Why do Americans prefer to wear shoes indoors?

I don't know but I'm British and we take our shoes off.

It is just the way some people have been taught. AT home I have a tendency to be barefoot, but when I go to someone else's house I usually keep my shoes on because it would be considered rude to take them off, unless I am close enough to the person to feel like it is my home too. I was taught that only people from Asian cultures take their shoe off when coming in doors as a matter of course.

Isabel, I'm American and I would probably fit in with you better than you think. I really HATE shoes in the house and always take them off at the door.

I'm never barefoot either. Being in my socks is one of the comforts of home. If you ever visit my house, you can take your shoes off. I won't find it weird at all. Life is better when you have stocking feet all the time, don't you agree?

I don't think it's that they prefer to wear shoes indoors. I'd love to be barefoot all the time. It's just part of the culture and the way you were raised. When I go to someone's house and they have very light carpet, I will generally take my shoes off, but I would walk around barefoot all the time if I good, but it's not exactly considered well mannered to walk around barefoot everywhere. Especially an office. But in some settings it feels weird to take shoes off, like at a nice dinner party at someone's house. I wouldn't feel comfortable walking around barefoot because it's a more formal setting. I don't find it rude if someone walks in my house with their shoes on and I don't care if they take them off either. I leave it up to the person. I think it's just that it's not a standard practice in our culture to remove them.

As a whole, it's really bad for carpet to walk around barefoot on. The oil from your feet will mess up your carpet with years of wear and tear. My husbands stepmother does not walk around barefoot and doesn't like for others to in her house either. You are to wear either house slipper, socks or shoes. As for our house, we walk around barefoot all the time, I could careless if my carpet looks dingy in 20 years, we'll just replace it.

I also agree with others, walking around barefoot causes a whole new array of problems with fungus and stuff. It's really nasty going into a bathroom barefoot. Yuck!

I always have my shoes off. But if I go into someone's house or someone comes into mine, we keep them on. It's awkward to take them off and have to put them back on before you leave. It's more of an awkward convenience thing for me

Because that's just what we do. I lived in both Russia and Ukraine and there I had to take my shoes off when entering someones home, and that's just too strange for Americans.

Because they are embarresed of their feet :I

I personally prefer it when they take their shoes off. I come from an asian family so, I guess it's custom. I mean, what if the person stepped in cat guts? Or a big bug? You don't want that all over your floors.

As an Asian, we take our shoes off and wear slippers indoors. Not sure about America though...

Yeah not really sure, but Asian families also take shoes off.

Ever heard of foot fungus or bad hygiene. Personally I don't want some nastyass having his/her feet on my carpet and I would rather brave their shoes.