Shoes on around the house

ByGentleFatball · 2024-11-25T17:46:40+00:00

So another poster said that shoes on vs shoes off in the house isn't an issue that people feel strongly about. Not my experience at all! When my partner took me to his parent's house, he told me at the door to take off my shoes and he did the same. I'd never been in a shoes off home before that. One day, much later on, his mum was talking about how disrespectful someone was for just walking in her house with shoes on and how it was her looking down on them. I explained that I never would have done it either if partner didn't say so as I wasn't raised doing it. Her other kids piped up and said they reminded all their friends to do it if they knew they didn't at their own house or wasn't sure. Since then, I've seen that some people do feel really strongly about it for respect and/or hygiene reasons. Some equally defend not doing it, and not visiting homes who have that rule. Are you a shoes on or shoes off home? Have you experienced it as a divisive subject? Not unreasonable: I know people feel strongly either way Unreasonable: This isn't an issue anyone really cares about.

StandingSideBySide · 04/12/2025 17:44

I wouldn’t insist people change their clothes or don’t sit down just because they've used public transport on the way.

Boomer55 · 04/12/2025 16:28

If any tradesman has been outside ploughing through dirt and mud, then yes, it’s quite reasonable to ask for shoe-covers.

Other than that? No, I wouldn’t bother. 🤷‍♀️. I have laminate floors to make them visitor friendly.

Ytcsghisn · 27/11/2024 07:19

ForGreyKoala · 27/11/2024 02:09

Oh do bore off dear. I have an actual life, with far more interesting things to think about than how hygienic it is to wear shoes indoors. Being on MN is a revelation into the dull little lives some people inhabit.

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That’s one way to justify poor hygiene standards.

StandingSideBySide · 27/11/2024 02:12

Family shoes off
Visitors can leave their shoes on. Only because all of downstairs is bricks, floorboards or tiles though so easy to clean.

ForGreyKoala · 27/11/2024 02:09

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 20:55

So your standard for hygiene is anything that doesn’t make you ill? Low bar.

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Oh do bore off dear. I have an actual life, with far more interesting things to think about than how hygienic it is to wear shoes indoors. Being on MN is a revelation into the dull little lives some people inhabit.

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 20:55

ForGreyKoala · 26/11/2024 20:13

Maybe some of us don't live in such filthy countries! I find people who spend so much time thinking about germs and hygiene beyond boring. Does it ever occur to you that some of us have managed to reach retirement age doing all these things you find so "disgusting and unhygienic" without experiencing any more health issues than a yearly cold?

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So your standard for hygiene is anything that doesn’t make you ill? Low bar.

ForGreyKoala · 26/11/2024 20:15

stargazerlil · 26/11/2024 14:04

It’s already there, it’s poo on your bedcover….

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As I have already said, I don't live in the UK. The streets here are not paved with poo as they appear to be there.

Even if there is, what effect is it going to have on me - do tell!

ForGreyKoala · 26/11/2024 20:13

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 07:29

Shoes on in the house is disgusting and unhygienic. To walk around around outdoors, picking up all sorts on your shoes, and then walk into your home and spread it around, especially on carpets, but even on hard floors is gross.

Cue the weirdos who will come along and say ‘but I don’t lick my floors’. As though that’s the standard by which you measure hygiene.

It’s similar to people who will sit on or get in bed with their outdoor clothes. After having sat on public transport or seating in public areas. Those surfaces are absolutely gross. A vast number of people have terrible hygiene standards and sit on and use the same seating and spaces. How can you share the same seating and spaces and then not get changed before going sitting on what is supposed to be the most hygienic space where you place your face and sleep in - your bed.

Maybe some of us don't live in such filthy countries! I find people who spend so much time thinking about germs and hygiene beyond boring. Does it ever occur to you that some of us have managed to reach retirement age doing all these things you find so "disgusting and unhygienic" without experiencing any more health issues than a yearly cold?

Commonsense22 · 26/11/2024 16:00

H34th · 26/11/2024 12:39

For those saying that walking with shoes on is linked to privilege- of course it is. Historically upper classes had staff cleaning after them relentlessly.

But most of them don't now, not full time, and living in a house with muddy floors is the opposite of posh.

You can afford to change your carpets as often as you want, but it's still not good for your immune system to breathe in the dust that your shoes brought in on daily basis, neither is it healthy for your feet to be always in shoes.

Knowing what we know now, it is a very backward thing to do.

Speaking as someone who doesn't wear shoes in the house, this is such a judgemental and factually incorrect thing to say.
Some people seem to derive self-righteous pleasure from being as dust free as possible. Great, except often those same families have kids either allergies. And it's not the guests with muddy shoes or granny's unkempt house that cause them, no it's their very own squeaky clean one that hasn't prepared them for life.

I have a friend like this who just runs around trying to police everyone else when her own obsessive behaviour has caused her kids' health challenges.

At the very least, keep your behaviours to your household without judging other's for something so trivial - live and let live.

stargazerlil · 26/11/2024 14:04

ForGreyKoala · 25/11/2024 21:56

I'm 65 - how long is it going to take?

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It’s already there, it’s poo on your bedcover….

