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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Shoes off house rule

840 replies

BettyBi0 · 02/03/2016 16:11

So we have a shoes off rule in our house. Mainly because of the grubby London streets and dog poo everywhere locally plus a floor licking toddler.

Every time my parents visit I have to ask them to take their shoes off. EVERY Fing TIME! They act like its such a massive imposition.

AIBU or would you just shut up and put up?

OP posts:
JessieMcJessie · 03/03/2016 17:54

Grumpymummy123 sorry we're supposed to take off our shoes in the lobby of the swimming pool, the bit where you buy the tickets? I've never seen anyone do that! Is there a bench at the door of your local changing rooms for people to sit down and remove shoes?

The only place I ever saw this was at an Onsen (thermal springs) in Japan which had a locker area at the entrance for shoes to be stored, then you walked to the reception and main changing area in your stockinged feet.

Natsku · 03/03/2016 18:06

Ooo wonder what the shoes on people would think of my local sports centre - everyone has to take their shoes off in the entrance hall and leave them there, before they even get to the changing rooms.

Wheresmybippers · 03/03/2016 18:08

I'm weird about this. We take shoes off at the door (purely for comfort reasons, I hate wearing shoes), but it actually strikes me as rude when people come in and take theirs off, like "Oh make yourself at home why don't you!". Yes, I know, I'm 100% unreasonable! Usually people ask if we want them to remove their shoes and we always say no, despite having just done so ourselves.

Typing this has made me realise how weird we are Hmm

oliviaclottedcream · 03/03/2016 18:19

bollocks it's not rude at all. I hate people wearing their shoes in my house. It's just a matter of preference.. I always ask it of my friends and guests. On the floorboards I don't mind so much, but on my carpet? Absolutely....

MamaBear98 · 03/03/2016 18:37

Ya we always keep the shoes off in our house, we don't have many visitors but if we do the adults usually aren't asked to shake the shoes if but if it's kids then they are...we are very hygienic concious in our house so hate any grow from the outdoors Smile

Grilledaubergines · 03/03/2016 18:38

Always take ours off in the hall in this house and DC Friends automatically do, as do visiting family. My friends, I can't think if they do or not.

Customers houses I always do and as most are Japanese, it's expected. Although I hate the communal slippers thing. Friends homes usually do as otherwise I'm walking leaves and wetness into their homes.

JessieMcJessie · 03/03/2016 18:43

Natsku if that is the rule and it's clearly signposted that is what you do and there is a place to sit down to remove shoes and somewhere secure to leave them- no problem whatsoever. However I have never seen such facilities in any Britash leisure centre I have been in.

SpecialLittleLady · 03/03/2016 18:45

I dread people asking me to take mine off I always have foot smell paranoia and sneek of to the loo to spray perfume on them so I just smell of cheesy red door lol. I have friends houses that I just don't go to anymore for this reason.

PuntCuffin · 03/03/2016 18:47

My MIL is disabled. She cannot walk without shoes. Should I insist that she takes her shoes off to satisfy some clean freaked?

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 03/03/2016 18:53

I never ask anyone to take off their shoes, although I greatly prefer that they do. 99.9% of people simply do, or offer to do so, as it's basically just being considerate. The first thing we all do in the house is take off our shoes and put them away.

I actually can't imagine anyone being rude enough to walk across someone's clean, cream carpets in dirty shoes! Party shoes on kids is fine, obviously.

Our house is clean, warm and comfortable. No one would be sitting there with freezing toes!

Pyjamaramadrama · 03/03/2016 19:01

We have to wear shoe covers in both of the local leisure centres. They have signs saying no shoes beyond this point. You can wear them in reception and that's it.

Grilledaubergines · 03/03/2016 19:06

My MIL is disabled. She cannot walk without shoes. Should I insist that she takes her shoes off to satisfy some clean freaked?

Well I don't think you should insist, no. It's of course down to the person whose home she is visiting. If they are usually a shoe free house, then I'm sure they would make an exception.

It's not being a clean freak to not want dirt trodden through your home.

Natsku · 03/03/2016 19:06

Jessie There's a big sign saying take your shoes off here and a bench to sit on. Nowhere to put your shoes though, everyone just leaves them next to the bench. I guess no one has had their shoes nicked yet. When my mum came over and she came with me to pick up DD from gymnastics the first thing she said was "you'd never see everyone just leave their shoes lying around where anyone can grab them in the UK!"

whattheseithakasmean · 03/03/2016 19:19

I just buy a job lot of fluffies from the pound shop and then bin them after one use.

I am no green crusader, but that strikes me as so horrendously wasteful of resources and needlessly filling up landfill, it makes me uncomfortable. I would rather you provided a foot bath and towels - at least they are reusable.

It is just so heedlessly, first world, unnecessarily, wasteful. Yes, we all produce too much waste, but single use slippers is surely jumping the shark for the environment?

verytiredmummy1 · 03/03/2016 19:25

We didn't mind shows on before we had a baby. Now I find myself being very unfriendly sometimes by asking people as soon as they've stepped in. I'm surprised so many people are surprised when I ask. We have a toddler who is crawling, walking and rolling on the floor! You aren't being unreasonable at all xx

verytiredmummy1 · 03/03/2016 19:25

Shoes not shows!

MrsWhirling · 03/03/2016 19:27

I buy and keep lots of cheap slippers in my hallway sideboard, and present them to anyone who doesn't take their shoes off when they come in. I have never actually asked anyone to take their shoes off, but it's fairly obvs that we don't have shoes in the house. So if someone doesn't notice I present them with said slippers. I always take my shoes off in other people's houses, even if they don't ask me to.

BumWad · 03/03/2016 19:37

YANBU.

Shoes off whoever the feck you are in my house.

I think it's fucking disgusting wearing footwear that's been in mud/shit/fag ends/chewing gum/all sorts then inside your home.

It's so uncouth. Bleurgh

Shesinfashion · 03/03/2016 19:39

I'd be quite annoyed if I was made to take my shoes off. Can you say no or if you do you are refused entry? I'd go home.

BumWad · 03/03/2016 19:40

You'd be refused entry into my home.

ErrolTheHamster · 03/03/2016 19:42

When my visitors are the ones mopping my floors, then they can leave their shoes on.

Anyone who comes knows we're a shoes off household, but I'd never ask anyone to do so if they didn't take the huge hint at the door where our pile of shoes is, as I want them to feel comfortable in my home.

Roussette · 03/03/2016 19:46

Refused entry? Goodness me! So if someone used a wetwipe to wipe all over the bottom of their shoes because they wanted to keep them on, would they still be refused entry?!

As I said before ... no-one but no-one has EVER asked me to take my shoes off, or hinted I should, or taken their own shoes off when walking in their own house with me or whatever. Maybe it's a regional thing, an age thing, a new thing, a MN thing but honestly it just never happens with anyone I know.

I'm due round to a friend's tomorrow for coffee and cake. We're meeting somewhere else, we'll walk in her house with shoes on. She is completely anal about her house (it always looks pristine) but she's never asked me and she comes here too and doesn't.

Shesinfashion · 03/03/2016 20:00

It isn't "uncouth" to enter a house wth shoes on and keep them on. I think you need a crash course in truly uncouth behaviour. Weeing in your garden, not flushing the toilet and leaving a massive turd...that's uncouth.

Roussette · 03/03/2016 20:03

Or being sick on your begonias. That's pretty uncouth Grin

Cuddlymummy77 · 03/03/2016 20:04

we don't wear shoes indoors. I don't want dirty carpets!

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