morand's Profile

Oh, it's definitely a regional thing. I live in Turkey we never ask any of our guests to take their shoes off because they would be like, "duh", if we did. No one wears shoes at home here.

My cousin moved in Cleveland a couple of years ago and she stayed there for a year. She says she never felt the need of no-shoes policy because the streets are so clean in spring and summer. It's just impossible to do so here when you see so many people who spit on the streets and don't bother with cleaning their dogs' poo.

About guests, I don't think it's rude to ask them take off their shoes as long as there's a certain relationship between you and them. For example, my friends and family often come to my house, uninvited for short visits almost everyday and I would expect them to take off their shoes even if I were living in some other country with clean streets.

If there is a serious visit though, like a dinner or a cocktail party, it'd be rude to ask them to come in shoeless, I think. No matter how much you love your carpets.