to expect people to take their shoes/boots off?

[LargeGlassofVino]

I always take my shoes off when I go into someone else's house. I don't understand why you wouldn't. Why would you traipse crap all through someone's home? Most people seem to do it, but there is a hardcore of people that do not - am I being unreasonable to expect them to? Is it rude to tell them to take them off?
We have wood floor from front to back - does that make a difference?
My mum never takes her shoes off. She came over the other day when it was pouring with rain, wearing her big winter boots and went to walk straight through. I asked her to take them off as I'd not long ago mopped the floor. She was quite taken aback as I never ask - good old unassertive me that I usually am... When it was time to go, she went into the hall and brought the boots back into the living area, putting them on over the brand new rug (that we'd just been talking about, so she knew it was new). Aggghhh!
My SIL is just as bad. We had a party a few years ago when the wood floor was quite new, and she refused to remove her pointy high heels when my OH asked her to, as she 'hadn't painted her toenails'. All 40 or so other guests had taken them off except her. She came over for a dinner party the other night and it was the same - she stomped round my house in her big high heeled boots, when everyone else was in socks.
I'm no clean-freak by any stretch of the imagination. I am just surprised by this hardcore of people who think it's reasonable to keep their mucky shoes on. It's winter as well - of course they're mucky. And we have a crawling baby in the house - surely that's reason enough to take them off?
If I am being unreasonable, I'd love to know why...

I would never dream of taking my shoes off in someone's house

Why anyone wouuld prefer my potentially sweaty manky feet on their floors to germs - which humans are designed to cope with - is odd.

I would only take my shoes off if I had knowingly stepped in something nasty.

God yes there are some people I've met who I would FAR rather kept their shoes ON in my house.

Re grapes, you pay for them, THEN you eat them. That's the way it works.

I once took my shoes off in a very hot cinema (it was a rep. theatre with no air conditioning one very hot summer). I got some filthy looks and very quickly and embarrassedly put my shoes back on again. Like many people I have sweaty smelly feet - do you really want my footprints all over your lovely wooden floors plus mortified guests who go home as quickly as they possibly can?

My parents have athletes foot. When I visit them I always wear shoes, even into the bathroom because otherwise I go have to go home via the pharmacist (I loathe having athletes foot having had it for most of my childhood). Socks won't protect you from the feet of your guests, and I don't know anyone who goes around with a pair of slippers just in case they should discover that the people they are visiting have shoe phobias.

nooka - that's a good point, there are probably more places where it's a good idea to keep shoes ON for hygiene reasons.

You're much more likely to catch a verucca or athletes foot than some obscure pavement disease.

blimmin' 'eck, is this still going?

I usually eat one grape (to check they are nice ones) before I buy them - is that allowed?
My friend lets her DS choose a piece of fruit & a sweet treat when they get to the supermarket, which they then queue up & pay for. Then they go round & do the proper shop. They keep their shoes on at all times.

Shoes on in this house. I don't like people taking them off. It's not that they might have verrucas or other horrible things but just, I don't need them to, and they mostly aren't comfortable doing it.

Mostly downstairs we have hard surfaces (slate in the kitchen and dining room, wood everywhere else) so guests would be more comfortable in their shoes, I reckon.

Earth or mud are some of the "cleanest" types of dirt. Plenty of human beings have lived in mud huts (and some still do).

I take shoes off at home, but didn't used to ask guests to until the day that some family visited, kept their shoes on and trod fox poo into the carpets all the way through the house. Yuck.

Remind the rebels before they come to bring slippers or indoor shoes I guess? Nobody leaves shoes on here, so don't have that problem.
Many people have a box of assorted soft knitted slippers for guests to borrow.
Show your sister this.

"Indentations from Stiletto Heels on Shoes -- A stiletto heal can concentrate as much as 2,000 pounds per square inch on the floor. This type of heel has a diameter of approximately 3/8", and walking on any wood surface with stiletto heels is considered an abusive situation. Seller will not replace any Serenity Product damaged by stiletto heels on shoes." From www.serenityfloor.com/Warranty.aspx?node=3

tszuji.co.uk/sole-mates-high-heelers-heel-protectors/
5 pair for $20.00 here. www.ridancesport.com/index.php?page=shopping&cat=supplies

I would take mine off no problem and usually do if it's raining etc. I've never asked anyone to take them off yet, but that may change when we finally buy a place!

WFT is an 'indoor shoe' though?

Funny isn't it, I see shoe phobic and others see mannerless rebel (and of course I do take my shoes off if asked, I just really dislike doing so, it makes me feel uncomfortable and unwelcome) it's not really a common ground issue as the view points are just so different. I do still wonder just what has changed, because mud has been around forever, and carpets for a very long time, but taking shoes off is really not a British tradition. I suspect the overselling of detergents and utterly unnecessary (and very counterproductive) anti bacterial products has something to do with it.

Totally understand the stiletto issue, but then I don't understand why anyone wears them anywhere.

at home my shoes are always of and at most my friends i would do automatically anyway.My kids do it to and when they have friends over they tell them to take shoes of

But if going to a party i would not presume shoes of unless i knew person well and knew thats how they felt

i would love to tell people shoes of in my house but not quite got the omph to say it .Especially as once in my front door your walking past my bedroom etc in your shoes which im then walking around later

.Love to see professionals that come see ds3 go shoeless

An indoor shoe is one that is worn inside the house or office and then changed before venturing outside to an outdoor shoe - thus indoor shoes are never on pavements and can only pick up germs from around the loo. I had a girl come and stay with me for two months and she wore outdoor and indoor shoes, bless she had a few odd habits but i could set my clock by her making her hot water bottle and putting her face cream on

Really? Life’s too short. I think take shoes off to go upstairs is reasonable- not on entry to the house, I personally think it’s a bit pretentious- especially with easy to clean floors

My new step mother is like that and my poor DH has real problems taking his shoes off due to arthritis and fibromyalgia- he struggles with taking them off and putting them back on. He won’t visit anymore- can’t say I blame him.

Zombie!

I'm lead by what the homeowner does themselves. I'm my home shoes, slippers, socks or bare feet is fine whatever my guest is most comfortable with. I don't make it into a huge thing.

Hells bells I've been caught again!!!!! These Zombie Threads are a real pain.

I recently decorated my apartment, new wooden floors, and carpets, so not exactly cheap. So no, I don't want people ruining them with their pointy shoes or heavy boots.

They're immaculate and that's how I want them to stay. Don't want to take your shoes off? Fine don't come in! My home my rules.

YADNBU

Do zombies wear shoes, in their crypts or wherever they live?

This topic was done to death not very long ago, and has been many times before!

@wanderings YABU! Zombies dont live in crypts!

It is very poor etiquette to ask people to take their shoes off. If they offer fine, but do not ask, if cleaning floors is that big a deal then don’t invite anyone in. I am also baffled as to why you need to when you have wooden floors that can be easily wiped anyway.

Totally unreasonable.

@Biancadelriosback They do in one of my computer games! But I suppose zombies don't live full stop, by definition. I must do more research before Hallowe'en.

(Goes outside for fresh air: no need to put trainers on, as I was wearing them already. My house, my rules!)

If that is what is done in a house, then their house, their rules.