Was it rude to ask guests to remove shoes on rug?

[AurielleBaies]

I had a group of 15 people over last summer. I hosted drinks and nibbles in the garden. We had just bought a new rug in the living room and it’s jute with white threads going through, so can’t be washed. Basically if it gets stained there isn’t much in the way of cleaning it off annoyingly.

I asked if anyone wanted to go on the rug/sit on the sofa if they would mind taking take their shoes off. I didn’t mind anyone being on the wood floor with shoes on but the rug I didn’t want shoes on. One friend of mine was visibly offended and hasn’t really spoken to me since!

I asked my other friends if I had said anything wrong and they said they no, they can’t even remember what I said and it’s a non issue.

Is saying to a group of people ‘would you mind not going on the rug with your shoes on’ so bad?!

I have a friend who has visitors change into slippers when they arrive. So long as you are in non carpeted areas slippers are fine, however when entering a carpeted area slippers are removed. Bare feet are not permitted either. So when I visit if I am not in hose or socks I put a pair in my purse. After I remove my shoes and before I put the slippers on I put on socks. I have no issue with exchanging my shoes for slippers but I am at a loss as to why slippers cannot be worn on the carpet. It is her home so her rules need to be adhered to.

Perhaps her feet smell.

I'm surprised she has any visitors.

I think no shoes on the new rug is a perfectly reasonable request (especially given your previous fox poo incident). If she's taken offence then let her get on with it, but you may just be overthinking things. Don't worry!

No. It's fine