The controversy over shoes on or shoes off.

These days, it’s common for guests to ask their host or hostess whether they should remove their shoes upon entering their home. What’s the correct answer?

There are a few considerations when determining whether you will be a shoes on or shoes off household. The first is perhaps hygiene. A recent opinion piece in The Washington Post called ‘Wearing shoes in the house is gross’ comes down firmly on the side of shoes off for hygienic reasons. Shoes worn outside are covered in contaminants, including bacteria, viruses, and even lead. A University of Arizona study found bacteria on the outsides of 96% of shoes, which is more than is found on hands or floors. Among the contaminants discovered were harmful bacteria such as E. coli, which can cause urinary and intestinal tract infections as well as meningitis, and Klebsiella, which can cause pneumonia.

However, a second consideration is context. For many households, the contaminants tracked into a home on the outside surfaces of shoes in themselves may not be a health hazard. If you have pets or toddlers crawling around on the floor or if you often sit on the floor, you might consider the implications of shoes worn in the house, but if you clean your floor and wash your hands regularly, the cycle of transmission from a shoe to the floor to ingestion is likely less frequent, so wearing shoes inside some of the time or allowing a guest to do so may not be cause for concern.

Interestingly, ‘Wearing shoes in the house is gross’ received mixed – and often emotional – responses. The third consideration is culture. In the ‘shoes on’ camp, some hosts and hostesses feel that allowing guests to remove their shoes creates an informal and comfortable atmosphere, inviting guests to make themselves at home. Some hosts even offer their guests a pair of slippers to change into, transforming the guest from an ‘outsider’ to an ‘insider.’ In cultures throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, keeping your shoes on in someone’s home is a sign of disrespect. In countries such as Japan, the removal of shoes is a traditional practice dating back to a time when guests sat on mats on the floor of someone’s home. It’s common to find shoe storage provided at the entrances to many such homes and the expectation is explicit: a guest should remove their shoes upon entry.

CBS Sunday Morning recently ran a segment called Shoes on or off? in which longtime advice columnist Amy Dickinson weighed in on the debate. She says that when a host asks her to remove her shoes, she feels they are valuing their floors more than they are valuing her comfort. Guests might feel uncomfortable being asked to remove their shoes or walk around your house barefoot. It may also assume a level of intimacy that the guest does not feel with the host. She also points out, after a walk around her home near the Finger Lakes, that her dog is bringing in whatever happens to find its way onto her shoes, too, concluding that ‘country people’ wear their shoes in the house and expect others to do the same.

A final consideration are the rugs in the home.  If they are priceless or light colored, a host may not want detritus from guests’ shoes to get on the carpets.

So, we remain divided on the matter. Nearly two in three Americans believe it’s ‘shoes off’ whereas just over one-third of Americans are ‘shoes on.’ My feeling is that the best policy is to allow guests to do whatever they feel most comfortable with – shoes on or off – and clean your floors regularly, particularly following a particularly populated visit. Dr. Kelly Reynolds, PhD, MSPH, professor, environmental microbiologist, and chair of the department of community, environment, and policy at the University of Arizona, conductors of the aforementioned study, recommends that we look for disinfectant in our cleaners which indicates that it is certified to kill both viruses and bacteria. She also wants us vacuuming at least weekly and cleaning our shoes regularly, which is good for our shoes, too! However, given the hygienic implications, it’s probably best if members of the household leave their shoes at the door.