If you are a 'shoes off' household, do you/how do you get guests to comply without being rude?

[Gemzooks]

We always take our shoes off and wear slippers at home. lived in Russia and Kazakhstan where that is the norm and got used to it, now it seems gross to come in and tread in all the dirt from outside.

However, how do we manage with guests? As most people aren't used to it? Do you just bite your lip and ignore it, or just provide slippers in a rather obvious way?/ have loads of outdoor shoes in the hall (the passive-aggressive approach)

any tips appreciated!

[whispywhisp]

We have always been a no-shoes indoors household...I like to keep my carpets clean rather than drag in whats outside!

Anyway as regards visitors...I never ask them to take their shoes off but most people do pick up on the fact we don't wear shoes due to the pile of them in the porch and do take theirs off but I would never ask them to do so....and those that don't do wipe their shoes before they come indoors!

I personally think its rather ignorant of people not to atleast offer to remove their shoes especially when they can see we don't wear them. Most of the time they beat me to it and remove them, fortunately. But I don't insist on it either.

[tessieb]

I prefer people to take shoes off and find visitors generally do without being asked. The problem is if I have something being delivered or tradesmen in - they just come in with their big boots on, but I think sometimes they have to for health and safety reasons. I suppose I can't expect someone delivering flat packed furniture to stop at the door, put down whatever they're carrying, take their shoes off, then carry stuff into house. Wish I could though!!!

[tessieb]

Also, when you think what people could be treading in outside and bringing inside - yuk!

[funnypeculiar]

ds tells them

[phdlife]

we just ask.

none of our friends wear $400 Manolos so they're usually fine with it

[Tortington]

i think its rude to ask guests. unless you have a huge amount of traffick

[blinks]

it's a bloody carpet, not spun gold

[blithedance]

Ok - from the other point of view:

You enter acquaintance's house. They are wearing slippers, pile of shoes by door. Not clear whether is shoes-off house or just relaxing. You have no slippers/no socks on/ hole in sock. Nobody says anything. Usually I would be more embarrassed taking shoes off than leaving them on.

You could always say "Feel free to leave your shoes" to guests so they know what is expected.

[ghosty]

If you have a party, I mean a grown up party, when people come dressed nicely with nice shoes on and everything ...
Do you expect people to take off their shoes and wear slippers?

[ForeverOptimistic]

I bite my lip and ignore it. It is annoying, we don't have a hallway in our house so all the muck comes straight into our house. Most of my friends usually say put your shoes and coats over there so it is obvious.

[ghosty]

Yes, but do you expect someone there for a party to take their nice shoes off and sit there in tights or bare feet?
That I find rude.

[smugmumofboys]

I've never had to ask (and wouldn't as it's a bit rude) but most visitors clock the shoe mountain by the front door and the light carpet and automatically take them off.

[ComeOVeneer]

All my friends and family seem to have a "no shoes" policy so we've never had an issue. I would never expect/nor ask people when over for dinner/party etc. For most of us that is the only chance we get to where nice shoes

[ComeOVeneer]

wear.

[tonysoprano]

It's very bad form to ask people to take thier shoes off.

[tonysoprano]

their before you all go crazy

[hifi]

i have those blue shoe covers for trades men, many of them cant remove boots cos of elf and safety.

[NorkyButNice]

I would never ask a guest to remove their shoes, and I'm fairly sure that delivery men won't do so for Health and Safety reasons (as someone else mentioned).

Personally when visiting someone's house I always ask if I should take my shoes off.

[Anna8888]

Agree with posters who say that it is incredibly rude to expect visitors to your home to take their shoes off.

[expatinscotland]

carpets are minging.

even if you're a shoe-free household, they're vile and filty and unhygenic.

if you want clean floors, get wood, lino, tile or laminate with underflood heating.

no shoes makes little difference.

[expatinscotland]

asking guests to remove their shoes is rude.

even worse pressing them to wear some grotty slippers god-knows-whose feet have been in.

yuck.

get another type of floor covering and clean up after they go if you're that precious about your floor.