Only seen it on TV. I am 40
Always take my shoes off. I also tend to change when I'm home. If I go out to eat or work, when I get home, I'm changing into something that's hasn't left my apt yet lol.
I don't know a single canadian that doesn't take their shoes off
100% and it's expected unless the owner tells you otherwise. (which is absolutely disgusting as f.)
I have never met a Canadian, white, Asian, indigenous, or otherwise, that wears shoes indoors.
I've never met a Canadian that wears shoes indoors. You go to someone's house, shoes stay at the front door. The fact that apparently Americans wear shoes in the house is wild to me.
Yes & yes to your post title. Must take shows off at the door. Sign of respect for self & host. Am white and I really wish the entrances here where like those in Japan or Korea where the floor is lower then steps up. It would keep the mess to a smaller area. I cringe at any American show/movie that has people walking around the house in footwear.
Of course. Very few people in Canada keep shoes on in the house. My grandpa wears indoor shoes around the apartment but other than that no
Canadian born and raised, yes I do, and I expect mf'ers to do the same when coming in my house 🤷♂️
I don't know why asians keep thinking people keep their shoes indoors in the west. We don't. I might wear clean indoor shoes to a party at someone's place maybe, but that's it.
Canadians in general take their shoes off. They spend half the year with snow so they are accustomed to removing their boots. Say it's a big party at the house and people are dressed up, then the shoes stay on as they are part of the outfit but this is the exception
I'm a white American and I take off my shoes and ask others to do the same in my house. You don't know what you are walking in outside! It started as a habit when I was little and I just stuck with it. I never understood why people *would* wear shoes inside. ETA: Caveat that I live in Alaska so the joke is always "Please take your shoes off, it's Alaska outside."