Is it rude to ask people to take their shoes off?

[ppandj]

We have wooden floorboards downstairs with rugs on, vinyl in the kitchen and carpet up the stairs and all the way through the upstairs of our house. The vinyl is no problem because it can be easily cleaned. However, pretty much everyone in my and DP's families leaves their shoes on when they come round. I must hoover up about every other day just because of the little bits that get trampled around. Now that it's been a bit wetter outside there are clumps of mud all over the rugs. I always take my shoes off in other people's house, unless they say not to. WIBU to ask them to take their shoes off? I'm prepared to provide slippers/socks!

[Tezza1]

I'm prepared to provide slippers/socks!
Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!

I don't want to put on anything that's been near another person's foot, unless the item has been sanitised/washed in disinfectant on the hottest cycle for a very long wash.

And, I'm not terribly picky, and am not fussed about most things, but a case of fungal infection on the sole of my foot, with no idea of where I got it, has made me wary about this. I probably wouldn't mind bare feet, except in a bathroom (other than my own).

Thankfully, nobody whose house I have ever entered has ever suggested taking off my shoes - I've never heard of anyone doing it, nor have I seen the hosts take off their shows, unless they've just from work in high heels. So, I suppose it'a a local thing.

[NicknameUsed]

Maybe it is Tezza I live in semi rural South Yorkshire and we all take our shoes off. I don't find wearing outdoor shoes inside particularly comfortable. I would rather wear slippers anyway (because my feet get cold easily).

I don't ask people to remove shoes, and would never dream of doing so. They just come in and see the shoe rack by the door and automatically take them off.

I have the occasional visitor who doesn't, but as their feet look clean I don't say anything. Clearly they are more comfortable keeping them on.

[OrangeFluff]

I wonder how many 'shoes off because of hygiene' people have cats and dogs?

We have a 'whatever makes you comfortable' house. I don't have any carpets downstairs so cleaning is easy. I have a cat, so vaccuum regularly anyway.

[Annie592]

Your kids health is not going to be affected by someone wearing shoes in your house!! What about your pets- they are out tramping the streets and parks when you walk them- do you make them wash and dry their paws before they come in? Sorry OP this is not directed at you, just some of the general 'horror at where shoes have been' posts. I do take my shoes off most of the time in other people's houses, because I feel more comfortable, but would never dream of asking someone to remove theirs- completely up to them.

[TimeIhadaNameChange]

Personally, I hate wearing shoes in a house but don't care what other people do, unless it's DP walking over my freshly-hoovered carpets in muddy wellies (but I only hoover once a week so I like to be able to enjoy the clean carpets for a little while). But if it were anyone else it wouldn't bother me. I'd rather people were comfortable. For me, comfort is shoes off, so that's what I do at home and elsewhere, but each to their own.

I do find being told to take shoes off rather rude, though. I have one friend who does this and I just find it unwelcoming. Not that she's rude in her request, per se. I have other friends who have a house rule for family of shoes off, and whilst they prefer the same of visitors they'd never enforce it. I find that much nicer.

[TimeIhadaNameChange]

Personally, I hate wearing shoes in a house but don't care what other people do, unless it's DP walking over my freshly-hoovered carpets in muddy wellies (but I only hoover once a week so I like to be able to enjoy the clean carpets for a little while). But if it were anyone else it wouldn't bother me. I'd rather people were comfortable. For me, comfort is shoes off, so that's what I do at home and elsewhere, but each to their own.

I do find being told to take shoes off rather rude, though. I have one friend who does this and I just find it unwelcoming. Not that she's rude in her request, per se. I have other friends who have a house rule for family of shoes off, and whilst they prefer the same of visitors they'd never enforce it. I find that much nicer.

[roseteapot101]

friends of ours always ask us to take our shoes off the door i thought it was common courtesy to ask if they dont ask should we take our shoes off

[ppandj]

This is the strange thing about my dilemma, (which I have thought more about in the past 24 hours than I ever thought I would!) the family that have traipsed mud through the house repeatedly are actually shoes off in their own house. At theirs, we also go through the back door so as not to walk with shoes on on their carpet. So I know it isn't that they feel uncomfortable about their feet. We're really close to them but because they are DP's family I don't feel comfortable asking them to take shoes off. My own family I would make a joke about it if they trampled mud and I know it would be fine, and all my friends are shoes off people anyway. So I'm just going to have to signal to in-laws that we take our shoes off/wipe thoroughly here!

[ppandj]

By signal I mean put a more sturdy doormat and a runner in the hall, and leave shoes there to see- not ask them!

[squoosh]

They have a strict shoes off policy in their own house, they know your house is shoes off, and they still keep their shoes on?

[ppandj]

Yes! This is why I thought maybe it's because they don't like the feel of the wooden floorboards and that's why I thought about slippers maybe. They could have their own pairs that we just keep for them.

[heron98]

I would and have asked people to take theirs off, although to be honest 99 percent of my friends just do anyway, as I would going round to theirs.

[heron98]

Also if I'm going to a friend's for the evening I bring my own slippers to wear. Keeps my feet warm!