To think it's really rude to keep your shoes on when you visit someone's home

No it’s not. It should be expected that you don’t traipse rain, mud and filth all over peoples floors and carpets for them to clean.

When I lived in Japan you weren’t even allowed to wear your shoes inside hotels. You leave them by the hotel’s front door.

My in-laws are militant about shoes off in their house, to the point where they'd make snide remarks in our house because we had our shoes on. Each to their own in their own home but don't be rude about it in somebody else's house. Personally I'd rather people feel comfortable in my home - so whether they want to take them off or not is fine by me. We have a mat at the front door and nobody has ever walked in without wiping their shoes first. I also really struggle with shoes off as I've had plantar fasciitis for a year and the only thing that seems to address it is not walking barefoot and so I'm mindful of the fact that requiring somebody to take their shoes off might actually cause them pain, which is hardly welcoming.

Yep it’s for sure a thing in Germany, for example.

It’s not just south Asians. I think globally shoes off is the norm across Asia, Africa, lots of Europe.

In my home people don't get asked to take off shoes. So I wouldn't automatically do so elsewhere. Of course I would do if requested though. None of my close friends have this rule. Not that I'd mind if they did.

I know that many south Asian homes are shoe free. So I guess if I went to a south Asian person's house and saw shoes lined up I'd take the initiate to remove them.

we have three dogs. I could scour my flours with bleach and one minute later they all trample inside and who knows what they've run through outside? So we're not a shoes off home as I feel our floors are dirty even immediately after washing them.

I could never go barefoot or socks only, makes my skin crawl to think the germs the dogs may have. And they're fairly clean dogs but I assume they've run through peed on grass at the minimum.

And my dear this is so rude…everyone coming is family.. my adult kids and their partners, my siblings and their spouses and kids, kids partners and grandkids, my father. My ILs with their kids. So 4 generations and both sides of the family. Hardly Hyacinth Bucket.. more good craic in a large extended family.

Actually, yes. This would be ideal. Really doesn’t give the guest any choice in the matter!

We are a militantly shoes off house. It’s disgusting to wear outdoor shoes inside! We have a selection of hotel slippers for fusspots.

This is so Hyacinth Bucket 😂😂

No, I'm afraid it wouldn't really be solved by having a seat near the door. His motor skills and coordination are deteriorating and lot, as is his spine, and all will continue to get worse.

He would have to have help with his shoes. He wouldn't want that and would find it embarrassing.

I think it’s rude too!!

Surely the answer just comes down to what type of flooring is at the party. If it was on a tiled/wooden floor then there likely wouldn’t be an expectation to remove shoes. If it was on a carpeted flooring then I would expect to remove my shoes. I would actually feel uncomfortable walking on someone’s clean carpet with outdoor shoes. Alternatively, I wouldn’t think anything of walking on a tiled or wooden floor with shoes on.

Do you keep a basket of brand new, spa type slippers, vacuum packed, by the door for anyone visiting? Single use, obviously. Very unreasonable if you don't.

Tiles are very popular in Spain though and easy to clean.

They are also very hard wearing, probably the most hard wearing floor type.

You can tell in our house as there’s a pile of shoes that’s shaped like a volcano as you step in the front door

Not this nonsense again! I’ve never seen this happen in real life and would consider it terribly rude to ask someone to remove their shoes.

In Austria in apartment blocks they have shoe racks in the hallways outside the Apartment door. Its a clear sign to remember to remove them! Makes sense with the snow, mud and grit.

This is really interesting, as I live in Spain and its the opposite here, shoes off is considered extremely rude and its expected to dress fully in the morning and that includes shoes.
Indoor shoes are only worn after undressing for the night and never ever in tbe hours guests might turn up

I usually ask the first time I go to someone's house. If I go to a shoes off house, I make sure I am wearing slip ons which I can easily take on and off. I would feel very uncomfortable messing abut with laces or buckles in somebody's hallway. Personally, we generally have no shoes upstairs (carpet), but no hard and fast rule.

I have come across this - they are washable ones that you wear over your socks if you want to

I haaaaate people wearing shoes in my house but I also hate confrontation so I end up feeling really uncomfortable and doing a lot of cleaning when they leave. The worst ones for me are the visitors who I know don’t wear their shoes in their own home - so why do they don it in mine?? But now I feel like it’s been going on so long I can’t ask. The only exceptions to this is when we’re having a bbq or something and people are in and out of the house a lot, I’d let it slide then, knowing I’ll be cleaning after the event, anyway, but still would expect people to take their shoes off if going upstairs.

I also find it strange that at my child’s nursery they wear their shoes all day, indoors and out (they have wellies for when it’s wet) - surely could have indoor shoes and outdoor shoes? Took DC to a doctor in Austria earlier in the year and everyone takes their shoes off when entering. I think I live in the wrong country!

I keep trying to think of ways to get people to take their shoes off when they come in without asking - eg in lots of other countries it’s normal to offer guests slippers to wear whilst visiting. I don’t want to be passive aggressive though and know I should just be more direct about it!

when I visit other peoples houses I always take my shoes off, unless the people I’m visiting insist I don’t need to and are wearing theirs inside.

It's far ruder to assume it's ok to wear shoes in someone's house than it is to ask someone to remove their shoes indoors.

That’s a matter of opinion. I disagree.

Most of the time peoples feet are sweaty it's because they are wearing shoes or trainers anyway.

It's far ruder to assume it's ok to wear shoes in someone's house than it is to ask someone to remove their shoes indoors.

I'm confused by all the sweaty feet comments. Surely this isn't a common problem? I can't recall ever having sweaty feet and most people are wearing socks so their actual feet aren't even in contact with the floor.

Slippers that other people wear, too?