Floors are subject to incredible wear and tear. One way to protect your home’s floors is to provide a place for children and guests to sit down and remove their outdoor shoes and boots at the door. The Japanese do this by leaving slippers at the front door and there is usually one step up into the house to remind you to remove your shoes.

When people wear their street shoes into the house, they’re going to track all sorts of dirt through the house which requires more cleaning. Homeowners who establish rules for leaving shoes at the door will save cleaning time. They also save money because their flooring will last longer and require less professional cleaning.

Slippers for Anyone and Everyone

While the most important reason for wearing slippers is to protect your floors, there are lots of other benefits. Slippers can help keep your feet warm, especially on tile floors that can get very cold. This is especially true in finished basements which are often used for children’s playrooms. It’s quite common to wear slippers after bathing and before you get dressed. Those who spend a lot of time on their feet in the kitchen, can benefit from slippers with cork that provides cushioning for tired legs.

Benches at Entryways (Front and Back) Encourage Putting on Slippers

Too often homeowners don’t recognize the damage caused by dirty shoes until it’s time to sell their home, as happened recently with one of my handyman customers. The cost and time to refinish floors is often worth making an effort to have family and guests wear slippers in your home. Fun slippers and an easy place to sit while putting them on will make a big difference. Following Japanaese custom, it also helps to have shelves to swap shoes for slippers.

Author: tinagleisner: Tina Gleisner is passionate about helping women home owners LEARN about their homes, CONNECT with home professionals committed to delivering quality home products, and CREATE homes that support their lifestyle. Leveraging her experience as the owner of a handyman business, Tina created the Assn of Women Home Owners at www.HomeTips4Women.com.