Take Off Your Shoes: Minimize Dirt and Pesticides in Your Home
By taking your shoes off before entering a home, you’ll minimize tracking dirt inside.
January/February 2004
By Deena Wade
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Photo Courtesy Northwest Stone Wise
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When I tacked a small sign outside my front door that read, “Shoes Off, Please,” I had no idea it might offend anyone. As it turns out, however, people have strong feelings about this seemingly pedestrian issue. Some insist that guests take off their shoes before entering their home; others feel it’s disrespectful if guests don’t do so, but they don’t make a fuss. Still others are uncomfortable when visitors strip down to their bare feet or are insulted if they’re asked to remove their own shoes.
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Where you or I stand in the on/off dilemma could have a lot to do with where we live, as well as where our families are from. If you’re Asian, for example, there’s a good chance you were taught to take off your shoes when you enter a home. From Thailand to China to India, shoe removal is traditional, although the reasons vary. Cambodians are said to remove their shoes to show respect for elders and maintain quiet. In Japan, where cleanliness is a priority because homes were originally designed for sitting and sleeping close to the floor, the practice keeps people from tracking in mud and dirt. In traditional houses, it’s polite to place shoes neatly to the side or in a getabako (shoe cupboard) upon entering a foyer or mudroom known as a genkan. As guests step into the next room, the host will likely provide a selection of slippers. And if it’s a very traditional household, guests may find when they leave that their shoes have been turned to face the door and placed where they can easily step into them.
It’s also common to remove shoes in Scandinavian countries, and here in the United States, both Alaskans and Hawaiians find it customary. With increased globalization and international travel, we may find ourselves adopting ideas and traditions from other cultures. My own family is from rural Georgia, and I wasn’t taught to take off my shoes when I came indoors. As a child, I might even have considered it an unusual request—the prickly domain of an eccentric aunt who treated her house like a museum, perhaps. But as an adult who has traveled and lived in a variety of places, my view has changed. I’ve come to appreciate this custom for its sentiment and practicality.
3 fun things to do without shoes
1. To rejuvenate your feet, roll a golf ball around under one foot and then the other while you’re sitting, suggests relaxation consultant Darrin Zeer.
2. Share a simultaneous foot massage with your partner or child.
3. Give pedicures to yourself or your friends.
Keeping it clean
One obvious reason for the shoeless rule is to protect the life of carpets and floors. The most popular carpet color in new homes is dirt-magnet beige, and according to one professional cleaner, most carpet damage is caused by particulate soil that accumulates at the base of the carpet fiber. A professional housecleaner estimates that 85 percent of household dirt is carried in on clothing, shoes, or the paws of pets. In addition, the finish on many wood floors is quickly ruined by the scuff of hard-soled street shoes.
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