To expect people to take there shoes off? Sorry rant ahead!

[Damash12]

We've recently had a new carpet and it's not f@@;ing rocket science to see we have added a shoe rack near the back door but why do people look at you with a put out expression when they ask the question "do I need to take my shoes off?" and you reply "yes". And what's worse is those that know but still choose to walk in and just not bother or the best one, those that keep their shoes on and bloody tip toe around the place, like that makes it ok. I've actually had 1 visitor roll there eyes when I've asked them to come round the back, it's about 5 yards FFS!! Rant over!

no, its because people might not feel comfortable taking thier shoes off, you are a guest in someones house and they are not concerned about your comfort but abuot thier flooring. et ergo, et al, the flooor is more important that your comfort.

a peice of material that is immaterial is more important than thier living flesh and bloood guest.

Hmmm I still can't get my head around it. Why would someone feel uncomfortable in socks rather than shoes when they are indoors? Unless the house was filthy dirty of course but you probably wouldnt want to stay there long anyway. Genuine question though, I'm not being an arse!

Well, maybe because some people spend time figuring out what shoes match their clothes.

Or because they have holes in their socks.

Or because they have ugly feet.

I could list a million reasons why people don't want to take off their shoes.

We are a no shoes house but I would never ask my mother in law, for example, to remove her shoes. Or my father in law. They wear shoes all the time in their own house, or hard soled slippers that they also wear in their garden so they might as well be regular shoes in terms of cleanliness.

When my oldest brother and my sister in law were here for a visit, my sister in law specifically asked me if she could keep her shoes on. I of course said 'yes, whatever makes you comfortable.'

That's being a good host, IMHO.

Omg, not for a minute did I expect such a vast amount of comments both slating and agreeing.

I was just staggered.

Who would have imagined ?

Ugly feet? With socks on? I've heard it all now haha! Thanks for the examples though Tee.

Cumfy

Most people's feet are MINGING. I would rather not see them.

Not everyone wears socks, though, do they? Or if they are wearing heels, they may be wearing hose, which is translucent.

I can't believe I have to point this out to grown people...

Why would someone feel uncomfortable in socks rather than shoes when they are indoors?

Tee2072 has stated them. I only have to do it one house and then walk across a kitchen with flagstone floor-my feet are freezing.

Omg, not for a minute did I expect such a vast amount of comments both slating and agreeing

You obviously haven't read the many, many MN threads on the subject. I doubt if anyone changes their mind. Some people take them off, some people find it rude.

I don't really mind either way, except I prefer visitors to keep them on. BUT I do hope that people get the message that offering house slippers is dire!

If I had a lot of these fussy carpet people in my life I think I would take to just putting bare feet in shoes and then they can take their choice.

Do what my great-aunt does: offer these to any visitors who don't want to take their shoes off. Really welcoming.

We don't wear shoes in the house, but I figure that the odd visitor doing so isn't going to create that much dirt/wear and tear.

Whoops, Tee, I'm showing up the fact that me and my friends are scruffy and don't really do heels other than boots so hadnt thought of that.

It is better MrsBert-but I bet she doesn't get too many visitors!

sneezingwakesthebaby Stop with the smug comments.I have severe bunions on both feet. They are very obvious and because one toe goes over the top of the others my socks usually get a hole worn through very quickly.

I hate shoes off houses.

Does no one ever sit outside on the grass or on steps or statues etc?

These threads go on for ages. They always do. I can't see the viewpoint of a shoes-on person, any more than they can see my viewpoint as a shoes-off person. For example, someone has already asked why crawling babies need a clean carpet as there's dog faeces outside, completely missing the point that we don't allow crawling babies to crawl down Dogshit Alley for precisely that reason!

I do like heavily pregnant as an excuse for retaining shoes, though... Oh the horror! I would have taken my shoes off in a shoes-on home while heavily pregnant, for my own personal comfort, because even my plimsolls or comfy trainers were killing me.

I remember when Sarah Brown had to remove her shoes on a PM visit somewhere and the press were quick to print photos of her bunions!-not everyone is happy to show them.

It is extremely unusual for people not to take their shoes off when they come into our house. I tell my old MIL not to bother though as she is too creaky. It is not an issue for me really.

Our light cream living room carpet is four years old and still nearly spotless.

They will be handing out boiler suits for white sofas next! Or be like a sad friend of mine whose mother makes the grandchildren go in the back door and stay in the kitchen!

The weird thing isnt the shoes on/off.

The weird thing is expecting people to know what you them want to do without telling them.

Erm, I'm not being smug. I don't examine my guests feet and label them ugly or not. I don't notice if they have bunions or toes going over other toes because I don't look and I don't think of feet as pretty or ugly. That's why I said I've heard it all now because I am surprised that people even care to judge the way feet look and label them ugly or pretty.

I periodically get eczema on my foot and it oozes and makes a nice damp patch on my sock. Would you rather have my drippy eczema foot juices on your carpet, OP, or my cleanish shoes?

They obviously do-or why would Sarah Brown's feet end up on national TV?

Are there people out there who still buy white sofas?

It was in answer to sneezing

Pale colour sofas then. Although my neighbours have white and let me sit on them and keep my shoes on.