To ask visitors to take their shoes off before coming into my home?

[moomin35]

Including my MIL who clearly didn't appreciate being asked!

If you have a good doormat outside and one inside where visitors can wipe their feet, then why should people HAVE to take their shoes off?
It is nice if people remove their shoes but not everyone is comfortable doing so and it is not very welcoming to expect them to remove shoes.

Some shoes are better than someone's smelly socks treading into your carpet.
I went to a relatives house once and took my shoes off - and when I was leaving my white socks were filthy underneath from walking on their floors!

I am more interested in people than in possessions, so personally I would not insist anyone took their shoes off.

I was brought up in a shoes off household and always remove mine in other peoples houses unless they say not to. However, I don't have carpets downstairs so I don't ask people to remove shoes because I want guests to feel comfortable and I can wash the floor in minutes when they leave if I want to. Dents son't bother me as I like the 'worn in' look.

To the Shoes Off People: -

What happens if the person you ask force to take off their shoes has athletes foot or a verucca? Or both?
All those nasty foot conditions being trod into your naice cream pile

Maybe shoes aren't the enemy after all.

What kind of work are they doing in their socks?

My own dh is a carpenter and I can't think of one job in someone's house where it would be appropriate to work in his socks.

ginny, as I and others have said, we don't 'force' people. It's never happened to me that someone's refused to take their shoes off, because I only ever say 'Take them off if you want to.'

But to be honest, I'd be quite surprised if a foot condition got transferred to my floor because people hardly ever come in barefoot. Everyone usually has socks or tights on.

Rita - are you not able to understand what I am writing. Please read again:

I have said - they REMOVE their shoes to walk through the house and PUT THEM BACK ON AGAIN when they reach the area requiring work. They are NOT WORKING IN THEIR SOCKS.

Sorry to shout, but the message didn't appear to be getting through

(FFS)

Because shoes are SO ugly and most people have beautiful, non-disease ridden feet

But to be honest, I'd be quite surprised if a foot condition got transferred to my floor because people hardly ever come in barefoot. Everyone usually has socks or tights on.

Not many women wear socks in the summer, so they would have to sit in your house in bare feet.

My DP "does work" in people's homes. He nearly always removes his shoes (depending upon the house (some houses are absolutely filthy and you would want to don wellies to go in) and type of work to be done, as does DS, who has now started working with him)

That's what you said, then the bit about the loft. I asked what work gets done in socks. You're saying none now.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum Tue 18-Nov-14 14:33:35

Rita - depends (as I think I said) upon the work being done! If you have a nicely carpeted area that needs to be walked across, DP and DS will remove their shoes, then put them back on once they reach the area requiring the work. What is 'bloody dangerous' about that?

Quite clearly, if they are on a building site, they wear safety boots that will not be removed at any point.
Here, we're talking about people's homes.
What dangerous things have you got lying on your carpets?

Here you go, you must have missed it. HTH

Is that right, ginny? 'Not many women'. Bit of a sweeping statement. And that's true of women who come to my house, is it?

It's quite funny how you seem to think you know better than I do what people who come to my house wear on their feet.

I also have never forced anyone to take their shoes off, most people just happily go along with it. I am quite sensitive to other people's emotions and if I noticed them hesitate I would invite them to keep them on if they were more comfortable. All the workmen who have been here have put on plastic shoe covers automatically without being asked anyway so no problem. We live in a London suburb with a high population of different nationalities and cultures so maybe they are just well prepared.
If you are worried about a foot condition, when visiting a shoes off home, just tell them you have a thing about your feet. I imagine you are visiting someone you like, care about, they will find a way around the problem to put you at ease.

Well I don't wear socks or tights in the summer, neither do my friends.

Maybe it's a generational thing. My MIL for instance, wears tights all year round even with sandals And I've noticed her friends do as well.

Oh, and actually, if they only do need to, for example, tune in a TV in a sitting room or bedroom, or for a simple rewiring job, they wouldn't need shoes on for that. They're simple jobs.

I can't believe you're trying to make an argument over my boys trying to be considerate enough to remove their shoes when necessary if they access a customer's house.
Sometimes, you just can't win!

If you have a good doormat outside and one inside where visitors can wipe their feet, then why should people HAVE to take their shoes off?

Because wiping your feet rarely removes all the muck. Surely that is obvious? If someone has mud on their shoes - quite possible where we live- unless they wipe the sides, the back of the heels, and the soles, VERY thoroughly, then their shoes are still dirty.

And not everyone has a doormat outside- we don't , it wouldn't work on our doorway.

I don't see why a cream carpet costing £1K should be ruined by someone's dirty shoes. Do you?

I think it's a bit rude to ask people tbh. It implies your clean floor is more important to you than their comfort/embarrassment/carefully chosen outfit.

I think the most you can do is have a Very Obvious shoe basket/pile in the front hall - hopefully that would inspire people to offer to remove shoes. And fgs don't have cream carpets downstairs.

Personally I hate removing my shoes because 1) I have smelly feet 2) I usually wear heels so removing shoes means my trousers will trail and get frayed and 3) I get very cold feet. Of course I'd remove shoes if they were muddy or wet but otherwise I'd much prefer to keep them on.

I must be weird. I never insist but people always take their shoes off at the door - and I do the same at my MILs. It's just a habit.

What would Hyacinth do?

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I can see it's about 50/50 here on mumsnet but in the real world I've never been asked to take off my shoes when visiting anyone. Nor have I seen a sign requesting that I do so.

YANBU. We bought a house with cream carpets throughout the downstairs. Can't afford to replace them (we used to have wooden floors and didn't care) and really CBA to spend hours cleaning them, so it's all shoes off at the front door.

I've got about 10 pairs of (brand new) hotel slippers for old fogeys anyone who wants 'em (most don't) and my MIL keeps a pair of slippers in the unit by our front door so she can slip into them easily.

The only pita is my DM, who has spent her entire life convinced she is exempt from any and all rules that apply to normal other people. Drives me mad.

mini- I think you are being unreasonable to suggest that people should not buy furnishings in colours they like simply because other people who don't actually live there can't be considerate.

It's a bit silly to say furnishings matter more than the friend. Good carpets cost a lot of money and should last for years with careful use.

You wouldn't go spilling tea on someone's carpet by being a bit sloppy, surely- just to make the point that you matter more than their carpet- so what is the difference with shoes?

I don't understand why people have cream carpets if they have small children.
My sister did and she was paranoid about them doing anything in case they spoiled the carpet.
Houses should be homes, not lovely to look at?

What sane person chooses to have a cream carpet fitted downstairs? (understandable if the carpet was already put down by the person who lived there before).

What argument?

One more question to the Shoes Off lot:

How do you cope with pets?

When you've finished walking your dog outside - do you wash all four of their paws each and every time before allowing them back in the house?
Do you also wipe and wash the dogs backside?
You say you don't want germs and dirt being brought into the house, but pets (as much as we love them) bring all sorts in.

When a dog (or cat) sits down - their bum is in direct contact the surface they are sat on.
How do you cope with that?