BigDahliaFan · 26/11/2024 13:55

We don't tend to have shoes on upstairs, but don't mind if visitors do. We find it mixed who does and who doesn't.

I'm happy to take my shoes off if someone asks me to

stargazerlil · 26/11/2024 13:53

CarolinaWren · 26/11/2024 02:04

Shoes off house here, with the exception of tradespeople. I immediately clean the floors when someone leaves after coming inside with shoes.

If a tv show character has their shoes on when they're lying on a bed or couch, that's all I can focus on.

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Me too it makes me feel ill. I have blue shoe covers for tradespeople.

stargazerlil · 26/11/2024 13:53

Allfur · 26/11/2024 07:43

What about dogs, do they have to wear shoes?

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why are you asking me? Can’t you decide for yourself.

H34th · 26/11/2024 12:39

For those saying that walking with shoes on is linked to privilege- of course it is. Historically upper classes had staff cleaning after them relentlessly.

But most of them don't now, not full time, and living in a house with muddy floors is the opposite of posh.

You can afford to change your carpets as often as you want, but it's still not good for your immune system to breathe in the dust that your shoes brought in on daily basis, neither is it healthy for your feet to be always in shoes.

Knowing what we know now, it is a very backward thing to do.

Themagicwishingchair · 26/11/2024 09:29

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 09:27

What makes you think everyone in the land has a dog?

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If you don’t have a dog fair enough, your rules but if you do have a cat of a dog you are talking shite.

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 09:27

Themagicwishingchair · 26/11/2024 09:20

Does it get on your dog’s paws ?

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What makes you think everyone in the land has a dog?

Themagicwishingchair · 26/11/2024 09:20

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 08:54

No it’s called hygiene. Quite a simple concept really. Shit outdoors on pavements gets on your shoes, no matter how careful you are. You transport it into your house when you wear shoes around the house. There some basic physics in there too.

And being unhygienic is not a pre requisite for having a strong immune system.

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Does it get on your dog’s paws ?

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 08:54

Allfur · 26/11/2024 08:39

Shoes on does not equal 'shit all over the floor', honestly the lengths people will go to justify being a germaphobe

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No it’s called hygiene. Quite a simple concept really. Shit outdoors on pavements gets on your shoes, no matter how careful you are. You transport it into your house when you wear shoes around the house. There some basic physics in there too.

And being unhygienic is not a pre requisite for having a strong immune system.

Grannyinnwaiting · 26/11/2024 08:52

I'm 60 and literally have only ever known one shoes off family. we only have hard floors so protecting carpets isn't an issue. That said we generally wear slippers indoors as they are more comfy.

Allfur · 26/11/2024 08:39

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 07:55

Yeah nothing wrong with shit all over your floors and dirt on your clothes, because unless you do this, you won’t have a good immune system.

Honestly, the lengths people will go to so they can justify poor hygiene.

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Shoes on does not equal 'shit all over the floor', honestly the lengths people will go to justify being a germaphobe

Original poster

ByGentleFatball · 26/11/2024 08:35

Point being, the people I believe are most likely to live in shoes off homes are not those with "first world problems". In fact, their hardship has meant they look after what they have.

OP posts:

Original poster

ByGentleFatball · 26/11/2024 08:32

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 08:23

No, Eastern cultures generally view personal hygiene a bit more strictly. The same reason why in eastern cultures, people wash themselves after going to the toilet, always. It’s got nothing to do with being poor.

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"Eastern cultures" aren't the only people who do this though. My partner's culture is known for it but still not everyone does it. The white British people I have known of doing things like that have been from lower socio-economic classes. Nearly every other part of the world has either something about shoes in the house from a respect or hygiene aspect. The only people who tend not to are Western Europeans and in particular, Brits.

OP posts:

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 08:23

ByGentleFatball · 26/11/2024 08:11

I actually think it's often more of a reflection of the financial hardship they have faced. It's a want to keep things like carpets which are seen as luxury clean. A bit like when older generations covered everything in plastic. It's a very working class thing to do.

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No, Eastern cultures generally view personal hygiene a bit more strictly. The same reason why in eastern cultures, people wash themselves after going to the toilet, always. It’s got nothing to do with being poor.

Zanatdy · 26/11/2024 08:12

we always take our shoes off in the hall, and so I always take or offer to take my shoes off when I enter someone’s home. Assumed everyone does, basic manners. Some say its fine (wood floors) but most do the same.

5FeetToBeExact · 26/11/2024 08:11

Ytcsghisn · 26/11/2024 07:29

Shoes on in the house is disgusting and unhygienic. To walk around around outdoors, picking up all sorts on your shoes, and then walk into your home and spread it around, especially on carpets, but even on hard floors is gross.

Cue the weirdos who will come along and say ‘but I don’t lick my floors’. As though that’s the standard by which you measure hygiene.

It’s similar to people who will sit on or get in bed with their outdoor clothes. After having sat on public transport or seating in public areas. Those surfaces are absolutely gross. A vast number of people have terrible hygiene standards and sit on and use the same seating and spaces. How can you share the same seating and spaces and then not get changed before going sitting on what is supposed to be the most hygienic space where you place your face and sleep in - your bed.

Amennnnnnnn!