If your shoes are of a type that would damage my floors then you have to remove them. Otherwise I have no problems with shoes of any kind but I often remove mine inside the house.

Here's my philosophy on shoes in the house.
Living beings put nasty stuff on the ground. There's poop, pee, spit, puke, dirt, oil, and a multitude of germs and bacteria. All carried in on the soles of one's shoes. You don't wanna take off your shoes in my home? Then don't come over.

I take my shoes off for comfort only and don't require my guests to remove their shoes.

Makes a lot easier to clean the house after

There is not achoice for don't take them off. I don't. I would at someone else's house if it looked like they did.

In warm climates/seasons people are often wearing sandals and I will walk around barefoot in the immediate area of the house so the point is moot.
When my son was young he would sometimes have had n adventure that had him under orders to completely hose down outside and enter through the laundry room.

I lived with someone who demanded that people remove their shoes, and once watched a guest try to hide the fact that there was a hole in her sock all evening.

The paper booties like doctors wear would be an option if guests appear uncomfortable.

But I'd really never ask a thing unless their shes were obviously dirty.

No, I do not take my shoes off. Doctor's orders. I also do not ask my guests to take off theirs. I have a vacuum cleaner, brooms and mops.

It may be a British thing but it would be thought strange, even rude, to ask a guest to take their shoes off here, which is odd because most people wear socks anyway, and most use slippers in their own home. I think it is great that you at least have some variation, we can be very old fashioned and frankly dirty here, we could do with some mass immigration from Japan.

i generally don't need to ask. i always take them off myself, though. i did that even BEFORE i lived in japan for a decade.

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I didn't vote in this poll. I live in a place where it is customary to remove shoes before entering anyone's home. There are signs outside every door as a reminder, so I don't ask anyone to remove shoes, they just do. Dirty shoes stay outside, clean feet are welcome inside. (Besides, living in an apartment, shoes clunking on hard floors is inconsiderate to those living below.) It's just a matter of respect and custom here.

When I visit others, I take my cue by whether the person opening the door is wearing shoes or not. If there's a pile of shoes by the front door, I add mine, making sure I remember which slippers are mine when I leave. (We have very few stores here, so there can be several pairs of shoes/slippers all the same.) There have been times when my shoes are not where I left them, so I have to go find who has my slippers?

I have pets so there’s no point in taking shoes off just because of germs. I don’t eat off my carpets so I don’t see the problem. Unless it’s muddy, of course.

I do take my shoes off for comfort, though.

I think it’s rather rude to demand visitors remove their shoes.

None of the above

I prefer if my guests would but I don't want them to feel uncomfortable or self conscious. I know for a long time I wouldnt go inside an acquaintances house because she was a germaphobe who required shoes off, but I was afraid my feet were smelly and gross, but now that I'm immunosuppressed I prefer it

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

I think it's really weird to wear shoes in the house to the point where I ask if I should take them off when I go to someone else's house. Just think of all the crap (literal and figurative) you walk through in your shoes. Gross. I almost always have socks on though. I grew up on a farm so we always had to take our shoes off so we didn't track mud or worse in. Now I live at the beach and I don't need sand coming in on shoes. Take them off! I prefer guests take them off, but I don't require it. If the giant pile of shoes by the door isn't enough to give you the hint to take them off, I assume you are more comfortable not taking them off. It's so much more comfortable not wearing shoes too.

I have never heard of such a thing! When I was growing up in Wisconsin, we took our snow boots off in the mud porch because they were usually caked with snow. In the summer we didnt wear shoes anywhere. As a grownup. There were so many kids & dogs & people, I always have something on my feet. I hate stepping in "wet" spots! My carpet is so bad even the shampooer can't help it. Is that like a custom in other countries? To take your shoes off as a guest?

None of the above. We have wood or tile (easy to clean) floors throughout the downstairs, we take off our shoes before going upstairs.

I couldn't take the poll because there was an option missing - I don't take off my shoes and don't ask others to remove theirs either. However, I do take my shoes off when I enter someone else's home but I also carry slippers so I'm not getting my socks dirty.

In California & Alabama I never cared. Minnesota changed my mind. In the winter, it's a must. Because of that, it just becomes habit the rest of the year. I don't actually know anyone here who doesn't take off their shoes.

I grew up taking my shoes off and having guest take off their shoes. When I was married, I did the same thing. Now, I still take off my shoes, but don't bother with the guest. But, I don't allow jeans on my bed. Whoever I'm dating would know the drill... LOL

ok we still have a tie.. let's hear more !

I keep my shoes on in my house and prefer that others do as well. I don't need them sloughing off their foot fungus all over my home.

I don't always take my shoes off when I come in, and I never request anyone else to.

I do out of habit but I have never asked anyone to remove their shoes. I have dogs and cats and vacuum often. My house is tidy, but old and lived in.

The wife new regulation were to take the shoe off as soon as entering the house. All must obay even guests.
She keeps the wooden floor clean so no issue in walking barefooted.