I moved to England from Hong Kong recently. I found that it is common to see these holes (tiny doorway arch looking thing) in front of houses. What are they?

  • FlyLikeAMouseEnglish
    45·
    1 year ago

    It’s for scraping the mud off the bottoms of your shoes!

    • andyli@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      14·
      1 year ago

      Oh, interesting. Is there a name for this?

      I’ve heard there are tiny sculptures made for scraping mud off shoes. Didn’t know it can be built into the entrance.

      • andyli@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
        6·
        1 year ago

        I didn’t know that area is called mud room, though I understand it’s the first place into indoor where you leave shoes.

        Learned one more thing! Thanks!

        • homebrew_@lemmy.worldEnglish
          6·
          1 year ago

          “Mud room” is an American thing. It’s a whole friggin room with tile floor, probably the washer/dryer, etc., usually the first room off the garage entrance in my experience. It might not translate to other countries.

          • KairuByte@lemmy.worldEnglish
            3·
            1 year ago

            They exist in Canada as well. They’re actually a great idea. You happen to be dirty? Don’t want to traipse that dirt through a clean house? Just take off your dirty clothes right there and throw them directly into the washing machine.

            Also means you have a dedicated laundry room, instead of the insanity I see sometimes where it’s in the kitchen, or a bathroom, or the basement, or just hanging out in the hallway behind a door.

            • ZyQo@lemmy.worldEnglish
              2·
              1 year ago

              Absolutely disgusting to have laundry in the kitchen like in England but the bathroom is totally normal here. Like 90% of all houses here have the washer and dryer in the bathroom.

              Dirt in the house isn’t a problem. I’m confident 100% of the population here don’t wear shoes inside the house