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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think wearing shoes indoors is disgusting?

542 replies

CJ2010 · 07/03/2011 20:24

I have a 'No shoes worn in the home' rule at my own house but I have noticed that a lot of people are not fussed if peps walk into their houses with their shoes on. Why do they allow this?

Last night when I arrived at my mum's, she ordered me not to enter the living room, as she had accidentially trod dog poo through the room and was busy scrubbing the floor. All because she bizzrely wears her shoes in her home. How hard is it to take your shoes off in the hallway, once you get home?

I tried to hide my annoyance as it is her home, but I wouldn't allow DD to crawl about on the floor. The room stunk of poo and i felt sick.

AIBU?

OP posts:
diddl · 09/03/2011 21:43

"so I will leave my boots on thanks"

Not over here you wouldn´t!

usualsuspect · 09/03/2011 21:48

I wouldn't visit you so no problem there then Grin

expatinscotland · 09/03/2011 22:07

That makes two of us, usual :o.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 09/03/2011 22:10

make that 3 Grin

Usual and expat - you're welcome over here with your boots whenever you want Wink. (so long as you'r enot going to trump my Timberlands with them.........)

LadyBiscuit · 09/03/2011 22:13

4! Who wants to come for a shoes on party round at my place? :o

Bogeyface · 09/03/2011 22:17

5 Wink

Woodlands · 09/03/2011 22:24

I have to say it drives me mad when my friends are round with their toddler and they let her stand on my sofa with her shoes on. Take her shoes off FGS!

exoticfruits · 09/03/2011 22:35

Don't let them stand on the sofa!

PepsiPopcorn · 09/03/2011 22:53

Yes please LadyBiscuit! I'll be there :o Will bring Wine

veg2grow · 09/03/2011 22:59

There is a no shoe policy in our house too & we don't have carpets either.

Streets/roads are dirty...people spit on them, animals poo and urinate on them....need I go on?

iggi999 · 09/03/2011 23:28

Has anyone ever caught athlete's foot from the foot of an unshoe-d guest?
Just wondering.

startail · 09/03/2011 23:33

UABU my feet are always cold.
Never took my shoes off anywhere as a child. Seems to be a strange modern habit, that goes along side universal central heating and cream carpets.

pgpg · 09/03/2011 23:37

I think I've wandered into a parellel universe. If I wandered through mud in my wellies to someone's house (or indeed, to my own)I would expect to take them off and leave them outside until they could be cleaned. If not, I would expect to wipe my shoes on a mat and come in! I understand that people have different views - I had NO IDEA how different these views were from mine before tonight!

I'm quite distressed to think that there are people who think it's disgusting to wear shoes inside! If I knew it was what was preferred, I would do my best to be obliging, but I would think it was rather fussy and I would feel uncomfortable!

Mind you, I am a bit of a slob... A slob who likes to make people feel welcome and at home though...

iggi999 · 09/03/2011 23:41
gaelicsheep · 09/03/2011 23:45

I swear that some people's lives are so sheltered and sanitised they must be scared to venture outside their own little sterile bubble. How on earth do any of you cope with public transport? Or supermarkets? Or anything actually.

How can you cope with the concept of someone else having touched your shopping trolley? They might have gone to the loo without washing their hands. Oh gosh, that same person might have touched the tray you're using for the food you're buying in that cafe. What if the food isn't wrapped, and you're about to eat it? Your baby's cuddly falls on the floor in that cafe? OMG, but somebody might have stepped in dog poo and walked on that exact same bit of floor? Can the baby have the cuddly back before you've washed it?

Gosh it's truly terrifying isn't it? I wonder any of you can ever step outside your own front doors.

Catnao · 09/03/2011 23:54

I will shamefacedly admit that we are a shoe wearing household. I will take shoes off if that's the rule somewhere, obviously, but I don't like it (normally germ ridden shoes, I mean, as others have said, not filthy ones).

But the shoe thing is not as weird in my opinion as the family we had lunch with some years back. The parents announced cheerfully "And now we are all going to wash our hands" before the lunch, and we had to queue up, a bit like in primary school. And use a "Nice lot of soap".

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 10/03/2011 00:03

catnao the queuing up and using "nice lot of soap" sounds slightly strange - but don't we all teach our children when young to wash their hands before they eat?

I know I used to..........kind of slipped out of the habit though.

In Zimbabwe it was very normal for the host (or if it was just the family there whoever was cooking dinner - or the kid Grin) to bring through a large jug of warm water and a (clean) towel and bowl. Then each person would wash their hands with the host pouring some of the warm water over their hands (with the bowl to catch the water). Before every meal.

Bumblequeen · 10/03/2011 00:43

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 10/03/2011 00:55

okay..............so

I come to your house and as requested take off my shoes..........

How do you know that I didn't run out to put the bin out in my socks, or go and check on the DS's in the garden with no shoes on and have filthy socks???

oh and Even dried dog poo looks nothing like mud Confused

Did you never sit on the street and play when you were a kid (well not on the street on the pavement obviously).

exoticfruits · 10/03/2011 07:54

The whole attitude makes me want to wander the pavements in bare feet in the summer-what will people do then-make me wash them on the doorstep?!

Ephiny · 10/03/2011 08:05

I thought it was normal to wash your hands before eating as well, I always do this if possible Confused

youmaynotlikethis · 10/03/2011 08:14

its discusting/unhygenic to wear shoes in the house,they have been outside walking on allsorts why would anyone want to drag them into their house
YANBU

exoticfruits · 10/03/2011 08:16

It is also very good for you to walk around all day (outside)barefoot.

diddl · 10/03/2011 08:33

"I wouldn't visit you so no problem there then"

Fine!

But you wouldn´t be welcome in anyone else´s house here either.

People who say why should they take shoes off-it is like saying that they are dirty, if you don´t take shoes off you are causing offense by implying that someone´s carpets/floors are not clean enough to be walked on without shoes.

exoticfruits · 10/03/2011 08:37

She would be welcome in mine! I am not alone-I put guests before the state of the floors and I also don't want people wandering around my house in bare feet or socks. If they have muddy shoes I assume they are adult and will remove them. The first duty of a guest is to make their guest comfortable-otherwise you are like Hyacinth Bucket and her 'hand painted perriwinkle china' and people are terrified to visit!