AIBU to think that workmen should offer to take their shoes off in your house?

[Dollslikeyouandme]

I'm a shoes off in the house person, and always offer to take mine off when visiting. It's not because I'm a weird cream carpet visitor slippers freak. But I have carpet, a ds who likes to play on the floor. And a neighbourhood where the streets seem to be covered in dog shit.

I hate asking people to take off their shoes, so usually don't, and just hope they do anyway.

I've noticed workmen never take off their shoes, and lately I've had to have a few people in and around the house and gave been cringing at their boots standing on my bathmat mainly.

I just think shoes on carpets are gross.

And I didn't make the teacher she just did.

YANBU OP unless it is for H&S reasons. My midwife and HV all took off shoes without being asked. Maybe because they saw me shoeless and shoes by the door. I prefer it but wouldn't have asked as they wern't likely to be tramping through wet mud

To be honest I've heard they're going to pass a law soon, like the smoking ban, so you'll all be done for

No shoes in public places or in the house with children.

onesleep, perhaps those reading this will now reflect at least. Am guessing you are talking more about yourself in your post. Unless you talk about this with friends.
When growing up, we were a 'shoes on' household. And I was when on my own etc. Now feels odd to leave shoes on in someone's house.
There is one chap in particular who visits, leaves his shoes on and churns up our cream 80:20 wherever he sits! Perhaps our carpets will last longer because of no shoes thing, who knows...

echt where are you in Australia as I've found it far worse here than England! But then I'm a tenant here and was an owner in England. I do think that makes a difference as the workmen know they aren't working directly for you so don't need to impress!

I must say loft plan (loft extension company) were excellent for this. Guys used to take their shoes off at door even if they were carrying tools etc through house. I guess it was a policy of theirs.

I think it sounds absolutely stupid for people to carry work tools without protective footwear.

Baby boomers I've said so many times I don't ask anybody to remove their shoes, I'd much, much prefer it

Ok, I said "ask" - I should have said "prefer". But why? To save your precious carpets? You'd actually feel more comfortable - in a formal situation - talking to someone in her/his socks?

if anything in my experience men probably have more mucky shoes so I'd be hoping they'd take theirs off more

So, in your mind, there is a gender divide. Men are - probably - muckier than women? Not in my world.

And what about visiting hotels, hospitals, restaurants with carpeted floors? You take your shoes off? If not, why not?

No casize, never talk about it with friends apart from one friend once when it came up before on here. But absolutely nobody I mix with has ever asked or expected people to remove shoes on visiting. And has never offered at mine. It's just not the done thing with anyone.

Well to answer I couldn't give a stuff about socks, I don't see feet as I private body part to be kept covered. To me coat and shoes off are standard when going into a house.

Hospitals, hotels lobbies not the same imo, they are commercial floors, I wouldn't let my baby crawl round a hospital or hotel lobby floor, I wouldn't eat a takeaway on a hospital or hotel lobby floor, I use my living room floor for more than just to walk on so that's why I'd prefer.

Oh with regards to men/women I did not say men are mucky at all, please stop putting words in my mouth.

Firstly you said I expect women to take their shoes off to be ladylike, I said this is not the case as in my experience men probably more likely to have mucky shoes. A lot of men I know tend to have one pair of trainers that they wear everywhere, playing football with their son then fix the car, walk mud in. Women might tend to have more shoes less likely to be muddy oily, not everyone some people. It was only a thought

squoosh I totally agree. And I always used to tell them to keep their shoes on when they started to take them off. We were prepared for normal building work and were planning to replace the only downstairs carpet, the rest was tiles.

But I do think it is respectful to offer to take dirty work shoes off if you are not actually needing to wear them, esp on carpets or upstairs.

But absolutely nobody I mix with has ever asked or expected people to remove shoes on visiting

Same here. My mother was "houseproud" as it used to be called back in the 50s, but even in our house, visitors kept their shoes on. It was one's duty to make guests feel at ease - and if that meant cleaning the odd bit of muck off the floor, so be it.

I suppose I feel the same way. Mind you, I'm not a fan of carpets.

I make any guests in my house take everything off. Shoes, socks, clothes, false limbs. It's just good manners.

Well I have special pyjamas for them to wear, and I have a shower by the front door, I also spray them with dettol as they walk in.

'But absolutely nobody I mix with has ever asked or expected people to remove shoes on visiting'.

Me too. That's why I find it weird when people state that it's rude not to offer to take your shoes off. It isn't rudeness, it just wouldn't occur to me or the people I know that this is a thing.

When I open the door to guests I just lick my lips, do a spot of heavy breathing and say 'I run a no underwear household'.

OP, you say I wouldn't let my baby crawl round a hospital or hotel lobby floor, I wouldn't eat a takeaway on a hospital or hotel lobby floor, I use my living room floor for more than just to walk on

Wouldn't you let your baby crawl around a hotel bedroom? Do you imagine that every previous guest/cleaner has removed their shoes?

And I'm sorry, but it didn't occur to me that you'd be eating on the carpeted floor. If you do, that's more of a hygiene issue than men in mucky boots - why not use the table?

As I said earlier, I could argue that carpets are a bad idea if you're concerned about hygiene. Carpets harbour all sorts of bugs and dust - obvious outdoor muck is the least of your problems.

However, this is getting silly - so I'm off. You're accusing people of misquoting you and then you proceed to misquote other posters.

squoosh

And then squish you get a whole new set of worries - sweaty nads on the chairs, not even going to mention my tits trailing everywhere.

Squish? Squoosh.

I can't believe any of you are actually inviting guests into your house

We live in a vacuum - I find it easier to keep it clean. Sometimes the lack of oxygen is a bit irritating, but I just tell DH and the DCs to stop complaining and focus instead on how clean everything is.

It's okay Onesleep, if you're discarding your bra and knickers in my porch you are more than welcome to call me squish!

May be appropriate squish.

You do know that people can't read your mind and if you so bothered about people keeping their shoes on in your house, then ask them to take them off.

Personally I would take dirty shoes over smelly socks any days!

Baby boomers, I probably would let a baby crawl round a hotel floor purely because it would be very difficult not to, but I am we'll aware that it's probably filthy.

We do obviously eat our meals at the table, but if we order pizza we might sit on the floor yes, why not?

And I know that carpets aren't the cleanest but they are cheaper and cosier than other types of flooring so you do your best to keep it as clean as possible. And I'm sure it's cleaner than outside where people spit, drop litter, animal poo, oil, mud, piss and who knows what else.

People who wear shoes in the house would you wheel a pushchair into a carpeted house?