House Shoes and Slippers to Keep Your Feet Cozy and Floors Clean

There are lots of benefits of wearing house shoes or slippers. Your feet don’t get chilly from tile or wood floors. Slippers also don’t magnetically attract dirt as bare feet do, nor do they stain like white socks. Even better, a nice pair of house shoes helps keep your home clean too, by keeping skin oils and shoe-sole grime off of your carpets. There are several different kinds to choose from—here are a few styles to consider.

There are a bunch of different common designs for slippers—boots, open-back, moccasin—but which one you like generally depends on personal preference, the weather and how warm you naturally run. When you’re looking for house shoes for warmer weather (or if you run hot), don’t forget the flip flop. Whether you go with a common rubber thong or cushier, cozier version, as long as they don’t go outside, flip flops are perfect for walking around the house.

Slides are a great house slipper option for warmer climates because they offer more foot protection than flip flops, but won’t make you feel constricted or sweaty. (They also won’t flip back up and make that irritating “slapping” sound against your feet the way some cheap thongs do.)

The backless look is one of the most classic slipper forms—and the laziest. You can shove your feet right in, great for sleepy mornings when you’re still getting your wits about you, and they’ll drop right off at the end of the night. But along the way, they’ll provide protection from stubbed toes and more warmth than a slide or flip flop.

Sometimes, due to poor circulation or living in a chilly place, minimal slippers just won’t cut it. It’s cold out there! If that describes you, go for a boot-style design that will hold in body heat better than a mule. For even more warmth, look for a style lined with cozy fleece.