On or Off? The Shoe Thing

A SE Asian friend recently commented how disgusting it was that some people wore outdoor shoes inside the house.

In most cultures in East and South East Asia, shoes are removed before entering any home. In Japan, even the tiniest apartments are usually designed with a hallway space for changing and leaving shoes. And across SE Asia, most places will have similar spaces, and/or racks for shoe storage outside the front door.

Inside Asian homes either bare feet or house slippers are worn. Which (assuming the home is also kept clean) ensures much more hygienic floors.

But in Europe, we often wear our outside shoes indoors.

For most UK homes, wearing shoes inside - or not - is usually just family preference. Some owners prefer guests to remove footwear; others don't. My family - which has Asian influence - would remove shoes and wear warm socks or slippers inside. But unless the outdoor shoes are very muddy or dirty (and don't forget there are hefty doormats for wiping them before entry, too) it is not generally seen as disgusting or insulting to wear them inside.

There are reasons for this. It is not just Europeans being unhygienic!

In East/SE Asia, traditionally, floors were/are used for sitting and sleeping on. But in many parts of Europe we have never really done that. Floors have one purpose: walking on. And not barefoot (too cold!) Even basic Anglo Saxon homes - in England, over 1000 years ago - used benches to sit on, and raised beds to sleep on. And earlier Roman counterparts had even smarter furniture!

Due to harsh winter climates, modest Anglo Saxon homes, for example, also housed livestock for part of the year. The family depended on these creatures for milk, meat, etc - because there is no harvest for the bleak months - and nobody wanted these precious animals to die of cold. But obviously, nobody wants to sit on THAT floor, either!

Reconstructed Anglo Saxon home

Regardless of creatures, a European floor would also be the coldest, dampest and draughtiest place to be. Far better (and maybe healthier) to be on something elevated, like a bench or a chair. You'll probably find public announcements even today in the West (plus countless parents instructing their children) "Keep Your Shoes Off the Furniture". We also don't want to sit in outdoor dirt!

Basically, floors have never been a social place in the UK, and many other European cultures.

In tropical SE Asia, by comparison, the cooler floor area was a good place to be. Also, the architecture in places like early Malaysia and Indonesia was different - with traditional wooden buildings raised above the soil. This was to allow air to circulate underneath, and through the floor - for even better cooling! In the absence of winters, livestock were kept underneath the building, not inside. So it made perfect sense to use the already raised floor as a seating, social and eating space.

Malay 'kampung' home raised on stilts

Even in temperate climates like Japan, traditional buildings were generally raised a little above the ground. And the floor - covered with tatami - was (and still is sometimes today) used for sitting and sleeping. So again, it was imperative that floors were immaculate and free from outside dirt. 

There is also some suggestion that Chinese cultures believed that barefoot walking (for foot stimulation) at home was good for health. As well as it being comfortable in warmer climates. So, yep, very clean floors desirable all round!

Japanese tatami

To go to an Asian home today and not remove your shoes, would be considered very uncouth and possibly even an insult for the host. Even though you will probably find IKEA chairs and beds there, just like everywhere else in the world. Remove the footwear! (And ensure you have clean socks and/or a decent pedicure!) Though interestingly, I have never come across an Asian office where shoes are removed.

Another, lesser, modern factor in the UK is the simple practicality of storing shoes. Smaller Western homes or apartments might not be equipped with hall or 'porch' areas to leave shoes. Because it is not an obligatory part of our culture. And you would not wish to leave them in any common space outside your home (which can be done very happily in places like Singapore) because there is a likelihood of theft! Items left outdoors in the cold would also become quickly damp and rot. So quite often, shoes are stored somewhere else in the family home - such as in a wardrobe or closet away from the entry area.

Anyway, my rule for European homes? Be prepared to remove your shoes, and ask the host as you arrive if s/he would like you to, or not. A stack of shoes near the doorway could be a clue that this household prefers socks and house slippers indoors! Asian homes, obviously: always remove :) 

*Incidentally, 'slippers' are two different things in the UK and SE Asia. In SE Asia, the word refers to rubber 'flip-flops'. In England, the word means soft, usually warm, fabric or sheepskin shoes specifically for indoors and bedrooms. 

Photo creds: Anglo Saxon home via W&G Robinson; Tatami room courtesy of loveartlab; flip-flops/slippers - havaianas.